Before I visited, I had never heard of the Crazy Horse Memorial South Dakota, but as I was researching what to do when visiting South Dakota, I read about visiting Crazy Horse Memorial in a guide.
I knew about Crazy Horse and Lt Colonel Custer and the Battle of Little Big Horn as we had studied it in history at school, so I was intrigued to actually be in the area near to where this famous battle had occurred and to go visit Crazy Horse Memorial.
Crazy Horse Monument Facts
Crazy Horse was born in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1842 and was a native American. He fought against the US Government who were taking the land and changing the way of life of the native American people.
He is one of the most famous native Americans and helped lead the assault against Custer, leading to Custer’s death in 1876. He has been honoured by the US Postal Service and appeared on a stamp in 1982.
In 1939 sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski was asked to carve a memorial to the spirit of Crazy Horse which eventually began in 1948. Korczak worked mainly on this own, until his death in 1982 when his wife Ruth Ziolkowski took over the project, changing the focus to finishing Crazy Horse face so the visitors would be able to see this from the visitors centre. Now it is still run by the same family with 6 of his children and some grandchildren now running the project.
Crazy Horse Memorial Completion Date
Everyone always asks “When will Crazy Horse monument be finished?” but at the moment there is no Crazy Horse completion date, as it all depends on the number of visitors and how much money they get in as to how much work can be done on the mountain. I was told maybe 2050, maybe later!!
The crazy horse memorial finished date is just not know because the project is all privately funded from the money from visitors to the site, with no government funding having been put into the project. Korczak was offered government funding for the project but would never accept any state funds and that still stands to this day.
The Crazy Horse memorial progress does seem slow but it is interesting to see each year exactly what has been completed and I hope it does get finished within my life time.
Visiting Crazy Horse Memorial South Dakota
I arrived at the Crazy Horse Monument South Dakota, late afternoon and went straight to the information desk to find out what there was to do when you visit Crazy Horse Monument. At that time I had no idea that the memorial itself is so far away from the visitors centre or that it costs to see it closer.
I also did not realise that it is not funded by the government and is a non profit foundation as Korczak wished that no federal or state funds would ever be accepted to create the memorial.
Getting to Crazy Horse Memorial
Want to know where is Crazy Horse Monument, then look no further. It is located in South Dakota close to Rapid City.
The Crazy Horse Memorial address is – 12151 Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, SD 57730.
If driving from Rapid City, Custer, Hill City, Sturgis you will want to take Highway 16 or from Mount Rushmore it is highway 244 and Deadwood is highway 385.
There is a lot of free parking on site, though it costs to visit the Welcome Center.
Crazy Horse Memorial Cost
The Crazy Horse fee from October 1st 2023 to May 24th 2024 is $12 for 1 person, $24 for 2 people and $30 for 3 or more people in a car. The Crazy Horse Monument cost for motorbikes, bicycle or walking is $7 per person entry fee.
From May 25th 2024 to September 30th 2024 the fees are $15 for 1 person, $30 for 2 people and $35 for 3 or more people in a car. For motorbikes, bicycles or walking it is $10 per person.
The crazy horse entrance fee includes an Orientation film about the history of the Crazy Horse Memorial, along with 3 museums you can visit, cultural events, a view of the mountain where crazy horse is being carved and a laser light show during the summer months.
If you want to see it closer there are 2 options which is not included within the crazy horse entry fee. The cheapest is $5 and you can get a bus from the visitors centre for a 25 minute round trip, where you get out and see a closer view. The picture below is the closest you get from the $5 trip, but well worth doing as you get an idea of how big it is actually going to be and you can get a good view of the face head on.
Unfortunately on this trip you can’t get too close as it is a live working site and sometimes you can hear them doing detonations depending on the day you visit.
The 2nd option you can actually go and visit the head and face of Crazy Horse and get a close up picture, this trip though does involve a donation of more than $125 (prices vary, so you will need to check directly with the Crazy Horse site) and needs to be booked in advance. I have seen pictures of people stood by the face and this is when you realise just how big it actually is as the people are tiny!! I really wanted to go do this, but as a backpacker I just couldn’t justify the cost.
Twice a year they also arrange a hike up to the face of Crazy Horse called the Crazy Horse Memorial Volksmarch, a total of 6.2 miles through the forest. The next hike will be June 1st 2024 and then September 29th 2024. In total there are normally around 12,000 hikers per year that do this!! The price of the hike is $3 to register and then $10 for 1 person, $15 for 2 people and $20 for 3 or more, though this fee is removed if hikers bring 3 cans of food as a donation to local food drives.
Crazy Horse Memorial Tickets
Unless you are planning to attend a special event or you believe it will be busy due to it being a holiday then you can just go to Crazy Horse and pay on arrival, you can also pay for the bus to the base of the memorial at this time too.
You can buy crazy horse tickets here, but there is also an additional fee depending on the number of tickets you book and the tickets are non refundable, though it may be possible to change the date as long as it is within 1 year of purchase.
If you would like to Trip to the top of the Mountain to get close to the face of Crazy Horse, then you will need to call ahead on 605-673-4681 to schedule the trip. There is a $125 non refundable donation to do this trip.
Crazy Horse Memorial Hours
If you are planning on visiting Crazy Horse then these are the hours the Crazy Horse Welcome Centre will be open are as follows:
March 20th 2024 to April 9th 2024 – Welcome Centre & Gift Shop open from 9am to 6pm. The bus to base is weather dependent and you need to call ahead to confirm.
April 10th 2024 to May 7th 2024 – Welcome Centre & Gift Shop open from 8am to 7pm. The Education & Cultural Center is open from 9am to 6pm and the bus to the base is running from 8.30am to 5.30pm, though weather dependent.
May 8th 2024 to September 17th 2024 – Welcome Center and Gift Shop open from 8am to 8pm. The Educational and Cultural Center from 9am to 7pm and the bus to the base from 8.30am to 6.30pm, dependent on the weather.
September 18th 2024 to September 30th 2024 – Welcome Center and Gift Shop is open from 8am to 7pm. The Education and Cultural Center from 9am to 6pm and the bus to the base from 8.30am to 6.30pm dependent on the weather.
If you want to visit the top of the mountain this is available all days of the week and needs to be booked in advance.
The Laser show at Crazy Horse stopped running at the end of the 2023 season and nothing has been announced yet as to whether it will be replaced.
Is Crazy Horse Memorial handicap accessible
Crazy Horse is handicap accessible, it is all on one floor from the entrance, the museum, to the viewing platform and the restaurant. It is also possible to go to the base of the mountain and to the top of the mountain to get close to Crazy Horse as they do have wheelchair accessible vans, to do this you just need to call ahead to make the necessary arrangements.
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Crazy Horse Memorial Tours
If you don’t drive or don’t want to hire a car, you can still fly to Rapid City and take a day tour and explore Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park.
About Crazy Horse Monument
At the moment the crew is working on Crazy Horse’s left hand and the horse’s mane.
It is the worlds largest mountain carving and just the head of Crazy Horse is 27 feet taller than any of the heads at Mount Rushmore which are 60 feet high. Once it’s finished it will be 563 feet high and 641 feet wide and it’s something I would love to see as it will look amazing carved into the rock.
What to do at Crazy Horse Memorial
There are many things to do at Crazy Horse Memorial and when you first arrive you will enter the Welcome Center, here you will pay for your crazy horse admission and any additional extras, such as the bus tour. You will need to leave the Welcome Center to wait for the bus tour, but it sets off just outside the main entrance to the Welcome Center.
After the bus tour, I then went back into the Welcome Center where I watched the orientation film on the history of the Crazy Horse Memorial, which is worth watching as it shows how Korczak came to live on the site and had his 10 children there, how he had to drag everything up the mountain to do blasts, to carve the rock all on his own, sometimes with the help of his children and how much it has changed now. They now have a team of explosive experts that they can afford to employ run by Korczak’s son and his daughter runs the restaurant.
After watching the film I then explored the museums, saw the promise painting, nature gates and went out onto the viewing veranda and watched a traditional native performance while seeing the memorial in the background.
On the viewing terrace you can also see a crazy horse statue of how the mountain will look once it’s finished with the mountain in the background and you can imagine how it will look one day.
I then had a walk around the museum and shops before stopping in the restaurant for dinner. The food is reasonably priced and as I wanted to stay for the laser light show it made sense to sit in the restaurant looking out at the memorial until the show started.
How much time to spend at Crazy Horse Memorial
How long to spend at Crazy Horse Memorial really depends on what you want to do there. If you want to take one of the bus trips for a closer view or even to the face of crazy horse then you will need longer there, if you just want to watch the orientation film, look through the museums, see the view from terrace then you will only need a couple of hours at most.
If you are wanting to do a few things during your day and you don’t want to get the bus to see Crazy Horse closer then you can see everything in the visitors centre in 1 hour or 1 hour and a half. Maybe you are even thinking Crazy Horse vs Mount Rushmore, well it is possible to see both in a day.
There is also an onsite restaurant where you can eat if you start to get a little hungry and the prices are quite reasonable.
Crazy Horse Laser Show
The Crazy Horse Laser Show was a great show that gave a history of the native Americans.
Unfortunately it was decided to end the laser show at the end of the 2023 season and nothing has been announced yet as to whether it will be replaced.
Crazy Horse was one of my favourite places to visit on this trip to South Dakota and USA and I did prefer it to Mount Rushmore, it is a lot bigger and a lot more impressive. The history behind it, of one man doing so much of it on his own, the fact that all the money used to create it has not come from any government or state funding but through donations or visitors to the site and it’s a memorial to a native American who was trying to keep his lands and way of life.
If you are in the area then it’s a great place to visit, and hopefully one day I will get to go back and see it when it’s finished.
If you would like to learn more about the history of the Native Americans then read this book Native American History.
How close can you get to Crazy Horse Monument?
It is possible to get very close to Crazy Horse and to actually go right up to his face and walk along his arm. This though will be an extra $125 in addition to the entrance fee.
With just the entrance you can see Crazy Horse from the viewing platform and for $4 extra you can take a bus trip to get close to the bottom of the mountain.
Can you see Crazy Horse Memorial from the road?
Many people want to know, can you see Crazy Horse without paying and yes you can see Crazy Horse from the road and the view is good, but to get the real experience and to learn the history about Crazy Horse and to find out exactly why they are doing what they are doing, then it is worth visiting and paying the crazy horse cost.
You also have the option of paying the $4 for an even closer view, for a 25 minute ride that will take you close to the bottom of the mountain for a closer look.
Don’t forget that Crazy Horse is 100% funded by visitors to the memorial and without everyone’s support it will never progress or be finished!!
How far is Crazy Horse from Mount Rushmore
Crazy Horse is 17 miles from Mount Rushmore and perfect for doing together on the same trip on the same day as you only need a few hours at most at each site.
Where to stay when Visiting Crazy Horse Monument
I based myself in Rapid City when I visited Crazy Horse, so that I could also visit Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park and Badlands National Park. There are many places to stay near to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial.
I stayed at the Travelodge Rapid City, which included a continental breakfast and a pool to cool down in on an evening.
If you would like something a little nicer then opt for the Hilton Garden Inn Rapid City, where you can enjoy the indoor pool and hot tub and enjoy dinner at the Great American Grill on site restaurant.
Where to stay near Crazy Horse South Dakota
If you would prefer to stay somewhere a little closer to Crazy Horse, then you can stay in the same town of Custer, just 5 miles from Crazy Horse.
Here you have the following options:
Budget: Best Western Buffalo Ridge Inn
Mid-range: Comfort Inn & Suites, Custer
The Best: EO Bungalows, Custer
Don’t forget to download your FREE South Dakota Bucket List to make sure you don’t miss the best places in South Dakota.
You might find these posts useful to help plan your trip to Crazy Horse Memorial:
- Crazy Horse vs Mount Rushmore
- Visiting Mount Rushmore
- Mt Rushmore Lighting Ceremony
- Best place to stay near Mount Rushmore
If you are planning to spend some time in South Dakota then check out these guides:
- Top things to do in South Dakota
- Things to do in Custer State Park
- Sioux Falls Park
- Best Hikes in Badlands National Park South Dakota
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I had no idea this even existed. I’ve never been to South Dakota, but only knew about Mount Rushmore! Thanks for giving me another reason to head to a new state!
I’ve never been to South Dakota, but it is definitely on my bucket list! And it’s good to know it isn’t too expensive!
Wow – now this is an attraction I would love to see. Especially given the history as well as the dedication to the cause and the fact that it is carried on today. You have to admire the creativity and determination to get it done. It is a fantastic site now – just trying to imagine what it would be like when it’s finished!
I never heard of the story of Crazy Horse or this tribute to him. It’s really honourable that they have decided to finish the project on donations only and no government or state funding. I did enjoy the backstory of Korczak being the sole lead man on the project for so long.
This is truly impressive! SO huge and the fact that its a native Indian monument is fantastic. First it reminded me even a bit to the huge Argonaths statues in Lord of the rings because of the sheer size 😉
This is definitely something I want to see with my own eyes for my next US roadtrip (then through midwestern). 4$ by bus to go there is fine I think but of course you are a bit limited then with the photos – but at least you have the memories now. Thank you for sharing this, Clare!
The only place I thought had such big faces was the Holywood mark. This is so interesting…I had never heard of it until I read your post. I have never been to the USA, will add this to my list when I get there!
The sheer size of the Crazy Horse memorial is unfathomable and being bigger than Mount Rushmore is truly astounding. Equally impressive is that it’s not being funded by the state or federal government, though I hope that it does eventually get completed for people to enjoy. Definitely looks like a great place to check out and revisit important historical events that may otherwise be forgotten.
The family is inspirational for doing this. I wonder what it will look after the construction. It will be a long way to go. It will be nice to see the progress after a year.
I guess it’s hard to tell just how big something is until you’re there. I’ve heard Mt Rushmore is underwhelming, so good to hear that you were impressed by Crazy Horse. Hopefully I will make it to SD one day and get to see this for myself!
Wow! What an awesome memorial! I’d never heard of Crazy Horse before, definitely one that will go on my travel radar! Thanks for sharing.
Whoa. Too bad it is still a working site. I would love to visit once done.
You might have to wait till 2050 then!! It’s great to visit now and see how they expect it to look. I would love to go back and see how it looks when its finished though 🙂
Wow I’ve never heard of this. Then again I haven’t been to SD. I have heard of Mt Rushmore though. Nice to hear it’s so impressive this Memorial ! Will make a note for if and when I visit SD.
Whoa! that is definitely a huge price difference from $4 to $125! Is that $125 the cost per person or per car? I guess that price will be justified if one is really keen on getting close to it, almost like a bucket list type of thing. South Dakota has been off my radar but I might consider it next time!
It is $125 per person!! You can get right up to the face whereas the cheap one you are still quite far away!! South Dakota is a great state with lots to see and worth a visit 🙂
At a glance, this monument looked familiar but I did not know it was the memorial of Crazy Horse or his legend. I can appreciate that Korczak’s entire family is involved in making this masterpiece. I’d love to see it completed in its entirety in 2050 (or maybe later). I would have also gone for the $4 bus ride, I really liked seeing the details in Crazy Horse’s face!
Does anyone feel like a person with limited mobility would enjoy this monument? Is it handicap accessible?
Yes it is handicap accessible, the main entrance, museum, restaurant and viewing platform is all on one level and if you call ahead of time they can also make arrangements if you want to go to the base of Crazy Horse or even to the top of the mountain for a close up, as they have wheelchair accessible vans.
The Crazy Horse Memorial in Dakota is a great place. I have visited last year. Your guide is great for newbies.
Thanks, yes it is a great place to visit and well worth the money.
This is the BEST MOST ACCURATE review I have seen. Completely agree. This is a Wonder of the World!
Mt. Rushmore is a National treasure. Crazy Horse is A WORLD TREASURE!!!
Spend the money, give the donation and go to the Top. Don’t miss that or the laser light show.
Thanks, I agree it’s a great place to visit and I think we all should visit and donate what we can so that maybe in our lifetime we will be able to see it finished.
Making plans to visit South Dakota in May. This has made me really want to visit Crazy Horse Memorial.
I hope you enjoy your time there, try and get the bus a bit closer or maybe even pay to go up to the head of the monument and try and stay to see the light show in the evening.
Thank you! I was hoping to find a pic of how close you could get with the $4 bus ride & this nailed it! We may stop for a visit here in a couple of weeks & I appreciate the info 🙂