Luxury holidays in Keystone

Buried in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Keystone may be a gold-mining outpost of old but these days the town’s treasure comes in the form of world-famous monuments and wild (west) scenery. The star-spangled showstopper around here is Mount Rushmore, looming just beyond the city limits, but the region’s Native American heritage is etched into the nearby Crazy Horse Memorial. Pine-coated mountains and grassy plains in the surrounding national parks make for prime hiking and biking country, or set out on a behind-the-wheel adventure through the Mount Rushmore-framing tunnels of the Iron Mountain Road.

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When to go

If you’re heading to Mount Rushmore, September and October is the time to go. The summer months are pleasantly hot but unpleasantly crowded; autumn is milder but quieter.

Getting there

  • Planes

    Rapid City Regional Airport is under an hour’s drive away. Your best bet is to fly into Denver International from a host of domestic cities, including New York and Los Angeles, or certain international cities such as Montreal and London, then catch a short connecting flight to Rapid City. Otherwise, you can fly direct to Rapid City from US hubs including Chicago and Phoenix, or buckle up for a six-hour drive from Denver.

  • Automobiles

    Hire your own wheels (preferably a 4x4) if you fancy road-tripping to neighbouring national parks. You’ll find the standard rental companies at both Rapid City Regional and Denver International Airports.