Mt Rushmore Night Ceremony and Tour - with Tunnels and Stargazing
Overview
Available languages
4 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Please note - This tour is NOT what TripAdvisor displays on their description. THIS TOUR is a Night Tour to Mt Rushmore and stargazing after the Ceremony. This is NOT a day tour to Custer State Park. TripAdvisor has several errors. Please contact us to confirm info.
Black Hills Open-Top-Tours is the only tour company offering a Mt Rushmore tour that also includes the Night Lighting Ceremony, a tour of the Iron Mtn Tunnels and night stargazing (depending on weather).
We tour in a variety of unique vehicles. All are comfortable and safe convertible top vehicles. They offer great elevated views and photo ops without needing to exit.
This 5 hour tour departs from Rapid City between 5:00pm and 5:30pm. Private Tours Available for Groups.
*The Night Ceremony at Mt Rushmore is only available from MAY 26th to AUGUST 10th: ceremony starts 9 PM
*August 11th to SEPT 30th: ceremony starts 8PM
*October 1 to May 25th we provide the tour of Mt Rushmore with a Mountain Sunset and Stargazing.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Other rates apply only when sharing with 2 paying adults
A minimum of 2 Adults per booking is required
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Layered clothing, comfortable shoes, and a hat are recommended
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Bottled water
Driver/guide
Fees
Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
This tour includes the Norbeck Overlook. The overlook takes you to great views of Mount Rushmore, Black Elk Peak and and its a great platform to view the setting sun and pause for stargazing . . . multitude of stars, constellations, and even galaxies.
Iron Mountain Road
After the stargaing on our return home, we drive Iron Mountain Road and its pigtail bridges, magnificent views through the one-way tunnels that frame the lighted national monument. We pause for photos.
Options
Mt Rushmore Nite/Starz/Tunnels
Pickup included
Reviews
56 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Beautiful and fun
Marilee C,
Aug 10, 2025
- Viator
5.00TJ was amazing! He was so knowledgeable, fun, funny and informative! It is obvious that he loves South Dakota and the Black Hills. We especially enjoyed driving through the tunnels after the presentation! This was a wonderful experience. Highly recommend!
Great tour
Juliet P,
Jul 30, 2025
- Viator
5.00TJ was a great tour guide. He was funny and very knowledgeable. He took very good care of us! It was overcast so we couldn’t see any stars, but he made it very enjoyable all the same.
Amazing
Cheryl P,
Jul 28, 2025
- Viator
5.00Absolutely wonderful! TJ was an excellent guide full of information. I felt this tour was well worth the money. So many beautiful stars that night and riding through the tunnels was so beautiful. Thank you
Nighttime tour of Mount Rushmore with TJ
Jan H,
Jul 9, 2025
- Viator
5.00Book the open top van for sure for an evening visit to the Monument. It was stunningly beautiful and we felt very honored to be there on 7/3/25 to honor our Veterans and our Country. As a special treat that night the Air Force Band played beautiful music for over an hour. We encountered the Secret Service as we went through security, and they were so nice, upbeat and friendly. Afterwards, we found out that VP Vance was there at the same time! Our tour guide, TJ, was wonderful and a lot of fun. Took lots of pictures of us and gave us great tips. We got to see him in the Deadwood 4th of July parade the next day!
Maybe my expectations were too great
Nitin C,
Jul 7, 2025
- Viator
2.00After getting 3 requests for a review from viator I begrudgingly offer this. For $378 I was disappointed that it in essence was being dropped off at Mount Rushmore which was 10 minutes from where we were picked up, to take care of ourselves for 2 and 1/2 hours for what otherwise would be free if I had just driven there myself and done the same thing. Two and a half hours for something that most likely could be done within an hour while waiting for the lighting ceremony which was amazing. Again if I put more thought into this I would have simply driven there, paid $10 for parking and done everything from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30. Given that we were staying in Keystone in essence we paid for a very expensive 10 minute ride in a van up a mountain to a free venue. The driver was a great guy and offered some good suggestions. I did not anticipate writing a negative review. But spending close to $400 for the 2 of us, to be dropped off for a self-guided tour for a free venue just doesn't sit well with me. We were dropped off at 6:40 p.m. and the lighting ceremony didn't start till 9:00. We saw everything in the exhibition center including the movie and walked around the monument, all within 45 minutes. Then we had to wait until 9:00. Crazy.
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Operated by Black Hills Open-Top-Tours