Glass-Top Mercedes Tour (Spearfish/Deadwood)

Overview

Custer State Park in the one of the largest State Parks in the nation. Encompassing 71,000 acres in the Black Hills, it is home to abundant wildlife and adventures. There’s something here for everyone, the granite peaks, rolling plains and clear mountain waters are fantastic.

Open-Top-Tours is the only company to offer 6 hour Bison Jeep Tours to ALL of Custer State Park. (Not the 60 minute limited tour offered by others.) We tour in our unique modified Jeep Gladiators and Wrangers, with seating from 2 to 14 with great panoramic viewing.

Our guides are professional, well informed and a 'hoot' to tour with. They will explain local history, wildlife and answer your questions.

Tours include: fees, bottled water and snacks. And we include special treats to feed the "Beggin Burros" as we stop along the Loop. (They know us well and come running when they spot us.)

Tours depart Rapid City at 8:00am and Keystone at 8:30am. Lots of restroom stops and extra wildlife/landscape photo ops.

City: Rapid City

Wed 11 Jun

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $339.00

Make a reservation

Wed 11 Jun

Starting at $339.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Special Treats for feeding Begging Burros

Bottled water

Snacks

All Fees and Taxes

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Layered clothing, jacket, sun screen, sunglasses and a hat are recommended
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
All-Season Tours Available

What To Expect

Custer State Park Visitor Center

First we stop at the State Game Lodge and detail its history at the Summer White House for Presidents Coolidge and Eisenhower. Then stopping at the Custer State Park Visitor Center we visit the many displays about the iconic species of the prairie, the bison. And one more stop along the Wildlife Loop Road at the Buffalo Corrals. The new Custer State Park Bison Center brings an all-bison experience to the park's scenic drive through the southern prairie of our 71,000 acre park.

Wildlife Loop Road

We tour through 18 miles of open grasslands and pine-speckled hills that much of Custer State Park's wildlife calls home. Keep eyes peeled for bison, pronghorn, whitetail and mule deer, elk, coyotes, burros, prairie dogs, eagles, hawks, and a variety of birds that are rarely found together in one location. A medley of colorful wildflowers and prairie grasses surround the road, making for a picturesque drive; and the landscape changes throughout your trip, keeping you on your toes.

Mount Coolidge Fire Lookout Tower

Built of local stone, Mt Coolidge Fire Tower rests atop a 6,023-foot peak on the way to Blue Bell Lodge and is still used today as a fire lookout and dispatch center. As the highest point in central Custer State Park, it offers breathtaking 360-degree views from the top of the fire tower. On a clear day, you can see the Badlands nearly 60 miles away in the east, Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse to the north and the Wildlife Loop Road to the south.

Stockade Lake

Stockade Lake is the largest lake in Custer State Park and is located between Mt Coolidge Lookout and the Needles Highway. It has a very scenic and serene atmospher and here we pause for a picnic lunch.

Needle Eye Tunnel

The Needles Highway is a spectacular drive through pine and spruce forests, meadows surrounded by birch and aspen, and rugged granite mountains. The road’s name comes from the needlelike granite formations that seem to pierce the horizon along the highway. The roadway was carefully planned by former South Dakota Governor Peter Norbeck, who marked the entire course on foot and by horseback. Construction was completed in 1922. Needles Eye Tunnel is a unique rock formation, so named for the opening created by wind, rain, freezing, and thawing. It is the most popular tunnel in the Park.

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake is the most popular of the may lakes in the Park. It was created in 1891 when Theodore Reder built a dam across Sunday Gulch Creek. It is surronded by large granite spires, huge pines and creates a unique alpine feel to the guests. I is also home to an average of 4 wedding a week during the summer season.

Iron Mountain Road

Iron Mountain Road is a unique road designed to showcase the Black Hills and Mt Rushmore. Known for its “pigtail” bridges. Iron Mountain Road redefined what a road could be with 314 CURVES, many one one-tunnels and of course the "pigtail" bridges.

Show 4 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (23)

connie m

Jun 2023

We had a Fabulous tour with Charlie. He was amazing and very knowledgeable about the history of the area and the Lakota Indians. It was a perfect day with the windows and top wide open for a view. of the black hills area that we would have never known about. A picnic lunch was provided next to a small river leading to a beautiful water fall. Spearfish falls was another amazing sight to see in the Black Hills. Our final stop was Deadwood with lots of interesting history that Charlie shared with us.I wish we would have had another day to take in another part of South Dakota on another tour. Highly recommend this private tour company.

Response from Host

Jun 2023

Hi Connie - Thank you very much for taking time for you kind review. I'm very happy you enjoyed your tour. The Glass Top Mercedes is perfect for this tour. The Northern Hills are the 'locals favorite' and many travelers never get to see it. Spearfish Canyon is older than the Grand Canyon and offers beautiful 1,000 foot cliffs, four ecosystems and three waterfalls. We added the Chapel in the Hills to this tour because of its 11th century uniqueness. And Deadwood is always fun with it history and the afternoon Main Street gun fights. Thanks again and Be Well - Rich

Euler_D

Jun 2023

Most of the 'What to Expect' advertised at the Viator Glass-Top Mercedes Tour (Spearfish/Deadwood) website were NOT provided. We did not go to Moonshine Gulch Saloon; the advertised 2-hour visit to Deadwood took only 45 minutes; the Bridal Veil Falls advertised 10 min visit took only 1 min (bus briefly stopped for a quick view and we did not even leave the bus); the 10 min Nemo tour was only a direct drive through town with no stops. We were extremely disappointed. We would not have booked the tour if we had known the tour was much different from what is advertised.

Response from Host

Jun 2023

Hello Mr Euler - I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your tour with us. And I want to apologize for not providing the tour you expected. This springs wet weather forced us to drop the Moonshine Gulch stop. The roads became to rough for the Glass Top Sprinter to drive there. We added the Chapel in the Hills to replace the Saloon. The problem is that I failed to update the change on TripAdvisor at that time. Once again my apologies. Be Well - Rich

D4821UFlindar

Oct 2022

We can’t brag enough about how much we loved the tour! Charlie was our guide, and he was awesome! He was so knowledgeable and easy going. He provided a great picnic lunch at a beautiful spot. The open top Jeep is great! The views were spectacular! We have been to the Hill many times and thought we had seen most everything, but this was so relaxing to sit back and enjoy the beauty with so much better views than we have ever had! We would so much recommend anyone to try it! You won’t be disappointed!

Response from Host

Dec 2022

Hi D - Sorry for the late response to your very kind review. I'm pleased you enjoyed your Jeep Bison Safari tour with Charlie . . . he's one of our best. Our Jeep Bison Safari tours are our most popular and include all of Custer State Park. Not just the buffalo/bison on the Wildlife Loop . . . we also include: Needles Highway, Iron Mtn Road, Mt Coolidge Lookout and both Stockade and Sylvan Lakes. All tours include: fees, bottled water, snacks and picnic lunch. Thank you for your review and we hope you return to see more of the Hills. Be Well - Rich