Mount Rushmore - park and travel information

Mount Rushmore National Memorial
South Dakota

Mount Rushmore National Memorial South Dakota is located in the heart of the Black Hills and is an impressive granite structure memorializing four American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Mount Rushmore in Keystone South Dakota hotel and camping accommodations are available locally, see notes below. The granite faces of the presidents are 5,500 feet above sea level and are sized as if the men would stand 465 feet tall. Each head is as tall as a six-story building. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum’s attention to detail makes the faces of the four presidents appear lifelike.

The visitor center and museum offer a 13-minute film on Mount Rushmore's memorial including biographies of the four presidents and how the sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, executed each man's portrait on the cliffs of Mount Rushmore. A book store as well as concessions are at the park. There is no admission fee to Mount Rushmore, but there is a fee to park at the main parking lot. There is limited RV parking.

The Presidential Trail is a half-mile loop where you can get closer viewpoints of the faces. The trail is open to all visitors. It is handicapped accessible as well as being elderly friendly. The main viewing area is named the Walk the Avenue of Flags and is near the visitor center. There are also interpretive walks and talks from the Rangers at the memorial. The fascinating Evening Sculpture Lighting Ceremony takes place each night in the park's amphitheater.

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