You’re standing on a massive piece of granite, the wind is whipping through the Black Hills, and you’re literally eye-to-eye with a nine-story face. That’s the Crazy Horse Volksmarch. It’s not just a walk in the woods; it’s basically the only way most of us will ever get to stand on the arm of the world’s largest mountain carving-in-progress.
Honestly, if you’ve only seen the monument from the visitor center parking lot, you haven't seen it at all.
What is the Crazy Horse Volksmarch?
"Volksmarch" is just a fancy German word for "people's march." Think of it as a non-competitive fitness walk where nobody cares about your pace or your $200 trail runners. It’s a community event, a massive gathering of up to 15,000 people who all decided that a 6.2-mile round trip up a mountain sounded like a great Saturday morning.
In 2026, the Spring event hits on June 6. Mark that down. It’s the 40th anniversary of this specific hike, which is kinda wild when you think about how much the mountain has changed since the first boots hit the trail in the 80s.
The whole thing is sponsored by the Black Hills Chapter of the American Volkssport Association (AVA). It’s one of the few times a year that the blasting stops, the heavy machinery goes quiet, and the public is allowed to wander past the gates and onto the service roads that lead to the summit.
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The Real Cost of Admission
You don’t just buy a ticket like a regular tourist. If you’re hiking, you can basically "pay" your way in with food. Specifically, three cans of food for the KOTA Territory's Care and Share Food Drive. That waives the standard Memorial admission fee.
However, you still have to pay the AVA registration fee. It’s usually about $4—cash or check only. No, they won’t take your Apple Pay at the registration table in the middle of a field.
The Trail: What to Expect When You’re Climbing
The hike is a 10K (6.2 miles). It’s not a flat stroll. You’re looking at an elevation gain of about 500 feet, which sounds manageable until you’re halfway up a gravel road in the South Dakota sun.
The path is a mix of woodland trails and rugged service roads. You start in the main parking lot, go through the event arch, and then you’re in the thick of it. The trail actually meanders quite a bit before it starts the real ascent. It’s designed that way to space out the crowds so you aren’t hiking shoulder-to-shoulder with 10,000 strangers for the entire three hours.
- Checkpoints: There are usually four of them.
- Water: They give it out for free, but bring your own bottle.
- Stamps: If you’re a "serious" volksmarcher, you’ll get your event book stamped at each stop. It’s like a passport for hikers.
The terrain is hilly. It’s rough. You’ll see parents pushing "off-road" strollers, but honestly? It looks like a nightmare. Most people recommend a sturdy pair of boots and maybe a trekking pole if your knees aren't what they used to be.
Why Standing on the Arm Changes Everything
The turnaround point is the "Arm." You’re standing 563 feet in the air. From here, you’re staring directly at the face of Crazy Horse. To give you some scale, the heads on Mount Rushmore—which is only about 17 miles away—are about 60 feet tall. The face of Crazy Horse is nearly 90 feet.
It’s massive. You can see the drill marks. You can see the seams in the rock where the crew has worked to preserve the integrity of the granite. You might even catch some of the mountain crew hanging out; they sometimes stick around to chat with hikers and explain why they aren't blasting that week.
Standing up there, you get a sense of the sheer obsession it takes to carve a mountain. Korczak Ziolkowski started this in 1948 at the request of Chief Henry Standing Bear. Korczak is gone now, but his family is still out there, literally moving mountains.
Pro Tips for the 2026 Hike
If you're planning to go, don't just wing it. This event is a logistics beast.
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1. Arrive early or arrive late. Registration opens at 7:00 AM, and the first hikers start at 8:00 AM. If you show up at 10:00 AM, you’re going to be parking in a satellite lot and riding a shuttle bus. It’s efficient, but it adds an extra hour to your day.
2. The "Day Before" Trick. Go to the museum the day before the hike. It’s included in the price if you play your cards right. Learn about the Lakota culture and the history of the carving first. It makes the hike feel more like a pilgrimage and less like a workout.
3. Weather is a wildcard. It’s the Black Hills. It could be 80 degrees at the base and 50 degrees with a thunderstorm at the top. Layer up.
4. No Pets. People always try to bring their dogs. Don't be that person. They aren't allowed on the trail for safety reasons.
The Cultural Weight of the Walk
It’s easy to get caught up in the "fitness" aspect, but the Crazy Horse Volksmarch is deeply tied to Native American heritage. The memorial itself is a non-profit. It doesn't take government money. Every can of food you bring and every dollar spent at the Laughing Water Restaurant goes back into the mission: honoring the culture, tradition, and living heritage of North American Indians.
The hike usually coincides with other big events in the area. In the fall (late September), it's often the same weekend as the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup. If you want the full South Dakota experience, that's the time to go, though the crowds are even bigger.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you're serious about doing the 2026 Spring Volksmarch, start your prep now.
- Book lodging in Custer or Hill City immediately. Rooms sell out months in advance for the June and September weekends.
- Check the official Crazy Horse Memorial website a week before you go. They’ll post updates on trail conditions or any changes to the shuttle schedule.
- Pack three cans of heavy stuff. Don't bring the tiny cans of tomato paste. Bring the big cans of stew or soup—the local food banks really rely on this event to stock up for the summer.
- Bring cash. The $4 fee is non-negotiable and the "cash only" rule is strictly enforced by the AVA volunteers.
By the time you get back down to the base and grab a coffee at the visitor center (which is always free, by the way), you’ll have a totally different perspective on that mountain. It’s no longer just a statue; it’s a place you’ve actually been a part of.