11 tips for visiting Mount Rushmore National Memorial

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Mount Rushmore is one of the most popular attractions in the United States and is worth a quick visit if you’re traveling through the Black Hills of South Dakota.

This national memorial features the colossal faces of four US presidents carved into the rock.In addition to being visually impressive, it also has some neat history behind it.

Here are 11 tips for your first visit to Mount Rushmore.

1. Morning is a great time to visit

What is the best time to visit Mount Rushmore? in the morning. It’s less crowded, less hot (in summer), and the lighting is great for photos.

This is the ideal time to photograph the monument. In the middle of the day, the lighting is smoother, and at sunset, faces are covered in shadow.

We got there at 8am and this was perfect. We had enough time to wander around the grounds and take pictures without people. By 10am the monument was already quite crowded.

2. The entrance fee is a bit confusing

Although Mount Rushmore is managed by the US National Park Service, it operates a little differently than other national parks and monuments.

There is no entrance fee to Mount Rushmore, but there is a parking fee. This fee not covered Through a US annual or lifetime park, which seems a bit unusual.

You can check the current parking fee on the NPS website. It’s well worth the spend and you only need one ticket per vehicle. You can pay for it by cash or credit card at the gate.

3. There is a night lighting ceremony

If you want to see a unique view of Mount Rushmore, the faces are lit up every night of the year after dusk.

During the summer months, there is also a lighting ceremony that includes a ranger talk about presidents and United States history.

You can check the seasonal hours for this on the NPS website here.

Note: Your Mount Rushmore parking fee is valid for one year from the date of purchase, so remember to keep it if you plan to come back later.

4. It’s an impressive feat of engineering

The Mount Rushmore sculpture is a massive and impressive feat of engineering.

Each of the chapters has 6 floors. The noses are about 20 feet tall and the eyes about 10 feet wide.

It took 14 years to carve the monument from granite, from 1927 to 1941. Almost 400 workers took part in it, and 90% of the mountain was carved with dynamite.

Although the work was often dangerous, they managed to complete it without any of the men dying.

5. There’s a neat story behind it

Mount Rushmore was sculpted by Gutzon Borglum, who dedicated it to four major United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.

Washington represents the birth and foundation of our country. Jefferson reflected the country’s expansion with the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the country’s size.

Lincoln was elected to preserve the country through the Civil War. and Roosevelt, for the country’s development as a world power leading into the 20th century.

Originally, Borglum’s plan was to sculpt the presidents with full bodies down to the waist, but after his death in 1941, the monument was finalized with only their heads.

Smithsonian Magazine has an interesting article on the making of Mount Rushmore if you want to read it before you go.

6. Getting there is pretty easy

Mount Rushmore is a 30-minute drive from Rapid City, South Dakota, which has many hotel options and a regional airport.

There is plenty of parking near the monument, as most people prefer to drive to it.

There is no public transportation to Mount Rushmore, but some companies offer tours if you want to be a live guide who manages transportation, navigation, and the route for you.

7. It doesn’t take long to visit

If you’re in a hurry, it really doesn’t take much time to visit Mount Rushmore. You can do it in just 30 minutes.

Begin your visit by walking the Avenue of Flags, which has 56 flags representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia, three territories (Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands) and two communities (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands).

Next, see the iconic faces of the presidents from the main balcony, snap a few pictures, and be on your way back. Even a quick visit like this is better than nothing.

If you have 1 or 2 hours, do all of the above, then walk the Presidential Trail and end your visit by spending some time in the Visitor Center to learn about the creation of the monument.

8. Ranger programs are affordable

There are ranger programs throughout the day at the memorial that do not require a reservation to join.

These include talks by rangers who explain some history and information about the monument, a Lakota hop dance performance on the main deck, and other activities.

You can check the schedule of these events on the NPS website here.

9. There is a hiking trail

Yes, there is a short hike you can do on Mount Rushmore called the Presidential Trail that allows you to get a closer look at the monument from below.

This trail is a 1/2 mile loop that starts and ends at the main lookout and can be done in 20-40 minutes.

Going clockwise, the first 0.2 miles is flat and handicapped accessible.The last 0.4 miles has 422 grades, so it’s a bit more difficult, but not as bad as it sounds.

This trail includes two unique overlooks that are usually free of crowds.

One of these is the Borglum View Terrace, where Gutzon Borglum stood while planning the carving of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Another is the Historic View Terrace, which was one of the original lookouts on Mount Rushmore.

Another place you’ll visit on this short hike is the Sculptor’s Studio, a nice little museum where you can learn some interesting details about the monument and how it was created.

10. There is a museum and a gift shop

The Mount Rushmore Visitor Center has a small museum where you can learn about the creation of the monument.

There is an instructional video that works on rotation and a room full of other exhibits that are interesting to look at.

Then there is a nice gift shop near the entrance where you can buy Rushmore themed shirts, hats, coffee mugs, magnets and other memorabilia.

11. There are more things to do in the area

Besides Mount Rushmore, there are many other great things to do in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.

Here are some ideas.

• Custer State Park. A great place to go for a walk in the Black Hills or enjoy a scenic drive on the Needles Highway.You can see wild bison and other animals.
• Wind Cave National Park. One of the longest cave systems in the world, it’s also one of America’s oldest national parks.
• Bear country USA. An animal sanctuary where you can see baby and adult black bears, bison and other animals.
• Crazy Horse Memorial. This is a monument dedicated to Chief Crazy Horse of the Lakota.Work began in 1948 and is still a work in progress, but it is open to visitors.
• Black Hills Geological Survey Institute. Nice little museum with some amazing dinosaur fossils including a T-Rex.
• Badlands National Park. This beautiful and rugged park has unique views, a good portion of the park can be seen by car, but there are also fun hikes like the Notch Trail.

Additional US travel guides

Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoyed these tips for visiting Mount Rushmore.

Don’t forget to check out my other US travel guides for your next trip!