Things to Do at Mount Rushmore

by

Last Updated on February 22, 2024 by Grant

Mount Rushmore is more than just a grand carving of four presidents. It is representative of some of the most important events in the history of the United States. The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, chose the four men that he did for very specific reasons. In addition to getting some of the best views of the memorial, learning about Borglum’s decisions and how the sculpture was carved are just a few of the many things to do at Mount Rushmore.

What you may not realize is that Mount Rushmore National Memorial is actually one of the 419 units of the National Park Service. That’s right, it’s actually a national park (just not one of the 62 that have National Park in the name). Whether you are a national park fan like us or just want to see Mount Rushmore, it’s well worth a visit.

Sylvan Lake at Custer State Park
There are plenty of other things to do in the Black Hills, like hiking, boating or swimming at Sylvan Lake at Custer State Park.

Additionally, Mount Rushmore is just one of MANY amazing parks and attractions in the Black Hills of South Dakota. If you’re planning a visit to Mount Rushmore, plan to spend several days (or even a week or more) to give yourself time to really enjoy the area and all the great things it has to offer.

We have now visited Mount Rushmore three times together. First was in 2012 on our first visit to the Black Hills. More recently, we visited during our trip to Rapid City in January 2019 and a three-week visit to the Black Hills in the summer of 2020. 

Yes, we love the Black Hills! And, Mount Rushmore remains impressive and worth a visit even though we’ve both seen it several times before.

(Disclaimer: When we link to places where you can buy our stuff or places we stayed, we are using special codes that earn us commissions on the sales at no additional cost to you. Please see our Review Policy  for more information.)

Mount Rushmore National Memorial Basic Information

Location: Keystone, SD (about 30 minutes southwest of Rapid City)

Fees: Parking is $10/vehicle ($5 for Seniors 62 and older); ticket is valid for one year from entry. This fee is collected by Xanterra and it is NOT covered by the America the Beautiful Annual Pass or other NPS passes. There are no additional entry fees for Mount Rushmore NM.

What to Expect: Many different views of Mount Rushmore and the surrounding Black Hills, information on the history and carving of the sculpture.

Additional Information: There are many winding and scenic roads in the Back Hills. If you are driving or towing an RV or other oversized vehicle, check road warnings carefully. Don’t worry, though, there are several roads that allow all vehicles easy access to the park. Additionally, pets are not allowed in the park, though service dogs are. Plan accordingly, if traveling with a pet.

Mount Rushmore is generally very crowded in the summer.
Mt. Rushmore draws some serious crowds in the summer.

A Brief History of Mount Rushmore

In 1923, a South Dakota state historian suggested the idea of a mountain carving in the Black Hills. He contacted Borglum, who had been working on a carving at Stone Mountain, Georgia (his work was later blasted off the mountain after he left that job due to conflicts with the organizers).

The Federal and State governments authorized a carving in the Black Hills and created Mount Rushmore National Memorial in 1925. After a couple of years of planning, the drilling actually started in 1927. Final drilling was done in 1941, nearly 8 months after Borglum’s death. His son supervised the final touches of the memorial. 

Mt. Rushmore from the Presidential Trail.
Mt. Rushmore from the Presidential Trail.

So, just why did Borglum choose George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln? According to the Mount Rushmore NM web site, “Gutzon Borglum selected these four presidents because from his perspective, they represented the most important events in the history of the United States.”

“The purpose of the memorial is to communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States with colossal statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.”

Gutzon Borglum

Washington represents the birth of the nation, Jefferson represents the growth of the United States, Roosevelt represents the development of the country and Lincoln represents the preservation of the Union. 

Perhaps another artist would have chosen different men (or women). A modern artist might make completely different choices for different reasons. Regardless of why Borglum chose these men, Mount Rushmore continues to stand as a work of art and an American icon. 

The Controversy of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills

At this point, we would be remiss to not acknowledge the history of the land of the Black Hills, including Mount Rushmore. You may be familiar with the protests surrounding President Trump’s visit to Mount Rushmore in 2020. In fact, we were in the Black Hills at this time, though we did not attend the Fourth of July event at the monument. Even before the protests, though, we were well aware that for the Lakota Sioux, this is sacred land. 

In fact, the Lakota Sioux call this mountain Six Grandfathers Mountain. According to the Native Hope blog, it was named for the six sacred directions: north, south, east, west, above and below. “The directions are said to represent kindness and love, full of years and wisdom, like human grandfathers.”

It is also considered stolen land. I’m not an expert on this topic but an article by PBS provides a succinct description of this history: “In the Treaty of 1868, the U.S. government promised the Sioux territory that included the Black Hills in perpetuity. Perpetuity lasted only until gold was found in the mountains and prospectors migrated there in the 1870s. The federal government then forced the Sioux to relinquish the Black Hills portion of their reservation.”

Black Elk Peak is the highest peak in the Black Hills and in all of South Dakota.
Black Elk Peak is sacred to the Lakota and you will find prayer flags along the trail.

For many Americans, Mount Rushmore is an iconic sculpture and a must-see destination. For many Native Americans, the Lakota Sioux in particular, it is a reminder of what was taken from them. And the men portrayed at Mount Rushmore were not necessarily friendly to the Native Americans. Indeed, the growth of the United States came at the expense of Native Americans. The “white man” continuously pushed natives off the land they had lived on for years before white settlers.

It’s easy to get excited about seeing Mount Rushmore. I have to admit, artistically it is a masterpiece. But I encourage you to see it for both the good and the bad and to educate yourself about the history of the area. 

Things to Do at Mount Rushmore

Depending on which way you approach Mount Rushmore, you’ll get several different views of the carving long before you enter the national memorial. If you really just want to see the sculpture and snap a couple of pictures, you can do that from afar. 

Mt. Rushmore from Iron Mountain Road.
Mount Rushmore from Iron Mountain Road.

That said, the views from inside the park are, obviously, much better. Additionally, you can learn more about the carving process by visiting Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Pro Tip: If you are looking for a unique view of Mount Rushmore, turn right on SD 244 out of the parking lot and come around the side. Look for a turnout so you can park and capture this great profile view of Washington’s head.

The profile view of Mount Rushmore.
The profile view of Mount Rushmore.

Walk the Avenue of Flags & Enjoy the Grand View Terrace

As you enter the main plaza, you can’t help but be drawn in by the 50 state flags lining either side of the walkway as you approach the Grand View Terrace. This site really sets the tone of patriotism that Mount Rushmore NM embodies. 

Strolling through the Avenue of Flags towards the sculpture is one of the many things to do at Mount Rushmore.
Avenue of Flags

There are many places throughout the park with amazing views of the carving. Still, there is a good reason the park named this the Grand View Terrace. Any trip to the park should include this walk and viewpoint.

*The National Park Service recently renovated the Avenue of Flags. It is now wider and improves the visibility of the sculpture. The park service completed renovations in late June 2020. As of our visit in early July 2020, work was still underway on the Grand View Terrace.

Check out the Visitor Center

A visit to any national park should always include a stop at the Visitor Center so you can learn more about the park and get any pertinent updates. The Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center is located below the Grand View Terrace at Mount Rushmore NM. Here, you can view several exhibits and watch the park film. There is also a small bookstore. 

Unfortunately, due to renovations, the visitor center was closed during our visit in June and early July 2020. We really enjoyed the visitor center and all the information it presents on our first visit back in 2012.

Visit the Sculptor’s Studio

Dating back to 1939, this small structure was the on-site studio for Gutzon Borglum. The original model and some of his tools are on display. It really is interesting to view the actual sculpture and the model together. Note in the photo below, the model called for the sculptures to include the entire top half of the body. Limited funds forced Borglum to alter the sculpture and only carve the heads.

The Sculptor's Studio is just one of many things to do at Mount Rushmore.
The Sculptor’s Studio has some pretty amazing views of the mountain.

Park rangers and volunteers are available to answer questions and generally have a prepared program several times throughout the day in the summer.

Walk the Nature Trail and Presidential Trail

As with any national park, one of our favorite things to do at Mount Rushmore is to get in a hike. While the hiking opportunities are not extensive, there is enough to stretch your legs and get your heart rate up!

The short Nature Trail takes you down to the Sculptor’s Studio. While there is a bit of an incline and a few stairs, most anyone should be able to make the walk down and back up. 

Walking the Presidential Trail is one of our favorite things to do at Mount Rushmore.
The Presidential Trail follows a boardwalk all the way to the base of the mountain.

While you’ll get great views of Mount Rushmore from the main plaza and Grand View Terrace, walking the Presidential Trail allows for a different perspective. This 0.6-mile trail runs from the Sculptor’s Studio across the front of the Memorial and back up the other side of the Grand View Terrace and main plaza.

Note: There are 422 stairs along the Presidential Trail. Yes, it’s a lot of stairs. There are landings frequently allowing you to take a break as needed. Visitors who are mobility-impaired can access the base of the mountain from the Grand View Terrace. 

Attend the Evening Lighting Ceremony

Whether you time your visit for late afternoon/evening or return after a morning or early afternoon visit, the evening program is well worth your time. Remember, the parking fee allows entry for up to a year. With this, you can easily return later in the day or even a different day for the evening ceremony.

Be sure to attend the evening lighting ceremony when visiting Mount Rushmore.
Mount Rushmore at dusk.

In addition to some basic information about the carving and the park, the evening ceremony includes the singing of the National Anthem and a Flag Ceremony. The park invites veterans and active-duty military to participate in the flag ceremony.

The evening program lasts about 20 minutes. 

Attend a Ranger Talk

Park rangers present several talks throughout the day in the summer. Check the information center when you enter or ask a ranger at the Visitor Center for more information. 

Rangers at Mount Rushmore hold ranger talks throughout the day.
A ranger talking to a group of kids working on their junior ranger badges.

Rent a Self-Guided Audio Tour

If you prefer to listen rather than read exhibits, you can hear the story of Mount Rushmore with a self-guided audio tour. The tour includes music, narration, interviews and historic recordings. With this tour, you can learn about the park as you wander around. Cost is $8. 

We have not actually paid for the audio tour, so cannot comment on whether it is worth it. I do like that the tour is available in English, French, German, Lakota and Spanish. This is great for visitors who may have a difficult time reading the exhibits in the Visitor Center.

Grab a Meal or Snack at Carvers’ Cafe

Located in the main plaza is Carver’s Cafe, a large “food court” style cafe. Depending on the time of day, you can get breakfast, lunch or dinner within the Carvers’ Cafe. From bison burgers to wraps and salads, there is a wide variety of food options.

For those with a sweet tooth, check out Memorial Team Ice Cream, where you can get a Monumental Ice Cream cone with Thomas Jefferson’s original vanilla recipe from 1780. 

Getting a cone of Thomas Jefferson's vanilla ice cream is a tasty thing to do at Mount Rushmore.
Bonnie enjoying a scoop of Thomas Jefferson’s recipe vanilla ice cream.

Get a Souvenir at the Gift Shop

No visit to a national park would be complete without a souvenir! For Grant, it’s always a magnet. At Mount Rushmore, you’ll find a large gift shop with t-shirts, stuffed animals, books, jewelry, games and much more. 

Getting a souvenir is a great thing to do at Mount Rushmore to help remember your visit.
Grant likes to collect magnets from everywhere we visit. Our refrigerators at home and in the camper are covered in magnets.

Getting to Mount Rushmore

Visitors can reach Mount Rushmore from several different highways. Since you’re in the mountains, some of these highways are easier to drive than others. The easiest drives will be on Hwy 16 South, from Rapid City or Hwy 40 West from Hermosa. The most scenic drives are Hwy 244 East from near Hill City or Hwy 16A North from Custer State Park.

Our choice for the best way to get to Mount Rushmore is Hwy 16A, better known as Iron Mountain Road.

Driving Iron Mountain Road

If you’re up for a little adventure, I suggest approaching Mount Rushmore on Iron Mountain Road. This scenic road stretches from Custer State Park on the south end to Mount Rushmore on the north end. The road was built in 1933 and is full of so many curves you’ll need nearly an hour to travel its 17 miles. There are also several turnouts offering amazing views. Plan to stop at several of them to take in the beauty of the area.

Note: There are three one-lane tunnels which restrict access to large vehicles.

Seeing Mount Rushmore through the tunnels on Iron Mountain Road is a real treat!
Gotta love coming through the tunnels on the Iron Mountain Road and seeing Mount Rushmore! This photo doesn’t do the view justice.

Some of the most unique features of Iron Mountain Road are the wooden pigtail bridges and one-lane tunnels that perfectly frame Mount Rushmore when driving towards the monument. Additionally, the landscape here in the Black Hills is simply breathtaking. Iron Mountain Road is just one of many scenic drives in the area.

You CAN access Iron Mountain Road without purchasing a Custer State Park entrance pass. That said, Custer SP is consistently regarded one of the best state parks in the country and is well worth its own visit. 

Read more about Custer State Park.

Yes, you can drive Iron Mountain Road starting at Mount Rushmore but you’ll miss the iconic views of the sculpture through the tunnels. If doing this, just be sure to check the rear view mirror and stop at the turnouts if you can. 

Driving Iron Mountain Road is a great way to get to Mount Rushmore.
Mount Rushmore from the Iron Mountain Road.

Again, this road is very windy and twisty, so anyone who is prone to carsickness may want to skip this drive. That said, it’s a great drive and might be worth the nausea.

Essential Information: The smallest tunnel height and width is 10′ 9″ – do NOT attempt this drive if you cannot fit those restrictions.

Things to Do in Keystone

When visiting Mount Rushmore, I hope that you’ll plan several days because there are tons of other great things to do in the area. The small town of Keystone has several museums and adventure parks. Additionally, there are plenty of other state and national parks and other attractions in the surrounding towns. 

Keystone is a fun town to visit on your way to Mount Rushmore.
The pedestrian boardwalk in Keystone, SD.

National Presidential Wax Museum

Since you’re in town visiting Mount Rushmore, you might as well learn a bit more about all of our country’s presidents and have a little fun while you’re at it. The best place to do that is at the National Presidential Wax Museum in Keystone.

The National Presidential Wax Museum near Mount Rushmore.
President Coolidge at the dedication of Mount Rushmore as depicted by the National President Wax Museum.

The museum includes wax figures of all the US Presidents and many other people. Many of the presidents are depicted in scenes of significant real-life events. You’ll find George Washington and his wife, Martha, admiring the newly created American flag. Grover Cleveland is depicted at his wedding in the Blue Room of the White House. George W. Bush is presented in a 9/11 scene, complete with rubble and an FDNY firefighter. 

Included with your admission ticket is an audio tour allowing you to listen to stories about the context of each scene at your own pace. There’s also a short video right at the beginning about the art of wax sculptures and everything that goes into creating the figures.

The National Presidential Wax Museum is a neat museum near Mount Rushmore.
Bonnie checking out the Sioux war council depicted at the National Presidential Wax Museum.

Tickets: $11 for adults; $9 for Seniors (65+), active military & veterans; $8 for children 6-12. Our visit lasted about an hour but you can move at your own pace.

Other Things to Do Near Mount Rushmore

There are several other attractions in Keystone, including a couple of adventure parks and a museum on Gutzon Borglum. The small downtown area is full of souvenir shops and restaurants. 

We had lunch at Palominos, which serves sandwiches, salads and pastys (traditionally found in Michigan, a pasty is basically a hand-held chicken or beef pot pie). Grant got a French Dip and I chose the Philly Cheesesteak. Both sandwiches were good, though a little under-filled with meat and other toppings, especially for the price.

Lunch at Palomino's in Keystone, SD.
A sandwich and beer at Palomino’s in Keystone.

Don’t limit yourself to Keystone, though. There are several other towns within about an hour’s drive that all offer attractions, museums and great places to eat and drink. For the adults, you might want to pick up the Black Hills & Badlands Tasting Trail map, which lists the great wineries, breweries and distilleries in the area. 

Crazy Horse Memorial

Not far from Mount Rushmore, between Custer and Hill City, is the Crazy Horse Memorial. Still a work in progress, the Crazy Horse Memorial depicts the Oglala Lakota Warrior, Crazy Horse, riding a horse and pointing. The sculpture is an answer to Mount Rushmore so that everyone will know that the tribes also had great heroes who should be remembered.

This is especially important to the Plains Indian tribes because the Black Hills is considered sacred land that was taken from them after gold was discovered in the Black Hills. Indeed, in several spots throughout the Black Hills, you will find prayer flags.

The Crazy Horse Memorial is another great thing to do when visiting Mount Rushmore.
The Crazy Horse Memorial (from our visit in January 2019).

You can easily spend a couple of hours here, viewing the memorial and touring the exhibits, which cover the life of the Lakota and the history of the memorial.

Admission: $12/person in a vehicle (1 or 2 people); $30 for 3 or more people in a vehicle; $7/person on motorcycle, bicycle or walk-in.

Read more about our visit to the Black Hills in the winter, including visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial.

Other Towns & Attractions

Other nearby towns are Rapid City, Custer, Hill City, Spearfish, Deadwood, Lead and Sturgis. Many offer attractions and museums of their own, along with a wide variety of hotels, campgrounds and restaurants. Many of the roads connecting these towns are designated scenic drives, so getting there really is half the fun.

Read more about things to do in Rapid City here.

Bison and calf at Custer State Park near Mount Rushmore.
We always enjoy checking out the bison herd and great scenery at Custer State Park.

Specific parks in the Black Hills we recommend are Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument. Badlands National Park and Minuteman Missile National Historic Site are about an hour east. Devils Tower National Monument, the country’s first national monument, is about two hours northwest, in Wyoming. There are plenty of hiking trails in those parks and in the surrounding Black Hills National Forest.

Check out our full guide to visiting the Black Hills.

Final Thoughts on Things to Do at Mount Rushmore

Of all the things to do at Mount Rushmore, viewing the iconic sculpture is at the top of the list. And, there are many places that you can see the carving from both inside and outside the park. I encourage you to not just run in, snap a few pictures and move on, though. 

Taking the time to view the sculpture from the different vantage points and stop at the Visitor Center and Sculptor’s Studio will enhance your visit. Learning about the carving process and everything it took to get this completed will help you appreciate the sculpture that much more.

With all the other great things to do in the Black Hills such as scenic drives, other parks and historical museums, I hope that you’ll schedule a few extra days to enjoy the area and all the great things it has to offer.


Travel Resources
What do you use to find a flight?

We use Skyscanner to find deals on flights. Skyscanner has a great interface and compares tons of airlines for the best pricing and routing. That said, it does not always have every airline and some airlines will have better deals on their website. Still, Skyscanner is a great place to start.
Click here to search for a flight.

What do you use to find a hotel?

We typically stay at Hilton properties, so we use the Hilton website. You can find good Hilton Honors discounts or AAA discounts for a hotel there. We make great use of our free night certificates from our Hilton Honors American Express.
Click here to book a Hilton property.

If there are no Hilton properties available, we use TripAdvisor to read reviews and book the hotel. We find we can get the best price that way.
Click here to search for a hotel.

We recently partnered with Stay22 to add interactive maps to each of our destination posts. This will allow you to see a plethora of hotels and vacation rentals all in one responsive map of the area.

What if I need more space than I can get at a hotel?

We use Vrbo for the times when we have rented a cabin for a weekend getaway, like this cabin in Townsend, TN, or needed to rent a house for a large family vacation. We had a great experience with them in terms of refunding deposits when COVID hit and will continue to use them.
Click here to search for a vacation rental.

Who do you use for rental cars?

As a general rule, we book with Hertz for rental cars. We have had nothing but good experiences with them. Plus, we really like unlimited mileage and not worrying about crossing state lines. We have even rented from Hertz overseas in both Slovenia and Croatia.
Click here to book a rental car.

How about booking a cruise?

We have found some amazing prices for booking a cruise through Cruise Direct. We have saved a lot of money on our cruises compared to what we found elsewhere, making a last-minute Bahamas cruise even cheaper.
Click here to book a cruise.

What if I want to rent an RV?

We highly recommend Outdoorsy for RV rentals. We rented a camper van for a week to visit Rocky Mountain National Park for the elk rut and Custer State Park for the Buffalo Round-Up and had a blast. The program was easy to use and we really enjoyed the freedom of having a camper van for that trip.
Click here to rent an RV.

What do you use for booking tours?

We don’t often book tours. Typically, we like to do stuff on our own. That said, there are some experiences you can’t have any other way. So, when we do want to book a tour, we always check Viator first.
Click here to book a tour.

Do you use anything to get discounts on the road?

We make extensive use of both Good Sam and AAA on the road. Good Sam is normally regarded as a discount card for RVers at campgrounds and Camping World but anyone can use the 5 cents off a gallon at the pump at both Pilot and Flying J.
Click here to get a Good Sam membership.
We have had AAA as long as we have been married and it has more than paid for itself in discounts at hotels, aside from the peace of mind of having roadside assistance. Add in paper maps and the ability to get an international driver’s license and it is more than worth it for any traveler out there.
Click here to get a AAA membership.

Leave a Comment

I accept the Privacy Policy