📷 Photo by Conner Baker on UnsplashCrazy Horse Memorial
Custer, SD
An unfinished mountain carving of the Lakota leader Crazy Horse, in progress since 1948, with a large Native American museum and cultural center. An entry fee is charged; a nightly laser show runs in summer.
Crazy Horse Memorial is a monument in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota. It shows the Lakota leader Crazy Horse on horseback, his arm stretched toward the horizon, and is still under construction. The entrance is on US Highway 16/385, 9 miles south of Hill City, 4 miles north of Custer and 17 miles southwest of Mount Rushmore.
Sculptor Korczak Ziółkowski began blasting the granite in 1948. He died in 1982, and his family continues the work; the face was dedicated in 1998. The height is given as over 171 meters (Lonely Planet: 563 feet), and no completion date has been set. The monument is controversial: many Native Americans oppose it as a desecration of sacred land.
The visitor center holds a small Native American museum, cafés, shops and part of Ziółkowski’s studio. In summer there is a laser-light show in the evening. You can see the mountain from afar; according to Lonely Planet, a van ride closer costs an extra 4 US dollars. According to History Hit the memorial is open year-round; please check hours and prices in advance (as of October 2026).
- Nearest town
- Custer, SD
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 43.8366, -103.6239
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July. Cold, short days in December–March. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
© Runner1928 · CC BY-SA 4.0Sylvan Lake
© Little Mountain 5 · CC BY-SA 3.0Needles Highway and Needles Eye Tunnel
© Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand · Public domainMount Rushmore National Memorial
© Clyde Charles Brown · CC BY-SA 4.0Jewel Cave National Monument
Campsites nearby
- Bearded Buffalo ResortCampsite5 mi from Crazy Horse MemorialCaravansWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Custer's Gulch RV Park and CampgroundCampsite6 mi from Crazy Horse MemorialTentsCaravansWaste disposal
- Elk Mountain CampgroundCampsite20 mi from Crazy Horse Memorial · 48 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToilets
- Happy Holidays RV ResortMotorhome stopover21 mi from Crazy Horse Memorial · 100 pitchesMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Black Hills RV ParkMotorhome stopover22 mi from Crazy Horse MemorialMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Rapid City RV Park & CampgroundMotorhome stopover24 mi from Crazy Horse MemorialMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalWi-Fi
All campsites in South Dakota · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Crazy Horse Memorial?
Crazy Horse Memorial is in Custer, SD, at GPS 43.8366, -103.6239. It is about 9 mi from Mount Rushmore.
Can you camp near Crazy Horse Memorial?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Oreville Campground, about 3 mi away; within 25 mi there are 56 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Crazy Horse Memorial?
Crazy Horse Memorial is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Southern Black Hills: Crazy Horse, the Needles and Wind Cave and Bison, needles and prairie: by camper through the Badlands and Black Hills.
What is there to see near Crazy Horse Memorial?
Places worth a stop nearby: Sylvan Lake (3 mi), Needles Highway and Needles Eye Tunnel (4 mi), Mount Rushmore National Memorial (9 mi) and Jewel Cave National Monument (13 mi).
When is the best time to visit Crazy Horse Memorial?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)