Nestled in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a monument dedicated to the memory of four U.S. Presidents whose busts are sculpted into the face of a mountain. It took a total of 14 years and several hundred workers to complete this memorial, which was sculpted between 1927 and 1941.

Attractions:

The main focal point of this memorial is the mountain itself and the carved busts of the four presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lincoln. These four presidents adorn the face of the mountain, which is 5,725 feet above sea level. Looking up at the mountain, from the ground below, the distance is about 500 feet. Each face is about 60 feet high.

When you arrive at the memorial, you will first walk through the Avenue of Flags. This includes the flags of the fifty states, along with the flags of U.S. territories, like Guam, Puerto Rico, and a few others. The Avenue of Flags leads to the Grandview Terrace and Presidential Trail.

Most tourists who visit the monument walk to the Grandview Terrace. This is a large concrete platform area that directly faces the monument. It’s a good area for visitor’s to view the memorial and take pictures of the mountain and surrounding areas.

If you want to get more up- close and personal, you might want to take a walk down the presidential trail. This trail is about one- half mile in length and it will take you right up to the base of the mountain. It’s not too long of a hike, and it’s good for those who prefer a closer view.

Other attractions include the visitor’s center, Sculptor’s Studio, and the Lincoln Borglum Museum. The visitor’s center will help you to become more acquainted with the memorial and provide you with maps of the area. The Sculptor’s Studio contains information on the history and construction of the monument and the factors that inspired Gutzon Borglum to build this monument in the early 1900’s. The Lincoln Borglum Museum is located close to the Avenue of Flags and contains exhibits of the artwork of sculptor Borglum, along with information on the selection of the presidents for the memorial and the preservation of the monument.

Location:

Mount Rushmore is located about 25 miles outside of Rapid City, off of Interstate 90. Rapid City also has the closest airport to the memorial. There are no large cities within several hours of Mount Rushmore. The closest major city is Denver, Colorado.

Entry Fees/Hours of Operation:

The cost to enter Mount Rushmore is $8.00 per carload, and this fee is good for a full year from the time of purchase. One thing to note is that this fee is for parking, not for the actual park entry. Therefore, if you have a National Park Pass, or any other general discount on National Park Service entry fees, it will not be valid for Mount Rushmore. You will still have to pay the $8.00 parking fee.

Mount Rushmore is open for visitation all year, except for Christmas Day. This includes the visitor center and the museums.

Final Thoughts:

Mount Rushmore is a patriotic type of memorial that attracts people from far and wide. People travel from all over the world to view the famous sculpture that honors these four presidents.

When I visited the memorial, one thing that I was a little disappointed with was the size of the president’s faces. Other people had talked it up too much, I suppose, making me think that the sculpted busts were going to be gigantic in size. They are about 60 feet tall, which isn’t small by any means. Still, I had imagined them as being much larger than they turned out to be.

This monument can get quite crowded, and the weather can be very cold or very hot, depending on the season when you visit. This is one of the most popular units of the National Park Service, attracting more than 2.5 million visitors annually. If you want to avoid the crowds, you might want to consider visiting in the off- season. However, if you decide to do this, make sure that you dress appropriately. This area typically receives its first snowfall in late September, and the ground remains white until mid- May.

Mount Rushmore is a nice place to visit, to marvel at the work of Gutzon Borglum and his crew of workers who played part in the building of this memorial. It may not be the largest sculpture in the world, but it’s still an impressive memorial and it’s sure to inspire feelings of patriotism.



Be Sure to Click the Links Below to Read Reviews of Other National Historic Sites:

James Garfield National Historic Site
Carl Sandberg Home National Historic Site
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
Saint- Gaudens National Historic Site
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Fort Point National Historic Site
John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
Cowpens National Battlefield
Adams National Historic Site
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
Salem Maritime National Historic Site


Recommended: Yes

Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Familes
Review Topic: Overview