Hotel Snapshot

Under Canvas Mount Rushmore occupies an old gold-mining settlement in the Black Hills, with pines and juniper crowding right up to the tents and the monument itself visible less than four miles away. No lobby, no bellhop, no Wi-Fi. Just canvas, a wood stove, and a king bed, and somehow that combination has landed the property on more than one “best hotel” list in the past few years. People who have stayed at the fanciest hotels on earth keep coming back to sleep in a tent.

Design & Character

The look here borrows from old safari camps: canvas walls, wood framing, and a stove in the corner rather than a radiator. Nothing is trying to look rustic on purpose; it just is, and the design leans into that instead of fighting it with fake antlers or faux-vintage props. Furnishings stay simple and warm inside the tents, built for function first, though the effect ends up feeling more considered than a typical campsite.

The lobby tent is where the design actually announces itself. It's furnished by West Elm, all clean lines and modern textures against the canvas backdrop, and it reads as the one place on property where “camping” and “resort” fully merge. That's also where the camp's social life plays out: morning yoga sessions, occasional live music, and kids' activities in the afternoon. Outside, fire pits anchor the evening routine, glowing at the center of camp with s'mores ingredients set out for anyone who wants to build their own.

The overall character is modern without being slick, and lively without losing the quiet that pulled people out to the Black Hills in the first place.

The Rooms

Four tent types, four ways to rough it in comfort. The Deluxe Tent is the baseline, and even the baseline comes with a plush king bed and a private bathroom, shower, sink, and flushing toilet included, so “camping” here is mostly a state of mind. The Suite Tent adds a queen pull-out sofa and real breathing room, good for groups or anyone who'd rather not share the bed with luggage.

The Stargazer Tent skips furniture upgrades and goes straight for the view, with a window built right above the king bed so the last thing you see before sleep is the actual Black Hills sky. For families, the Kids Tent pitches a smaller version right next to the main one, close enough for peace of mind, separate enough that bedtime doesn't turn into a group project.

The Food & Drink

Embers covers breakfast and dinner, working from a seasonal, locally sourced menu, and puts together grab-and-go lunches for anyone heading out to hike or ride for the day. The evening crowd shifts to the fire pits for s'mores alongside beer, wine, and cocktails, a decent way to wind down after bouncing around in an open-top Jeep hunting for bison.

Location & Neighborhood Recs

Mount Rushmore National Monument sits under four miles away, and Custer State Park, along with the rest of the Black Hills, is close enough that the camp works well as a base for both. A nature walk starts right from the property and winds through the surrounding woods. The season runs early May through late September, since the Black Hills turn hostile to tent life the rest of the year.

Fast Facts

Location: Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Rating: Four-star

The Vibe: Wood smoke and pine after dark, a lobby tent that swaps rustic for West Elm, and a crowd that trades Wi-Fi for actual stargazing without much complaint.

Rooms: 74 platform tents across four categories: Deluxe, Suite, Stargazer, and Kids

Pricing: Starting rate of $251 per night

Dining: Embers for seasonal, locally sourced breakfast and dinner; grab-and-go lunches for day trips; nightly fire pits with s'mores, beer, wine, and cocktails

Amenities: On-site nature walk; camp programming including live music and morning yoga; experience coordinators for hikes, biking, horseback rides, and buffalo safaris

Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The buffalo safari, an open-top Jeep, and a real shot at seeing the Plains' most famous animal up close

What's Nearby?: Mount Rushmore National Monument; Custer State Park; the greater Black Hills for hiking, biking, and wildlife; and the Hayride & Chuckwagon Cookout at Blue Bell Lodge

Closest Airport: Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP)