In A Nutshell

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is open year-round. The memorial can be viewed from the roadside 24-hours-a-day. The main developed area (including facilities) is closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the winter, and 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the summer. The memorial is best viewed and photographed in morning light. The memorial facilities are closed on December 25. State Highway 244 is kept in excellent condition year-round. A concession-operated parking facility charges an annual fee. Concession dining facilities, a quality gift shop and restrooms are available.

PLANNING YOUR STAY

Getting to Mount Rushmore

Car: The most direct route by car is via I—90: Take exit 57 to Highway 16 (Mount Rushmore Road) and continue on to the memorial entrance. From Rapid City, go southwest on Highway 16 for 23 miles. You can get free state highway maps from the South Dakota Office of Tourism by calling (605) 773-3301 or (800) 732-5682; or visit www.travelsd.com.

Public Transportation

Air: Rapid City Regional Airport, located 10 miles southeast of Rapid City, provides a direct approach to the Mount Rushmore area. Flights to and from Minneapolis, Denver and Salt Lake City are available on Northwest, United Express, Delta Skywest and Great Lakes Airlines.

Bus: Jack Rabbit Bus Lines provides national bus service to Rapid City, Sturgis and Spearfish. Also see "Guided Tours" on page 16 for information about charter bus tours.

Train: No rail service is available.

Hours

The Information Center and Lincoln Borglum Museum (please see page 12 for more details) are both open every day of the year (except December 25), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the winter and until 10 p.m. in the summer. Spring and fall hours vary to accommodate visitors. The sculpture is illuminated nightly at dusk and remains lit for at least two hours. Spring through fall, the sculpture lighting coincides with the park's evening lighting program and the mountain is illuminated for one hour. The ceremony begins nightly at 9 p.m. spring through summer and at 8 p.m. in the fall. Floodlights illuminate the sculpture following the program. 

Information Center

The center should be your first stop at the memorial. It provides information about current activities and programs at Mount Rushmore. Exhibits, a bookstore and brochures are also available to help you plan your time at the memorial and an extended visit in the Black Hills.

Audio Tour

You can rent an audio tour handheld wand for $5 at the Audio Tour Building across from the Information Center and experience an educational, fun and engaging presentation. The tour was the winner of the 2007 Association of Partners for Public Lands Audio/ Visual Award. Available in English, Spanish, German and Lakota.

Grandview Terrace

Directly above the Lincoln Borglum Museum is the primary viewpoint for appreciating the sculpture. The Grandview Terrace provides an unobstructed view. Seating is available at the front of the terrace. Elevators and stairways offer easy access to the Lincoln Borglum Museum and to the top of the amphitheater.

Ranger Programs

The National Park Service offers a variety of interpretive programs for visitors. Various guided walks and talks, including children's programs and Presidential Trail walks, are available. Inquire at the Information Center or Lincoln Borglum Museum for a current listing and schedule.

Sculptor's Studio

Open spring through fall, this is the second on-site studio built by sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Fifteen-minute talks scheduled throughout the day explore the artist's methods and show his original plaster model and tools. 

Amphitheater Programs

Located directly below the sculpture, the amphitheater stages evening programs and, depending on when you visit, you could be treated to a patriotic celebration or a festive musical presentation. Be sure to ask at the Information Center or Lincoln Borglum Museum about events. 

The memorial's interpretive staff provides a 30-minute program nightly at 9 p.m. in the summer (8 p.m. in the fall). The program highlights the memorial's construction and the four presidents carved on the mountain. The program concludes with the lighting of the sculpture. Bring a light coat or sweater because nights in the Black Hills can be cool.

Presidential Trail

A visit to the memorial is not complete without taking the time to walk this trail. The Presidential Trail is 0.5-mile in length and starts from Grandview Terrace and follows a historic roadbed overlooking the amphitheater, then winds through ponderosa pines and rocky outcrops to a point directly below the sculpture, offering spectacular views of the four figures. 

It continues to the Sculptor's Studio before looping back to Grandview Terrace. The first 0.25-mile of this 0.5-mile trail is fully accessible to visitors with disabilities. The remaining 0.25-mile consists of a series of stairs leading to the Sculptor's Studio. This section of the trail is considered strenuous.

Just for Kids

For fun activities for kids, please see page 57.

Weather

Summer daytime temperatures in the Black Hills average around 80°F and higher, so bring comfortable clothing, a hat and sunscreen. Evenings cool down with greater temperature drops in the mountains. In the fall, sunny days and crisp temperatures are common, though snowstorms may occur in October. Winter temperatures range from 40° to —20°F, and icy roads and limited visitor services require careful planning. Even in the spring, the weather is often cold and wet. It is recommended that you bring warm clothing and rain gear just in case.

VISITOR SERVICES

Banks

At Mount Rushmore, there is an automated teller machine (ATM) located in the Carvers Cafe next to the restrooms. In downtown Hill City and Keystone, there are banks and ATMs. Numerous full-service banks are available in Rapid City.

Lodging and Dining 

Please see pages 40—42 for more information. 

Guided Tours

Local companies offer bus tours to Mount Rushmore, Black Hills National Forest, Custer State Park and Crazy Horse Memorial. Contact Gray Line of the Black Hills at (605) 342-4461 or (800) 456-4461; Stagecoach West at (605) 343-3113; or Sturgis Bus Company at (605) 574-2249 for more information.

Gift Shop

At the memorial, Xanterra Parks & Resorts^® operates the Fred Harvey Trading Company, a gift shop that offers a variety of fine collectibles and mementos. The store features a gallery of local American Indian jewelry, sculpture, prints, quillwork, beadwork and Sioux pottery. The Black Hills Gold Counter has rings, earrings, tie tacks and other jewelry, all locally crafted. A book section features materials for children and adults; topics include regional, pioneer and American Indian history, the story of Mount Rushmore, wildlife, bird-watching and natural history. Also available are clothing, wildlife posters, postcards and more. The gift shop is open from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (summer) and from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (winter).

Kennels

Kennels near Mount Rushmore are located in Custer and Rapid City. In Custer, contact Lynn's Pet Motel at (605) 673-3347. In Rapid City, contact the Black Hills Animal Hospital at (605) 343-6066; Meiners Animal Clinic at (605) 343-5089; or the Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic at (605) 342-7498.

Lost and Found 

If you lose something at Mount Rushmore, or want to report a found item, please contact the National Park Service at (605) 574-3120. 

Parking Fees

Parking fees are $8 per car for an annual pass and $50 per bus for a daily pass. Please note that the National Park Pass does not apply to parking fees.

Postal Services

At Mount Rushmore, there is a U.S. postage vending machine and mailbox in the food area. Full-service post offices are located in all communities, including Keystone and Hill City. 

Recycling 

Mount Rushmore and Xanterra Parks & Resorts^® invite you to join their partnership in respecting and protecting our Earth's resources. We ask you to place your paper and plastic in the recycling bins located throughout the park. Xanterra Parks & Resorts^® is the proud recipient of the U.S. Department of the Interior Award and the Odyssey Award for environmental achievement.

Religious Services

During the summer months, a Christian Ministry in the National Parks offers a nondenominational service in the Mount Rushmore Amphitheater on Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

In nearby Keystone, Catholic and nondenominational church services are held. Hill City offers Catholic, Lutheran, Assembly of God and nondenominational services.

Service Stations

Gas stations are readily available in Hill City, in Keystone and along all the major thoroughfares of local communities. 

Special Services -

Facilities and activities that are fully accessible to visitors with disabilities are indicated throughout the magazine by this symbol: -. All Mount Rushmore programs are accessible to visitors with disabilities. The Sculptor's Studio, which contains a bookstore, is the only facility that requires special access. Ask at the Information Center or Lincoln Borglum Museum for directions to the studio.

At the Lincoln Borglum Museum, the orientation film, Mount Rushmore—The Shrine, is close-captioned for the hearing-impaired. Memorial brochures are available in Braille. Several wheelchairs are available for loan at the Information Center. 

For further information, please call (605) 574-2523. Also consult Easy Access to the National Parks, which is published by the Sierra Club and available in most bookstores.

PARK REGULATIONS

To ensure a safe, enjoyable trip, please follow these safety regulations.

Don't Feed the Animals

Remember that the animals at Mount Rushmore are wild. 

Pets

Pets are prohibited throughout the developed areas of the memorial.

Stay on Trails 

Climbing Mount Rushmore is prohibited and violators will be fined. Please stay on marked trails.

Follow All Other Park Regulations

Do not build fires or collect firewood, and remember that removing plants, animals, rocks or other natural materials is prohibited.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Publications

Pick up informational NPS pamphlets and other materials at the Information Center and Lincoln Borglum Museum as you enter the memorial. Books, maps and videos are also for sale at the bookstores, which are operated by the Mount Rushmore History Association, located in the Lincoln Borglum Museum and the Information Center. All bookstore proceeds are directed into the Park Service Interpretive Program.