Hi there!
So one of the popular things to do in the Black Hills near Mount Rushmore National Memorial is to drive the Iron Mountain Road.
And on Iron Mountain Road, there are several tunnels.
It’s a popular scenic drive in South Dakota because you can get a tunnel view of Mount Rushmore by driving through the Iron Mountain Road tunnels.
📌 Save this post for later! Save on Pinterest! 👈📌
You can see Mount Rushmore through 3 Iron Mountain Road tunnels!
There are 3 tunnels to drive through on Iron Mountain Road.
For the most dramatic approach to Mount Rushmore, the best direction to drive Iron Mountain Road is from south to north, which is the direction you drive when you are driving to Mount Rushmore!
So if you can, make it a drive along Iron Mountain Road from Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore!
For reference on a map, spots within Custer State Park include Center Lake, Legion Lake, and State Game Lodge.
Your destination can be Mount Rushmore RV parking. This will get you to the general Mount Rushmore parking for all.
And no matter where you’re coming from, if you do want to drive it in this direction, it can be good to include one of the Iron Mountain Road tunnels as part of your route. This way you can be sure that it will route you along Iron Mountain Road. (map)
As Iron Mountain Road can be a slow going road, it might not be the quickest way to get to your next destination.
It is possible to drive Iron Mountain Road as an out-and-back, as you will find a few places to turn around. So if driving from south to north is a major inconvenience, then it doesn’t need to matter too much which direction you drive.
Driving through the Iron Mountain Road tunnels also means that you’ll be driving through Black Hills National Forest.
More below about driving through the Iron Mountain Road tunnels to see Mount Rushmore!
â›°
What are the Iron Mountain Road tunnels with views of Mount Rushmore?
While you can see Mount Rushmore through all 3 tunnels, you need to be driving Iron Mountain Road in a certain direction in order to see Mount Rushmore AS you are driving through the tunnel!
Otherwise, you will need to look in your side mirrors or rearview mirror to see Mount Rushmore behind you!
The list of Iron Mountain tunnels below goes in the order from south to north. Once again, this is the direction of driving towards Mount Rushmore.
Also note, it is a bit of a distant view of Mount Rushmore, no matter which tunnel you are driving through!
📌 Save this post for later! Save on Pinterest! 👈📌
Here are the Iron Mountain Road tunnels with a tunnel view of Mount Rushmore!
1. Scovel Johnson Tunnel
You can see a Mount Rushmore tunnel view as you are driving through Scovel Johnson Tunnel when you drive Iron Mountain Road TO Mount Rushmore.
2. CC Gideon Tunnel
You can see a Mount Rushmore tunnel view as you are driving through CC Gideon Tunnel when you drive Iron Mountain Road AWAY FROM Mount Rushmore.
How is that possible if you are still driving south to north?!
That is the nature of Iron Mountain Road!
It loops around so that you will get a tunnel view of Mount Rushmore as you are driving through at least one tunnel no matter which direction you drive!
3. Doane Robinson Tunnel
You can see a Mount Rushmore tunnel view as you are driving through Doane Robinson Tunnel when you drive Iron Mountain Road TO Mount Rushmore.
As the tunnel that is the closest to Mount Rushmore, this is also the tunnel that will give you the BEST tunnel view of Mount Rushmore as you are driving through it!
👆 Can you make out the facial features of the Mount Rushmore presidents?! Your eyesight when you’re there will probably be better than my phone! 😜
You might want to bring binoculars!
Also note that if you’re driving when it’s rainy or overcast, it’s quite possible you won’t be able to see anything. Seeing Mount Rushmore in the rain is a little bit of luck!
If you can’t see the Iron Mountain Tunnel video above, you can watch it on youtube.
Driving Iron Mountain Road from south to north is a great direction to drive because it can make your approach to Mount Rushmore feel more dramatic!
You will start off by seeing Mount Rushmore off in the wayyy distance, and as you keep driving, Mount Rushmore continues to get closer and closer!
And then once you driving through the last of the Iron Mountain Road tunnels heading north, you will continue driving to Mount Rushmore.
Then, you will start driving on the road that goes through Mount Rushmore National Memorial. You can once again see Mount Rushmore from the road as you’re driving, and it continues to look bigger because you’re getting closer.
And then you arrive at the Mount Rushmore parking, and then you can start the walk the Avenue of Flags to continue getting closer and closer to Mount Rushmore!
All Iron Mountain Road Tunnels are a one-lane tunnel.
While it’s only possible to drive through the tunnel one direction at a time, you can drive Iron Mountain Road in either direction.
How wide and how tall are the Iron Mountain Road tunnels?
👆 The Iron Mountain Road tunnels are low narrow tunnels! They have low clearance.
According to the South Dakota state parks website here are the dimensions of the Iron Mountain Road tunnels:
- Scovel Johnson Tunnel is 10′ 9″ wide by 11′ 0″ high
- CC Gideon Tunnel is 11′ 6″ wide by 10′ 9″ high
- Doane Robinson Tunnel is 12′ 0″ wide and 11′ 4″ high
Cost to drive through Iron Mountain Road tunnels
There is no entry fee to drive through Black Hills National Forest.
This means that it’s free to drive along Iron Mountain Road, and it’s free to drive through the tunnels.
And that’s a bit about driving through the Iron Mountain Road tunnels!
If you are interested in Iron Mountain Road tunnels, then you may also be interested in these road trip activities:
- Driving to Scovel Johnson Tunnel
- Driving to CC Gideon Tunnel
- Driving to Doane Robinson Tunnel
- Things to do in Mount Rushmore National Memorial for VIEWS!
- Needles Eye Tunnel
- Iron Creek Tunnel
- Things to do in Wind Cave National Park
- Can you see Crazy Horse Memorial from the road?
- Things to do in Custer State Park for VIEWS!
- The Mammoth Site National Natural Landmark
- Things to do in Jewel Cave National Monument
- Breezy Point picnic area (near Mount Rushmore)
HAPPY DRIVING THROUGH THE IRON MOUNTAIN ROAD TUNNELS!
There are partner websites included in this post. I may earn a commission.