Under Canvas Mount Rushmore

We recently stayed at Under Canvas Mount Rushmore and were disappointed with the experience. The website and marketing photos portray a luxury glamping destination, but the reality was very different. As someone who regularly camps in forests, had I known what this property was actually like, I would have brought my own camping gear and stayed at a campground for a fraction of the cost. We traveled as a family of seven and rented three tents. While there was enough room to sleep, the tents were small and basic, with no practical way for our family to gather together for games or quality time. For a property charging over $300 per night, we expected significantly more comfort and usable space. Cleanliness and maintenance were recurring issues throughout our stay. The bathrooms were not cleaned regularly. One toilet contained a significant mess that remained for two days before it was finally cleaned, and it was common to find urine on toilet seats. The communal grill area was also filthy. The grill, grill tools, and picnic tables appeared not to have been cleaned in quite some time. When we asked if staff could wash the grill tools provided by the property, we were told it would be a while because they were busy. The wood-burning stove in our tent also appeared not to have been cleaned recently, and my fiancé ended up with soot all over his arm simply from trying to start a fire. The showers were another frustration. The pull-chain system requires you to continuously hold the chain to keep water running, and the water quickly became uncomfortably hot. The restaurant was expensive, offered limited options, and the food quality did not justify the price. Even the propane-powered s'mores pit struggled to properly roast marshmallows. Sleep was difficult because our tent was located directly next to the main access road. We were repeatedly woken by vehicle traffic, headlights shining into the tent, and noise during what were supposed to be quiet hours. Some of that traffic appeared to be staff driving golf carts around the property. The road leading to the tents was rough and appeared poorly maintained. The property's layout also created accessibility challenges for some members of our group. The distance from parking to the tents, uneven terrain, steps without handrails, and rough roads made getting around difficult for those with joint issues or mobility limitations. Even the accessible shower stall required guests to continuously hold the pull chain to keep water running, which may be difficult for some individuals to use independently. The final straw came on our last day when we returned to find that a chipmunk or similar animal had gotten into our tent and chewed through a crewneck sweatshirt I had just purchased. We had no food in the tent and kept it zipped closed at all times. Based on what we observed, the most likely entry point was the opening around the stove pipe, which did not appear to be properly sealed. I've included photos show

We had the most awesome time staying @Under Canvas Mt Rushmore! I want to give a shout out to Conner, Shane, and Hannah!!!! All 3 went above and beyond during our stay! The food and the staff at the restaurant were great! The food was delicious, hot, and fresh! We would have loved to have a few more drink options including but not limited to decaf coffee. The pods are just okay and we would have been glad to pay the lady to made us coffee if she could have made decaf. The tents were very comfortable and we enjoyed our deluxe tent. Again, awesome time @Under Canvas! We will tell all our friends.

I'm giving this resort 2 stars because the grounds are nice in a pine forest, in a central location in the Black Hills near Mount Rushmore. Otherwise it would be one star for the price. This place is just a massive ripoff and is terribly run. We are seasoned travelers with lots of camping experience. We've stayed at glamping resorts, basic state park cabins, and family-oriented campgrounds like KOAs. For a place that charges a minimum of $300 a night for simple safari tents you would expect better than no power in the tents and drained battery packs, showers that don't run without holding one hand on the pull handle, bathrooms with broken faucets, no towels for the showers at 7:30 am, etc. They advertise evening s'mores but have 3 total fire pits for the entire resort. They repackage Hershey's chocolate in their own packaging instead of just offering snack size bars. We drove up in a 4x4 pickup with high clearance. You should know that if you are driving a car with low clearance the road up is rough and you might have trouble.

We have spent years tent camping - we actually met on a Backroads camping trip in the Canadian Rockies. Then we hit our 60s and a teardrop camper was a welcome upgrade. After this "glamping" experience it will be hard to go back. It is us and our dogs - 2 mini golden doodles 2.5 and 17 years old. What a perfect experience. The "tent" was clean, comfortable, and spacious. The bed was huge and nicely appointed with pillows and blankets. Hot showers, flush toilets, and battery powered lanterns and a fan. A wood stove and free s'mores make for a cozy evening. The common areas are lovely and welcoming. The food is delicious. The staff is so friendly and helpful. And the hike around the property was beautiful and peaceful (except for the darn Mt. Rushmore helicopter tours - but the camp cannot help that.) Definitely want to check out other locations!

First, shout out to Grace who helped us with our stuff the morning of check-out! We couldn’t find anyone in the lobby tent, and no one was responding to our texts the morning of check out. Grace happened to drive by with a cart and stopped to help us, including carrying some of our bags to the cart. Thanks Grace! This place looks lovely and allowed us to experience the fun of camping without the difficulty. We enjoyed the crafting offered on Tuesday night, as well as the s’mores and board games. There is a short hiking trail nearby, and a deck with a good view of Mount Rushmore attached to the lobby tent. At check in, we were shown where to park and then someone with a golf cart helped bring our bags to the tent. The food and drinks were good, but expensive (except for the tea/coffee/hot chocolate, which is included). The tent itself was lovely. We used the stove (with some help from the staff) but we let the fire go out fairly quickly as it got pretty warm. We had a private toilet and shower, but be warned that there is no real door to either - just a half wall! For a tent, the shower had great water pressure and temperature. It is expensive! My friend and I were a little disappointed when we could only book a tent with one king bed, as no tents were offered that contained two queens / fulls / even twins. At the price we paid, I was also a little disappointed that check out felt so strange, no one around to help or clarify what we needed to do to officially check out.

Simply an incredible experience from the checking in process to live music to s’mores in the evening. The stargazer tent is worth the splurge. We stayed two nights with inclement weather but finally saw the sun on our final day. The deck has a gorgeous view of Mount Rushmore. Despite the weather, we thoroughly loved the experience. The tent was immaculate and the bedding was warm and comfortable and the little stove can make the tent nice and cozy. It was in the 40s when we checked in. The staff was always quick to respond to a text for assistance and everyone greeted us with a sincere smile. We ate at the restaurant both nights and, it was delicious. The little things made it special: s’more packages, ice for our cooler and water bottles, coffee and water stations, games available to play, and sleep masks in the tent. We only wish we could have stayed a third night to be able to completely immerse ourselves in all that is available in the area. The location is ideal to explore the monuments, Black Hills, and Badlands. We are looking forward to checking out the other Under Canvas locations.

Under Canvas is a fun, unique experience! The staff are welcoming, professional, and kind! My family and I enjoyed our tent! It was very clean. The beds were comfortable and the linens as my granddaughter said, “Smelled very fresh!”Although it was over a 100 degrees with no real fans to speak of lol, once we opened up the tent the airflow cooled it down and it really cooled off at night which was wonderful. We enjoyed the nightly activity/craft and games available. The food was good and we enjoyed the outside seating. I also appreciated how safe I felt there, as staff regularly patrol the grounds. Under Canvas is close to other local attractions, such as Mt. Rushmore, where we went to the nightly lighting ceremony. The 1880 Train station, Holy Terror Golf is Keystone, and other fun local attractions. We will definitely stay again.

Our stay was pleasant, however, the nights were very cold, because the only heat comes from a wood fire stove. The bed was made, but the remains from the dinner and dishes were not removed from the room. Overall a unique experience, but more rustic than we expected.

My stay was wonderful. My tent was great, very comfortable and the views from the deck were perfect for morning coffee and afternoon relaxing. It was cold and rainy one day so I used the wood burning stove which made it extra cozy! I ate my breakfasts and dinners at the on site restaurant. The food was delicious. Nice wine selection too. And fresh coffee starting very early in the morning and throughout the day is great. Finally you can see Mount Rushmore from the communal deck so you almost don’t need to go if you want to avoid the crowds and Just relax at this beautiful quiet location.