Rocket Motel
211 Mount Rushmore Rd
Custer, SD
A 1950 Black Hills motor lodge, unchanged in the right ways.
About Rocket Motel
The Rocket Motel has been at this address in downtown Custer since 1950 and has always been family-owned. It has not tried to be anything other than what it is: a roadside motor lodge in the center of the Black Hills, within walking distance of Custer's independent restaurants and shops, and within a few minutes of Custer State Park's 71,000 acres of granite peaks, ponderosa pine, and free-ranging bison. The renovation updated what needed updating without erasing what the building has accumulated over 75 years. Retro neon, original tile, the working red vintage phone in every room that guests mention in reviews long after they have forgotten the name of the highway they drove in on.
What Rocket Motel Is Known For
The Rocket Motel has been in the same family, at the same address, since 1950. That continuity, through the rise and fall of the roadside motel era, through the transformation of Custer from a working mining town to a Black Hills destination, is what makes the property specific rather than generic. The retro tile and the vintage phone and the neon are not a renovation decision. They are what accumulates when an operation knows what it is and keeps it. Guests who book for one night to break up a road trip and come back in their reviews describing it as the highlight of the trip are responding to something real.
Amenities
- Pets Welcome
- EV Charging
- WiFi
- 6-person Jacuzzi
- Covered pavilion with gas grill
- Fire pit
- EV charging
What Guests Love
- Family-owned and continuously operated since 1950, with original retro tile and a working vintage red phone in every room that guests mention in reviews long after they have left.
- Downtown Custer location within walking distance of restaurants and shops, less than a mile from Custer State Park's wildlife loop road and the start of the Needles Highway.
- EV charging on site, year-round operation, and a 6-person Jacuzzi available: a 1950 motor lodge that has accumulated exactly the right amenities for the Black Hills.
Worth Knowing
- Custer is a small town with good independent restaurants but limited late-night options. Plan evening meals before in the evening.
- The Black Hills sit at approximately 5,300 feet. Summer afternoons can be warm but nights cool significantly in every season. Bring layers regardless of when you visit.
- Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place in early August every year. The entire Black Hills region becomes extremely busy during that period. Book well ahead and read the cancellation policy carefully if visiting during Sturgis week.
- EV charging is on site.
- Pets are welcome. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
The Room
Rooms in the original single-story motor lodge configuration, each accessed directly from the parking area. Retro 1950s styling throughout: original tile work described by guests as pristine, a working vintage red phone that has become the property's most-mentioned detail, and modern amenities that do the practical work without disturbing the aesthetic. Each room includes a mini refrigerator, microwave, and TV. A private Jacuzzi suite is available. The beds earn consistent praise. The rooms are right-sized for a 1950 motor lodge: enough space, no extra, the proportion that suits a property where most of your time is spent outside.
The Grounds
The property sits on a central downtown Custer block on Mount Rushmore Road, with the Black Hills rising in every direction. A 6-person communal Jacuzzi, covered pavilion with gas grill, and fire pit are on-site. Free parking is directly outside each room. EV charging is available. The property operates year-round, which matters in a region with four distinct seasons and a winter that rewards the guests who show up for it. Custer State Park is less than a mile west. Crazy Horse Memorial is five minutes north.
The Experience
The Black Hills rhythm is straightforward: early morning at Custer State Park before the cars arrive, the Needles Highway in the afternoon when the light catches the granite spires, back to downtown Custer for dinner and then the fire pit. The park's wildlife loop road passes through the territory of a 1,400-head bison herd. The Needles Highway is a 14-mile route through granite formations and tunnels too narrow for most RVs, the kind of road that earns the drive. Mount Rushmore is 20 minutes north. Crazy Horse Memorial is five minutes. Sylvan Lake, inside the park, is one of the most photographed spots in the Black Hills and worth an afternoon on its own.
Details
Custer, SD 57730
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rocket Motel have WiFi?
Yes, Rocket Motel has WiFi.
What is there to do near Rocket Motel?
Custer State Park: 1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Crazy Horse Memorial: 5 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there. Mount Rushmore National Memorial: 20 miles, about a 40 minute drive.
How far is Rocket Motel from Custer State Park?
1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Rocket Motel from Crazy Horse Memorial?
5 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Rocket Motel from Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
20 miles, about a 40 minute drive.
Is Rocket Motel pet friendly?
Yes. Rocket Motel welcomes pets. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
How far is the Rocket Motel from Custer State Park?
Custer State Park is approximately one mile from the motel. The park entrance and the start of the wildlife loop road are both accessible within a few minutes of the downtown Custer location.
How far is the Rocket Motel from Mount Rushmore?
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is approximately 20 miles north of Custer, about a 25-minute drive on US-16A through the Black Hills.
Is the Rocket Motel open year-round?
Yes. The Black Hills have a genuine four-season character. Summer brings the full Custer State Park wildlife loop with bison herds crossing the road from June through September. Fall brings elk rut and golden light through the ponderosa pines. Winter is quiet, uncrowded, and ideal for anyone who wants the parks without the summer crowds. Spring wildflowers through the hills are largely undiscovered.
Does the Rocket Motel have EV charging?
Yes, EV charging stations are available on the property.
What else is near the Rocket Motel in the Black Hills?
Wind Cave National Park is 15 miles south with one of the longest cave systems in the world. Crazy Horse Memorial is 5 miles away, a mountain carving still in progress that will eventually be larger than Mount Rushmore. Needles Highway through Custer State Park, a route through granite spire formations, is one of the best scenic drives in the Great Plains.
Does Rocket Motel have a pool?
Rocket Motel does not have a pool. The property has a communal fire pit area.
Is parking available at Rocket Motel?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at Rocket Motel.
Does Rocket Motel include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at Rocket Motel.
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Things to Do Near The Black Hills
Custer State Park
1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
71,000 acres of granite peaks, ponderosa pine, and open prairie that supports 1,400 free-ranging bison, pronghorn, elk, and the famous burro herd that will approach your car for handouts. The wildlife loop road is 18 miles and among the best wildlife drives in the country. The Needles Highway -- 14 miles of granite spires and one-lane tunnels -- begins inside the park.
Crazy Horse Memorial
5 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
A mountain carving in progress since 1948 that will dwarf Mount Rushmore in scale when complete: 641 feet long and 563 feet tall. The onsite museum covers Lakota Sioux history and culture. Night blasts are scheduled seasonally and can be reserved in advance.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
20 miles, about a 40 minute drive.
The four presidential portraits carved into the granite of the Black Hills are most rewarding at dawn before crowds arrive or at the evening lighting ceremony. The sculptor's studio and the Avenue of Flags add context worth having before or after seeing the carvings.