A Long, Rich History of Serving Guests
In 1925, investors purchased land along Palmer Creek to develop a country club in the heart of the Black Hills. They could not have imagined today’s expansive resort. Just two years later and five miles west, sculptor Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers began work on Mount Rushmore. The national monument took 14 years to complete.
The current owners, Recreational Adventures Co., took over in 1972 with a plan to further develop Mount Rushmore Resort into a destination full of great RV and tent camping sites, camping cabins and other quality lodging options.
In 1977, the Palmer Gulch camping grounds with rental cabins joined the world-renowned KOA franchise. Today’s Mount Rushmore Resort at Palmer Gulch is made up of two great facilities for travelers – The Mount Rushmore Lodge and the Mount Rushmore KOA, which has earned “resort” status from KOA.
Decades of Fun At Palmer Gulch
Since it opened as a country club in the 1920s, The Mount Rushmore Resort at Palmer Gulch has provided great get-away-from-it-all fun for thousands of vacationers.
Over the years, more cabins were built and golf, horseback riding, picnicking and touring the Black Hills became popular activities for tourists from all over the world. In 1962, new owners focused on travelers looking for a dude ranching experience.
With special thanks to the Parker family, please click here to read more about the history of the Palmer Gulch Lodge.
