Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone Road Trip Itinerary

If you are wanting to see some of the most iconic sights in the USA, a road trip from Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone will be a great adventure. From man-made wonders to wildlife, the wild west, and scenic drives – there is something to please every member of your family.

I have put together an itinerary that covers the most wondrous, entertaining, and breathtaking stops along the way.

Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone : Itinerary

Mount Rushmore + Keystone, South Dakota

Keystone is a cute town serving the visitors to Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park / The Needles. There are lots of hotel options, restaurants, entertainment, and a 1880 tourist train.

Mount Rushmore is surely one of the most famous tourist sights in the world. Set in the Black Hills near of Keystone – the huge stone carvings are South Dakota’s most popular attraction. It features previous US presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

After visiting, we became aware of the Lakota Sioux opposition to the monument – which serves as a reminder of the loss of their sacred land. We wanted to mention this to draw attention to indigenous voices – and to perhaps encourage people dig a little deeper into the history of the land and people. You can balance your viewpoints by visiting the Lakota Heritage Center at the Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge.

Custer State Park + The Needles

Driving distance from Keystone: 16 miles / 30 minutes

Driving the Needles scenic drive and visiting Custer State Park is a must while in the Black Hills. The Needles Highway takes you through the incredible granite formations, and a dramatic scenic drive. I recommend getting up early and starting your visit around 7am – this way you get to enjoy the scenic drive at the quietest time of the day. Driving those winding roads lots of traffic isn’t a nice prospect to me!

In Custer State Park there are amazing opportunities to see wildlife – be prepared for Bison traffic jams! I saw more bison in Custer in my 4 hours there than I did in 4 days in Yellowstone – which is saying something, as we saw a lot. I liked how quiet Custer State Park was at that time of the morning, it was like I had the place to myself.

Passes for Custer can be picked up from the entrance vending machine – please don’t skip it, as these funds go towards maintenance of the park.

Deadwood, South Dakota

Driving distance from Keystone: 50 miles / 1 hour (if you use Keystone as your base for exploring the Black Hills).

Driving distance from Custer: 90 miles / 2.5 hours (if you do a loop around Custer State Park and Needles, and then drive back via Hill City.

Deadwood is a kitsch-fantastic wild west town in the north of the Black Hills National Forest. The very town where Wild Bill-Kickok and Calamity Jane are buried, there is frontier heritage everywhere. Gambling was legalised here, and so it is now a strange cross between the wild west and Las Vegas!

Devil’s Tower, Wyoming

Driving distance from Deadwood: 74 miles / 1 hour 20 minutes

Devil’s Tower / Bear Lodge National Historic Landmark is a butte north east of Sundance. Standing at 867 feet (265 m), this breathtaking natural feature is a great stop-off on your way from the Black Hills to Billings.

Billings, Montana

Driving distance from Devil’s Tower: 270 miles / 4 hours 20 minutes

Billings is a delightful road trip stop on your way from Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone. Craft Breweries (such as Thirsty Street Brewing Company), pioneer industry, and lovely cafes (such as MoAV Coffee) make Billings more than meets the eye.

We enjoyed a tour of the Red Oxx luggage factory in Billings. The passion of the staff and quality of the products have made it one of my favourite luggage brands. Despite receiving the first bag for free, I ended up purchasing a second, as I loved it so much.

Disclaimer: We received Red Oxx products in return for content; however, as always, all opinions are my own.

Beartooth Highway

Driving distance from Billings: 83 miles / 1 hour 40 minutes

The Beartooth Highway is one of the most scenic mountain pass roads in the world. Connecting Yellowstone with Red Lodge, and spanning the border between the two states, the Beartooth Highway certainly isn’t for those who don’t like heights!

The views from the Rock Creek Vista Viewpoint are some of the most lush and impressive I’ve ever seen on our travels. We visited in early Fall, and snow fell as we were descending from the viewing point – it was quite magical.

Stop at the Top Of The World Store for refreshments and souvenirs from this majestic altitude.

Cooke City Silver Gate

Driving distance from Beartooth Highway: 33 miles / 50 minutes

Cooke City Silver Gate is the last town before you hit Yellowstone. Some people choose to stay here, but personally I would recommend staying inside the park. It’s another 3 hours drive from here to Old Faithful (Yellowstone is BIG!); so stop in Cooke City for a meal or provisions, or even a stop over on your road trip.

Yellowstone

Driving distance from Cooke City to Old Faithful: 100 miles / 2 hours 50 minutes

You will come into Yellowstone via Lamar Valley, which is an amazing wildlife watching area in the park. Take this route early in the morning for at dusk for the best opportunities to see bears and wolves.

Use my Yellowstone Itinerary which covers visits for 1, 2, 3 and 4 days in Yellowstone; to plan your time in the National Park.

Yellowstone was the first National Park in the USA, and is absolutely as impressive as its reputation. See my guide to Yellowstone in Fall + 5 Must-Dos if you’re short on time.

Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone Road Trip

A Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone road trip takes in vast plains, mountain views, history, wildlife, and cute towns – it would suit 1-2 weeks of travel. While 1 week would take in the highlights, 2 weeks could ensure you have time to enjoy the stops along the way.

While the 600 mile drive can be done in 1 day, you would be missing some exceptional areas of natural beauty. Take your time, admire the landscapes of South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming; and top your trip off with at least a few days in Yellowstone – what could be more perfect?

Do you have any road trip stops along this route for my readers? Add them to the comments below!

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.