A couple of weeks ago when we were driving home from Utah to Maryland we stopped at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. It had been almost 15 years since I visited last and was the first time Jared or the kids had ever visited the memorial.
While we were planning our route from Utah to Maryland we discovered it only added a couple of hours to our drive to go further north visit Mount Rushmore and cross a few more states off of our list of states we still need to visit.
So of course we jumped at the chance to explore some new places.
Where is Mount Rushmore?
Okay so you might laugh but even as we were driving to Mount Rushmore we would forget if it was in North Dakota or South Dakota. Luckily we finally discovered that Mount Rushmore is in South Dakota.
To get specific Mount Rushmore is located in Keystone, South Dakota. In the Black Hill region of the country.
I was actually really surprised at how close to the Wyoming state line it was located. Mount Rushmore really isn’t that far of a drive from Yellowstone.
What is the closest airport to Mount Rushmore
The closest airport is the Rapid City Regional Airport. While not the largest airport you should be able to find a flight here, but you will probably have a layover.
Tips for Visiting Mount Rushmore with Kids
While some of these tips for visiting Mount Rushmore might seem obvious I want to share them so that you’re prepared for a fun day at the National Monument.
Wear Good Shoes if you’re planning to spend the whole day at Mount Rushmore and you want to walk the Presidents Trail be sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes. It will make your day a lot more fun.
*If you’re only stopping at the monument for a minute and sticking to the main area any type of shoe will be fine.
Sunscreen and Bug Spray are a good idea depending on how long you plan to spend at the monument. Remember you are in the mountains so there will be bugs.
Bring A Jacket while you probably won’t need your jacket during the day once the sun goes down it does cool off.
Don’t Forget to Drink Water. When spending time outdoors and hiking it’s really important to stay hydrated. So bring a water bottle with you to help you stay hydrated.
Take Pictures of Mount Rushmore, of the family, selfies and whatever else catches your eye. Photos make great souvenirs! If you want a close up photo of the presidents than be sure to bring a camera with a good lens for shooting distances.
Check for Covid Restrictions – When we visited the visitor center and other areas indoor areas were closed because of Covid restrictions. Even though the visitor center was closed there was a tent with information and rangers were there to answer questions.
Things to do At Mount Rushmore
Now that we have some of those practical tips out of the way I’m going to share some things that you don’t want to miss at the monument.
While I don’t think 1 day is enough time to explore the area around Mount Rushmore 1 day is plenty of time to spend in the park. If you’re in the area longer you can always go back again if you want to.
Walk the Presidents Trail
To get an up close look at the Presidents carved into the mountain take a walk down the Presidents Trail.
On the Presidents trail you will find informative plaques with information about each president as well as the Sculptor’s Workshop and Studio.
When we visited the workshop wasn’t open but if it’s open when you visit, inside you will find the original model for the sculptures including the bodies of the president’s not just their heads!
Stop at the Borglum View Terrace
The Borglum View Terrace is a great place to stop and get some pictures of Mount Rushmore. If you walk all the way through the terrace toward the mountain you will find a bathroom building and some great views of the presidents through the trees.
Do the Junior Ranger Program
Junior Ranger Programs are a great way to learn more about different National Parks and Monuments. I especially love it when they have the junior ranger trainee program for kids 3-4 years old as well as the programs for the older kids.
You can get a copy of the junior ranger booklet from a Ranger and have fun completing the activities. Once completed show a ranger to get your badge. This program is free and a fun way to learn more about Mount Rushmore.
Attend the Evening Program
The nightly program is really worth seeing at least once if you can make it work. It’s interesting to listen to and you learn more about the presidents and history of the monument.
The program is about 20 minutes long with a 10 minute ranger talk (when we visited this was pre-recorded due to covid), a playing of the National Anthem, the lighting of the memorial and a folding of the flag demonstration.
The evening program is done each night from late May through September.
Take Your Time
While it might not seem that there is that much to see take your time and enjoy it. Let the kids climb on some rocks, find sticks and just enjoy being in nature, learning about the monument and spending time together.
Places to Stay near Mount Rushmore
If your looking for a place to stay near Mount Rushmore there are a lot of different camping and hotel options.
Campground Near Mount Rushmore
As we were driving around Mount Rushmore we passed so many fun places to camp and some really nice RV parks that we would love to go back to sometime.
Here are just a few of the awesome camping/RV spots we saw near the monument.
- Custer State Park
- Mount Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch Resort
- Black Hills National Forest
- Big Pine Campground
- Echo Valley Park
Hotels Near Mount Rushmore
There are three different towns near the memorial that you can look at for getting a hotel. Getting a hotel in Keystone, Hill City or Custer will allow you to get to Mount Rushmore with only a short drive.
We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express near Mount Rushmore but there are a variety of different hotel options.
You can search for hotels near the monument with your dates at my favorite hotel site. Don’t forget to use Rakuten to get cashback on your hotel stay. If you don’t have an account set one up for free and get a bonus after making your first purchase.
What Presidents are on Mount Rushmore?
Can you guess what one of the first things we googled about this stop was? Yep, you guessed it! What presidents faces are on Mount Rushmore.
To save you the trouble of going to another website I’ll tell you. Mount Rushmore has four (4) presidents carved into it. The presidents are Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln.
Why these presidents?
According to the National Park Website, Gutzon Borglum picked these four presidents because in his opinion they represented the most important events in the history of the United States.
George Washington was the first president of the United States. He was involved in the American Revolutionary War, the father of the new country, and set the foundation of American democracy.
Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. While president Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France. This purchase doubled the size of the united states.
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States. He was known as the “trust buster” because he did a lot to stop large corporate monopolies and help secure the rights of the working man. Roosevelt was president during a time of rapid economic growth and he played a big part in negotiating for the construction of the Panama Canal.
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. He held the nation together during the Civil War. He firmly believed that slavery should be abolished and that it was his responsibility to preserve the union.
These four presidents together represent the birth of the United States as well as the growth, development, and preservation of this country.
While many different presidents could have been chosen to be carved into Mount Rushmore these men were chosen by the carver Gutzon Borglum. Had someone else carved the monument we might be seeing four different men, it’s interesting to think about.
If you were carving Mount Rushmore which four presidents would you pick and why? Something to think about.
A Few Facts
Who Carved Mount Rushmore?
Gutzon Borglum along with a crew of 400 workers carved the 60 foot high carvings.
When Was Mount Rushmore Built?
Constriction on the monument happened between October 4, 1927, and October 31, 1941.
Is There a Secret Room?
There is a secret room in Mount Rushmore behind Lincolns head. But since we all know about it I guess it’s not a very good secret is it?
The secret room or the Hall of Records as Gutzon Borglum envisioned it was never completed the way he wanted it to be. You can read more about his plan for the room and see photos of it on the National Parks website.
The Mount Rushmore Quarter
Mount Rushmore was featured on the South Dakota quarter in 2006 as part of the 50 States Quarter Program and again in 2013 as one of the America the Beautiful Quarters.
Each of these quarters has a different design and a different book for collecting them.
Get a 50 states quarter collection book on Amazon
Get a National Parks Commemorative Quarter collection book.
What is the Entrance Fee
There is no entrance fee to Mount Rushmore but there is a parking fee. The parking fee for a private vehicle is $10.
Things to Do Near Mount Rushmore
If you’re taking a Mount Rushmore road trip and looking for other things to do in the area here are a few suggestions of additional places to visit.
- Custer State Park
- Needles Highway
- Crazy Horse
- Black Hills National Forest
- Wind Cave National Park
- Badlands National Park
- Wall Drug
Have you visited Mount Rushmore? What was your favorite part?
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I’ve never been here but I’ve always wanted to go! Mike went with his family when he was a kid.
I enjoyed reading this post. Mount Rushmore is in our family travel bucket list. We just need to make it work with any other trip -like you did!- because it doesn’t seem there’s much more to do around other than the park. Thanks for sharing all your tips and insights. They will be very useful when we visit someday!