National park · United States
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Give it 2–3 hours: walk the Avenue of Flags to Grand View Terrace, then the 0.6 mi Presidential Trail loop for the close-up under the faces. Arrive before 8:00 or after 16:00 in June–August; parking is US$10–12 per car and there is no entrance fee.Give it 2–3 hours: walk the Avenue of Flags to Grand View Terrace, then the 0.6 mi Presidential Trail loop for the close-up under the faces. Arrive before 8:00 AM or after 4:00 PM in June–August; parking is US$10–12 per car and there is no entrance fee.
Map to the park
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Area
5 km²2 sq mi
approximate
Established
1925
Best months
May, Sep
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
At a glance
- Country
- United States
- Area
- 5 km²2 sq mi
- About 1,278 acres (5.17 km²) of memorial boundary; the carved mountain itself is a fraction of that (check).
- Established
- 1925
- Best months
- May, Sep
- Permits
- For some areas
Four 60-foot granite faces carved 1927–1941 by about 400 workers under Gutzon Borglum, on a mountain the Lakota consider sacred and never ceded. The memorial is small and self-contained: a plaza, a short loop trail, a visitor centre, a sculptor's studio and an evening lighting ceremony. It is not a hiking park — the real walking is in the surrounding Black Hills, Custer State Park and Badlands. Most visitors come by car from Rapid City or Keystone, spend half a day, and combine it with Crazy Horse, Custer State Park and the Iron Mountain Road drive.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1925.
Size and age
5 km²2 sq mi · national park since 1925
About 1,278 acres (5.17 km²) of memorial boundary; the carved mountain itself is a fraction of that (check).
Why go
- The scale only lands when you stand at the base: each face is about 60 ft (18 m) high, on a wall nearly 500 ft tall.
- The Presidential Trail puts you directly under the carving — the only place the faces read as sculpture rather than a postcard.
- The evening programme ends with the memorial lit against the dark; free, weather permitting, summer only.
- It anchors a Black Hills loop: Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Iron Mountain Road and the caves are all within an hour.
When to go
- JanAvoid
- FebAvoid
- MarCaution
- AprGo
- MayBest
- JunCaution
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepBest
- OctGo
- NovCaution
- DecAvoid
- JanCold, wind, snow; some facilities reduced
- FebColdest stretch; icy walkways
- MarSnow still likely; quiet
- AprThawing, changeable; few crowds
- MayMild, dry-ish, before the summer rush
- JunWarm and dry but busy; full evening programme
- JulHottest and busiest; afternoon storms
- AugBusy; storms; evening programme runs
- SepWarm days, thinner crowds after Labor Day
- OctCool and clear; some services wind down
- NovCold snaps, early snow
- DecWinter conditions; limited hours
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain goats around the parking areas and rock facesAll year · Keep distance; they are habituated and can be aggressive over food. | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Bighorn sheep and deer in the surrounding Black HillsApr–Jun, Sep–Oct · More likely on the drives than inside the memorial. | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | yes | yes | no | no |
| Peregrine falcons and raptors over the cliffMay–Aug · Look up from the terrace; nesting closures can apply on climbing routes (check). | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
How to get there
From Rapid City
US-16 southwest through Keystone, then US-16A/Highway 244 to the memorial entrance.
35–45 min
From Keystone
Highway 244 west; the closest town to the memorial.
10–15 min
From Custer State Park
Iron Mountain Road (US-16A) north — narrow tunnels, tight curves, slow but scenic.
45–60 min
From Badlands National Park
I-90 west to Rapid City, then US-16 southwest.
2–2.5 h
From Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP)
Rental car is the practical option; no public transport to the memorial.
45 min
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance and parking structure | Paid multi-level garage; the walkway from here to the plaza is the start of the visit. | Open daily; fee per vehicle. |
| Avenue of Flags and Grand View Terrace | The main plaza: state flags, the primary viewing wall, visitor centre and museum below. | Open; fully accessible. |
| Presidential Trail | The 0.6 mi loop that drops to the base of the carving and back past the Sculptor's Studio. | Open; stairs and grades, partly accessible. |
| Sculptor's Studio | Borglum's studio with the scale model of the unfinished head-to-waist design. | Open seasonally; ranger talks in summer. |
| Closure area around the sculpture | The rock face and talus below it. | Closed to visitors; climbing prohibited. |
Sketch map
- 1Parking structure and entrance · Gate≈43.879, -103.457Map ↗
- 2Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center · Headquarters≈43.877, -103.456Map ↗
- 3Grand View Terrace · Viewpoint≈43.878, -103.454Map ↗
- 4Amphitheatre · Viewpoint≈43.877, -103.453Map ↗
- 5Keystone · Town≈43.895, -103.418Map ↗
- 6Rapid City · Town≈44.081, -103.231Map ↗
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrance to the memorial | Free | person | No admission fee; the memorial is free to enter. |
| Parking | US$10–12 | vehicle | 2026 estimate; charged by the concessioner, not NPS. Annual parking pass available (check current rate). |
| America the Beautiful annual pass | US$80 | pass | 2026 estimate; does not cover Rushmore parking. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Memorial entry no permit
Rock climbing permit or guide
Commercial filming or drone use permit or guide
Park rules
- Drones
- Not permitted anywhere in the memorial without NPS authorisation.check
- Camping and overnight use
- Not allowed within memorial boundaries; no campground and no lodging on site.
- Fires
- Open fires are prohibited in the memorial.
- Climbing
- Rock climbing is allowed in the park but not in the closure area around the sculpture.
- Pets
- Not allowed on the trails or in buildings; check current NPS pet rules for the parking and plaza areas (check).
Where to stay
Near the park
Keystone
Closest rooms, 10–15 min away; heavy souvenir-strip character, limited dining.
Near the park
Rapid City
Full range of hotels and restaurants, 35–45 min; the better base for a multi-day Black Hills trip.
Near the park
Hill City and Custer
Smaller bases between the memorial, Custer State Park and Crazy Horse.
Near the park
Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park campgrounds
The nearest camping; nothing inside the memorial.
Safety
Altitude and stairs on the Presidential Trail low
Summer thunderstorms medium
Winter ice on walkways medium
Wildlife on the roads medium
Accessibility
- The parking structure, Avenue of Flags, Grand View Terrace, visitor centre and amphitheatre are step-free and wheelchair accessible.
- The full Presidential Trail loop includes stairs; a shorter accessible section reaches the Sculptor's Studio and part of the lower viewpoints.
- Wheelchairs are available to borrow at the visitor centre (check availability).
Visiting lightly
- Park once and walk the whole site; the garage is the only parking and idling in it is unnecessary.
- Carry out everything — the memorial has no backcountry and bins are limited at busy times.
- Combine Rushmore with Custer State Park and Crazy Horse in one loop instead of making separate drives.
- Treat the mountain as a contested sacred site: the Lakota position is part of the visit, not a footnote.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
There is no entrance fee — admission is free. You pay for parking, about US$10–12 per vehicle (2026 estimate), charged by the concessioner rather than the National Park Service. The America the Beautiful annual pass does not cover that parking charge.
What are the best hikes in Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
There is only one real trail: the Presidential Trail, a 0.6 mi (1 km) loop with roughly 250 stairs that drops to the base of the carving and passes the Sculptor's Studio. Everything else is paved plaza walking. For actual hiking, go to Custer State Park, Black Hills National Forest or Badlands National Park.
When is the best time to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
May and September: mild, mostly dry and less crowded than July–August. Arrive before 8:00 or after 16:00 in summer to avoid the coach groups. Winter is quiet but cold, windy and sometimes icy, with reduced services.
How long do you need at Mount Rushmore?
Two to three hours covers parking, the Avenue of Flags, Grand View Terrace, the Presidential Trail and the visitor centre. Add 45 minutes if you stay for the summer evening lighting programme.
Can you see Mount Rushmore without paying?
You can see the faces from Highway 244 and from the tunnels on Iron Mountain Road, but the parking fee is the only way to use the plaza and the Presidential Trail. There is no free parking at the memorial itself.
Is Mount Rushmore worth visiting?
If you are already in the Black Hills, yes — it is a two-to-three-hour stop on a loop with Crazy Horse, Custer State Park and the caves. It is not worth a dedicated trip from outside the region on its own.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go