“The Great Plains grew presidents and preserved dinosaurs.”
The Dakotas hold America’s wildest contrasts: Black Hills pine forests cradling Mount Rushmore’s four stone faces. Badlands’ layered bones where T-rex once hunted. Bison the size of SUVs roaming Custer State Park. Theodore Roosevelt reinventing himself punching cattle under starlit prairies. This is Mount Rushmore gazing eternally over the Black Hills, where Crazy Horse’s unfinished mountain face grows slowly from granite, and the Badlands reveal 75-million-year-old sea beds now clawing at the sky.
Tours included in this bundle:
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial
- Badlands National Park
- Black Hills
- Custer State Park
Why go? Presidents carved in granite. Bison blocking your road. Petrified sea monsters in striped canyons. Lakota sacred ground where the land still speaks. It’s pickup trucks, prairie sunsets, and a wall of bison across the pavement that stops traffic and conversation at the same time.
With the Dakota’s Self-Guided Driving and Walking Audio Tours Bundle, your phone transforms into your personal Lakota historian, Roosevelt ranch hand, and Badlands fossil guide. No crowded shuttles, no cell service required once downloaded. The narration kicks in as you round the bend to Crazy Horse or spot bison silhouetted against the Badlands spires.
What you’ll experience:
- Stand before the monumental faces of Mount Rushmore and feel the power of American history.
- Drive through the Badlands, where the land itself speaks of ancient rivers and untold ages.
- Roam the Black Hills, where the beauty of nature merges with the mysticism of the sacred peaks.
- See bison roam freely in Custer State Park, a wildlife haven surrounded by hills and lakes.
- Explore Theodore Roosevelt National Park and discover the roots of conservation and the spirit of the American West.
Bison Jam Warning: This tour bundle may spark a deep appreciation for wide-open spaces, an irresistible desire to explore more of the American West, a newfound fascination with cowboy hats, and the occasional ‘bison jam’ that could hold you up for twenty minutes. Keep a safe distance from the wildlife and bring binoculars for the best views.
Tour Map
How Does It Work?
- Access your tour: Download the Action Tour Guide app and sign in with the same email used for your website purchase. Your tour will appear under My Tours.
- Download your tour: Download it before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.
- Start your tour: Open My Tours, select your tour, and tap Start Touring when you reach a starting point.
- Listen your way: Use your phone’s speaker or headphones, or connect to your car’s audio system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not currently supported, compatibility is in development.
- GPS-triggered audio: Stories play automatically as you reach each location along the route.
- Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day. Tours are valid forever (one year for Action+).
Preview The Tour
Tour FAQs
The bundle includes 5 self-guided audio tours covering the defining landscapes, monuments, and natural wonders of the Dakotas: Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota), Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, the Black Hills, and Custer State Park (all in South Dakota). Together they cover 150+ miles and feature 350+ audio stories.
Each individual tour takes between 2 and 3 hours to complete. With 5 tours covering 150+ miles across the two Dakotas, most travelers spread the bundle across 2 to 3 days or even a week, making it a perfect long-weekend itinerary centered around the Black Hills and Badlands regions.
Source: Black Hills and Badlands
Yes. Badlands National Park is one of the five tours in the bundle. The driving audio tour guides you through the park’s otherworldly striped canyon formations, explaining the 75-million-year-old seabed sediments that erosion has sculpted into spires, gullies, and buttes.
Yes. The bundle is entirely self-guided with no group schedules or pace requirements, so families can stop for bison sightings, fossil viewpoints, short hikes, or photo opportunities whenever they like. The dramatic landscapes of the Badlands, the bison herds of Custer State Park, and the towering faces of Mount Rushmore are all engaging and memorable experiences for children and adults alike.
Source: Black Hills and Badlands
Yes. Action Tour Guide offers gift cards, making the Dakotas bundle a great gift for history lovers, national park enthusiasts, wildlife fans, or anyone planning a Black Hills and Badlands adventure.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Action Tour Guide app: Download the app to access your purchased tour.GPS-triggered audio: Stories and directions play automatically as you reach each location.Tour anytime: Single tours and bundles never expire and can be used anytime. Action+ is an annual subscription that automatically renews each year unless canceled.Narrated stories: Hear local history, culture, and stories from experienced narrators.Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day.Offline access: Download your tour before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.Stories, stops, and directions: Follow the route to key attractions with automatic directions and stories at each location.Transportation: Transportation, parking fees, and tolls are not included.Admission: Entry tickets and reservations are not included. Food and drinks: Meals and drinks are not included.Rental car: A rental car is not included and may be required for driving tours. 
