Mount Rushmore
Four presidents carved sixty feet high into a granite cliff in the Black Hills of South Dakota - a colossal and complicated national symbol.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
Into a granite cliff in the Black Hills of South Dakota are carved the sixty-foot faces of four presidents, Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln, blasted and drilled over fourteen years. A colossal feat of sculpture and a potent national symbol, it is also a contested one, cut into mountains sacred to the Lakota.
What you actually see
- The carved faces - the four presidents high on the granite cliff.
- The Avenue of Flags - the approach lined with state flags to the viewing terrace.
- The sculptor's studio - the museum on how the monument was carved.
- The evening lighting - the ceremony that lights the faces after dark in summer.
When to go
The warm months for full services and the evening lighting ceremony; it is open year-round but quieter and colder in winter. Morning light falls best on the faces.
Honest expectations
It is essentially one view, seen in a couple of hours, so it is a stop rather than a day. It is a contested monument on land sacred to the Lakota, a history worth knowing. The nearby Crazy Horse Memorial offers a Native counterpoint.
Nearby
The Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park and the Badlands are all in the Black Hills region near Rapid City.
What to pack for Mount Rushmore
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
