Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous monuments in the United States and is worth a visit if you are travelling through the Black Hills of South Dakota.
This national monument features the colossal faces of four U.S. presidents carved into the rock. Aside from being visually stunning, it has a fascinating history.
Here are 11 tips for your first visit to Mount Rushmore!
Morning Is A Great Time To Visit
The best time to visit Mount Rushmore is in the morning. There are fewer people, it’s not as hot (in summer), and the lighting is excellent for taking pictures.
This is the ideal time to photograph the monument. The lighting is flatter in the middle of the day, and at dusk, the faces are hidden in shadows.
We arrived at 8 am, and it was perfect. We had enough time to walk around the area almost alone and take photos without people around. By 10 am, the monument was already quite crowded.
The Entrance Fee Is A Bit Confusing
Although the U.S. National Park Service manages Mount Rushmore, it operates slightly differently than other national parks and monuments.
There is no arrival fee to Mount Rushmore, but there is a parking fee. This fee is not covered by annual or lifetime U.S. park passes, which seems unusual.
You can check the current parking rates on the NPS website here. It’s well worth it; you only need one ticket per vehicle. You can repay cash or by credit card at the gate.
There’s A Night Lighting Ceremony
If you want a unique view of Mount Rushmore, the faces are illuminated at dusk every night of the year.
During the summer, there is also a lighting ceremony that includes a talk by a ranger about the presidents and American history.
You can check the seasonal operating hours on the NPS website here.
Note: Mount Rushmore parking fees are valid for one year from the date of purchase, so be sure to save them if you plan to return later.
It’s An Impressive Feat Of Engineering
The Mount Rushmore sculpture is a massive and impressive feat of engineering.
Each of the headpieces is 6 stories tall. The noses are about 20 feet tall, and the eyes are about 10 feet wide.
The creation of the granite monument took 14 years, from 1927 to 1941. It involved about 400 workers, and 90% of the mountain was excavated with dynamite.
Although the work was often dangerous, they managed to complete it without killing a single person.
There’s Some Neat History Behind It (Mount Rushmore)
Mount Rushmore was created by Gutzon Borglum, who dedicated it to four critical leaders of the United States Of America: George Washington, Thomas, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.
Washington represents the birth and founding of our country. Jefferson reflects the country’s expansion with the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled its size.
Lincoln was chosen to preserve the country during the Civil War, and Roosevelt was selected to develop the country as a world power in the 20th century.
Borglum’s original plan was to sculpt the presidents with entire bodies up to the waist, but after he died in 1941, the monument was completed with just their heads.
Smithsonian Magazine has a stimulating article on the creation of Mount Rushmore if you want to read it before you go.
It’s Pretty Easy To Get There
Mount Rushmore is 30 minutes from Rapid City, South Dakota, with many hotels and a regional airport.
There is plenty of parking near the memorial, as most people prefer to arrive by car.
There is no public transportation to Mount Rushmore, but some companies offer tours if you need a live guide to handle transportation, navigation, and directions.
It Doesn’t Take Long To Visit (Mount Rushmore)
Visiting Mount Rushmore won’t take long if you’re in a hurry. You can do this in just 30 minutes.
Start your visit by walking down the Avenue of Flags, which features 56 flags representing the 50 states, the Region of Columbia, three territories and two commonwealths (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands).
Then, enjoy the iconic view of the presidents’ faces from the main terrace, snap some photos, and head back to the road. Even such a quick visit is much better than nothing!
If you have 1 or 2 hours, do all of the above and then walk the President’s Trail and end your visit by spending some time at the Visitor Center to learn about the creation of the memorial.
Ranger Programs Are Available (Mount Rushmore)
The monument hosts ranger programs throughout the day and requires no advance registration.
These include ranger talks explaining the history and information about the monument, a Lakota hoop performance on the main terrace, and other activities.
There’s A Hiking Trail
Yes, that’s true. You can take a short hike on Mount Rushmore called the President’s Trail, which gives you a closer view of the memorial from below.
This Trail is a 1/2 mile loop that starts and ends at the central viewing platform and can be completed in 20 to 40 minutes.
If you go clockwise, the first 0.2 miles are flat and handicap accessible. The last 0.4 miles have 422 steps, so it’s a bit more challenging but not as bad as it sounds.
This Trail includes two unique viewing platforms that aren’t usually crowded.
One of them is Borglum Terrace, where Gutzon Borglum was located when he planned the creation of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
The other is the Historic Terrace, one of Mount Rushmore’s original viewing platforms.
Another place you will visit on this short walk is the Sculptor’s Workshop, an excellent little museum where you can learn some interesting details about the monument and how it was created.
There’s A Museum & Gift Shop (Mount Rushmore)
The Mount Rushmore visitor center has a small museum where you can learn about the monument’s creation.
An educational video plays on rotation, and a room full of other exciting exhibits.
Then, there is an excellent gift shop near the entrance where you can buy Rushmore-themed t-shirts, hats, coffee mugs, magnets and other souvenirs.
There’s More To Do In The Area
In addition to Mount Rushmore, there are many other fun things to do in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.
Here are some ideas:
- Custer State Park. An excellent location for hiking in the Black Hills or taking a scenic drive along the Needles Highway. You can see wild bison and other animals.
- Window Cave National Park. It is one of the most extended cave systems in the world and one of the oldest national parks in the United States.
- Bear Country USA. An animal sanctuary where you can observe black bear cubs and adults, bison, and other animals.
- Crazy Horse Monument. This is a monument dedicated to the Lakota leader Crazy Horse. Work began in 1948 and is still ongoing but open to visitors.
- Black Hills Geological Research Institute. An excellent little museum with some fantastic dinosaur fossils, including a T. rex.
- Badlands National Park. This picturesque, rugged park has a unique landscape.
