Our Mount Rushmore Visit was Awesome!!
It had been on my bucket list since childhood and our visit to Mount Rushmore was as awesome as I dreamed.
The unexpected trip was thanks to our daughter who needed a co-pilot while traveling west with kids. When she asked if I wanted to take a side trip to Mount Rushmore on our return, my reply was a resounding “YES”!
I usually thoroughly research places to sleep and eat along with things to do before road tripping, but our unplanned side trip was a bucket list dream. Research or not, my thought was, "National treasure, here we come!"
Memory making girls trip on scenic byways, through amazing parks, and visiting National Memorials.
Location:
13000 Hwy 244
Keystone, SD 57751
Visitor's Center:
(605) 574-2523
8 AM - 5 PM
Grounds:
5 AM - 11 PM
Open year round, weather permitting
Fees:
Entrance - free
Parking - $10 ($5 seniors / military)
Website:
www.nps.gov/moru/
Through the tunnel, around the curve, and Mount Rushmore appears in the distance. Can't help but love this view!
Approaching Mount Rushmore
Our approach to Mount Rushmore was from the south, after touring Custer State Park on the way. We had stayed the previous night in Custer, South Dakota at the Bavarian Inn.
When mentioning our plans during checkout, a sweet employee told us to watch for the “monument through the tunnel” as we left the park.
Knowing what to watch for helped, but it didn’t prepare us for the sight through the tunnel, nor the memorial across the way. Our jaws dropped open in surprise. It was amazing and thrilling at the same time.
Colorful flags from each US state, district, and territory line the walkway known as the “Avenue of Flags.”
The Avenue of Flags
After our arrival at the parking garage, we made our way to the Memorial entrance getting more excited with each step. Construction work on the Grand View Terrace restricted part of the path, but the “Avenue of Flags” section was wide open.
The flags along the walkway were added as part of the USA’s Bicentennial celebration in 1976. Flanked by native plants, coupled with boulders, the walkway had built-in seating along the low stone wall. We felt encircled by nature.
Below each flag is a bronze marker listing name, date, and order of entrance into the union. The the granite-topped walls with seat backs were a perfect place to relax while enjoying surrounding nature.
View of the Avenue of Flags looking back toward the main entrance.
This is the place to enjoy an unobstructed view, attend special events, and experience the lighting show when the mountain is illuminated each evening.
The Amphitheater
Completed in 1998, the 2,500 seat Amphitheater sits at the base of Mount Rushmore. Here, park rangers present the evening lighting ceremony. We hear the show is inspiring, patriotic, and worth the time.
You can find the Amphitheater at the end of and below the Grand View Terrace. Access is via stairs or elevator. Below the terrace and behind the top row amphitheater seats is the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center and Museum, bookstore, and gift shop.
We peeked in the museum and gift shop but time constraints kept us from doing more.
Much More to See and Do
Is Mount Rushmore worth the detour? Would I go back again? My reply is another resounding YES!! Our Mount Rushmore visit awesome, however, it was short. There is much more to see, learn, and experience.
I would love to hike the Presidential Trail with the audio tour in addition to seeing the Sculptor’s Studio. Also, being there as dusk falls for the “Evening Lighting Ceremony” as lights illuminate the Memorial would be a thrill!
Now that we have been there, another trip to South Dakota is definitely in our plans. But, you can bet it will include several days to catch everything we missed at Mount Rushmore and the surrounding area.
Entrance to Mount Rushmore Memorial
About the Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Sculptor and artist, Gutzon Borglum, employed 400 workers to carve the faces of four U. S. presidents into hard granite on the side of Mount Rushmore, located in the Black Hills of South Dakota’s southwest region.
Work began in 1927 and took 14-years to complete. Dynamite was used to carve 90% of the mountain while fine facial details were achieved with jackhammers and hand chisels.
Despite the dangerous work done by hanging from the mountaintop by bosun chairs attached to steel cables, not a single worker lost their life.
Mount Rushmore officially opened October 31, 1941. Today, the Memorial attracts more than three million visitors each year.
Wanting more ideas on relaxing, playing or learning?
Check out our "Things to Do" page for other Worthy Detour stops.
