Four Presidents Above the Road: SCS Is Officially Bringing Mount Rushmore to American Truck Simulator!

One of the most recognizable landmarks in the United States will play a central role in the upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator. At 5:00 PM CEST on August 18, SCS Software published new images and details about Mount Rushmore. It will not merely be a monument that we can vaguely make out on the horizon: the road design through the Black Hills is intended to stage deliberate views of the four presidential faces.

The landmark's presence is not a complete surprise. South Dakota is officially nicknamed the “Mount Rushmore State,” and SCS had already mentioned the location in its report about the team's research trip. What is new is the detailed confirmation of how strongly the monument will be integrated into the driveable environment. We now know that Mount Rushmore will be visible from roads through the Black Hills, that Keystone is being recreated and that several famous scenic roads are included in the area.

Four Presidents Directly Above Our Route

Mount Rushmore features the granite faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The real monument was created between 1927 and 1941 and has become one of the most famous symbols of the United States.

For a map expansion such as South Dakota, this location is an almost perfect visual anchor. We do not need to read an information board or enter a building to understand immediately where we are. One glance at the four faces is enough. That instant recognition can transform an ordinary section of road into a moment we remember long after completing the delivery.

SCS describes Mount Rushmore as one of the expansion's highlights. The monument sits high above the surrounding landscape as we approach on roads through the Black Hills. It therefore appears that there will not be only one fixed viewing point. The developer's wording suggests several opportunities to see the landmark while driving and exploring.

A Tunnel Becomes a Natural Picture Frame

The planned road presentation is particularly spectacular. Several tunnels pass through the rocky landscape along US-16, also known as Mount Rushmore Road. According to SCS, some of them offer a special view in which the tunnel exit directly frames the distant monument.

Perspectives like these are more valuable to American Truck Simulator than a model simply placed beside the road. We discover the landmark from the cab rather than through a menu or cutscene. First there is dark rock ahead, then the exit opens – and suddenly the four presidents rise above the road.

That creates a natural before-and-after moment seemingly made for screenshots, videos and photo trophies. SCS has not confirmed in the new post whether Mount Rushmore will actually be marked as an official viewpoint or Photo Trophy. Only its visible integration into the drive is certain.

Keystone Is More Than a Signpost

SCS is also recreating nearby Keystone. The small town is a popular gateway to Mount Rushmore and the other attractions of the Black Hills. Its downtown, Western character and setting among forests and mountains are intended to be recognizable in the game.

Keystone gives the monument visit a believable transition. We will not simply leave a highway and arrive at an isolated mountain model. Instead, we pass through a tourism-focused small town before the roads wind deeper into the Black Hills.

There is also a detail for railway fans: Keystone is home to a depot for the historic 1880 Train. This steam-powered excursion railway connects Keystone with Hill City along an old mining route dating from the late nineteenth century. SCS specifically mentions the depot as part of the town. Whether we only drive past it or receive any further interaction remains unknown.

US-16A Could Become the Real Driving Challenge

Alongside US-16, SCS highlights US-16A, better known as Iron Mountain Road. The route winds through dense forest and rocky mountain scenery. The developer calls it an adventure in its own right, with carefully designed curves and a driving rhythm clearly different from South Dakota's open plains.

That gives the DLC a strong contrast. Large parts of the state are characterized by prairies, fields and long open roads. Space becomes tighter in the Black Hills: rocks move closer to the road, forests limit visibility and curves demand more attention. Mount Rushmore is therefore not just the destination but part of a region intended to feel fundamentally different behind the wheel.

SCS leaves one important question unanswered. Earlier road-network information explained that some special scenic routes would be available to both trucks and cars, while others were being designed specifically for the Road Trip expansion. The new Mount Rushmore post names US-16 and US-16A but does not clearly state whether every section can be driven by a heavy truck. That distinction may be crucial, particularly with narrow tunnels and sharp curves.

Motorcycles Will Add More Life to the Black Hills

SCS does not intend to recreate the region using rocks and trees alone. The Black Hills have a strong motorcycle culture and are a popular destination for riders and enthusiasts. Parked motorcycles will therefore appear at some parking areas.

That may initially sound like a small environmental detail. Details like this determine whether a tourist route feels like an empty backdrop or a place that people actually visit. Together with Keystone, the viewing opportunities and the historic railway, it could create an area where we deliberately slow down instead of focusing only on the next delivery deadline.

South Dakota Becomes the Opposite of a Pure Highway Drive

American Truck Simulator traditionally revolves around long distances, major interstates and hauling between cities and businesses. South Dakota will continue to provide that foundation. I-90 crosses the state from west to east, while agriculture, forestry and mining create new delivery destinations.

Mount Rushmore shows the other side of modern ATS expansions. Roads are no longer exclusively connections between two depots. They become attractions themselves. We can choose a scenic route, roll through Keystone, pass through tunnels and stop for the perfect view of the monument even if the direct route would be quicker.

That is also why this announcement has such enormous reach potential. People who have never played a truck simulator still recognize Mount Rushmore. An image showing the four presidents above an American truck explains itself in one second. For the DLC, it is a stronger international symbol than almost any individual city or industrial depot.

Plenty Is Confirmed, but There Is Still No Release Date

Despite the detailed presentation, two crucial pieces of information remain missing. SCS has announced neither a release date nor a price for the South Dakota DLC. Steam continues to list the expansion as “to be announced,” and it can only be added to a wishlist for now.

Several detailed questions also remain unanswered. We do not know whether Mount Rushmore will receive a dedicated viewpoint, Photo Trophy or hidden discovery objective. We do not know which road sections will be open to trucks, cars or both vehicle types. Nor do we know whether Keystone will contain a delivery destination or mainly serve as an elaborately recreated drive-through town.

Those unknowns do not change the core news. SCS has moved beyond merely mentioning Mount Rushmore as an expected landmark and has now shown its concrete role in the region: visible from roads through the Black Hills, staged through tunnel views and connected with Keystone, US-16 and Iron Mountain Road.

South Dakota will therefore contain a place where many of us will probably forget about the delivery for a moment. Only one major community question remains: will we take a truck directly through those narrow curves, or switch to a car for the most spectacular scenic route?