Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country. From the history of the first inhabitants to the diversity of America today, Mount Rushmore brings visitors face to face with the rich heritage we all share.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
A parking fee is assessed by the authorized park concessioner.
Parking: Mount Rushmore National Memorial does not charge an entrance fee. However, a parking fee is required to park in the concession-operated parking facility.
Hours
| Mount Rushmore grounds - early March through September 30 | Daily · 5:00AM - 11:00PM |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hours | 5:00AM - 11:00PM |
| Oct 1, 2026 to Mar 9, 2027NowMount Rushmore grounds - October 1 through March 9 | 6:00AM - 9:00PM |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Park information, film, museum exhibits and a bookstore. Opens at 8:00 am daily (closed December 25th). Late May through mid-August closes at 10:00 pm. Mid-August through September 30 closes at 9:00 pm. October 1 through October 31 closes at 6:00pm. November 1 through late May closes at 5:00pm.
- Information Center ↗Passport stamp
Find basic information about the Memorial as well as information about the local area. Opens at 8:00 am daily (closed December 25th). Late May through September 30 closes at 9:00 pm. October 1 through October 31 closes at 6:00pm. November 1 through late May closes at 5:00pm.
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- Walk the Presidential Trail20-45 Minutes
The Presidential Trail provides changing views of Mount Rushmore as you travel through ponderosa pine forest and granite outcrops.
Opens on the Park Service site - Visit The Sculptor's Studio15-30 Minutes
Visit the Sculptor's Studio to learn more about Gutzon Borglum, his scale model and the process of carving Mount Rushmore.
Opens on the Park Service site - Visit The Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center30-60 Minutes
View exhibits and a 14-minute film describing the reasons for and methods used in carving Mount Rushmore.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hiking The Blackberry Trail30-60 Minutes
Looking to experience the natural surroundings of the Black Hills? Try hiking the Blackberry Trail.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Lewis Byron HouseBuilding · Keystone · 1.6 mi
- Keystone SchoolBuilding · Keystone · 1.9 mi
- Keystone Trading Company StoreBuilding · Keystone · 2 mi
- Dam Harney Peak Lookout Tower Pumphouse and StairwaySite · Custer · 4.1 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Forest Service trails nearby
These trails are outside the park on National Forest land, within 15 miles of Mount Rushmore. Each one opens on Trailhead Atlas.
Distance is measured from the park's reference point to the nearer end of the trail.
Guidebooks for South Dakota's national parks and South Dakota
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBighorn Sheep 10× · Pronghorn 7× · American Bison 7× · Western Meadowlark 1× · Eastern Fox Squirrel 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 56 birds, 37 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsBald Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Turkey Vulture · peregrine falcon
Gamebirds & dovesCommon Pigeon · Eurasian Collared-Dove · Mourning Dove · Ruffed Grouse · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersBlack-backed Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Red-naped Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsWhite-throated Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Dusky Flycatcher · American Robin · Barn Swallow · Belted Kingfisher · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-capped Chickadee · Black-headed Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Brown Creeper · Brown-headed Cowbird · Canada Jay · Canyon Wren · Cassin's Finch · Chipping Sparrow · Clark's Nutcracker · Common Nighthawk · Common Yellowthroat · Cordilleran Flycatcher · Dark-eyed Junco · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Mountain Bluebird · Ovenbird · Pine Siskin · Plumbeous Vireo · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-winged Blackbird · Rock Wren · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Song Sparrow · Swainson's Thrush · Townsend's Solitaire · Violet-green Swallow · Warbling Vireo · Western Tanager · Western Wood Pewee · White-breasted Nuthatch
Small mammalsBushy-tailed Woodrat · Deer Mouse · House Mouse · Least Chipmunk · Meadow Jumping Mouse · Meadow Vole · Northern Flying Squirrel · Northern Pocket Gopher · Red Squirrel · Southern Red-backed Vole · Western Harvest Mouse · White-footed Deermouse · Yellow-bellied Marmot
PredatorsAmerican Marten · American Mink · Bobcat · Coyote · Cross Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · Striped Skunk · common raccoon · short-tailed weasel
Hoofed mammalsBighorn Sheep · Mountain Goat · Mule Deer · White-tailed Deer · elk
BatsBig Brown Bat · Black Bat · Fringed Myotis · Little Brown Bat · Long-eared Myotis · Long-legged Myotis · Northern Bat · Small-footed Myotis
Also on the checklistCatamount · Domestic Cat
Activities
Weather & climate
Weather at Mount Rushmore can be highly variable in any season. Summer high temperatures range from 70 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Fall high temperatures range from 45 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter high temperatures range from 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Spring high temperatures range from 30 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Typically, July and August are the warmest months and January and February are the coldest. March and April receive the most snow, while May and June receive the most rain.
Questions people ask
Does Mount Rushmore charge an entrance fee?
No. Mount Rushmore is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Mount Rushmore?
Standard hours are 5:00AM - 11:00PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Mount Rushmore?
1,905,649 recreation visits in 2025, number 47 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Mount Rushmore?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Mount Rushmore?
Weather at Mount Rushmore can be highly variable in any season. Summer high temperatures range from 70 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
