What to Expect at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, South Dakota

Have you ever been to Mount Rushmore? Joe and I went around 20 years ago, but we were excited to see it again – especially to celebrate America 250! It definitely did not disappoint! Mount Rushmore National Memorial is an incredible example of lasting artistic expression.

Not everyone knows this, but it’s free to visit the memorial. There is a $10 parking fee, but you don’t have to purchase passes to enter the park. It’s also best to visit early in the day since there are not as many people in the park and there are less crowds. Here’s a tip, you can save money by purchasing souvenirs in town as opposed to the gift shop on site.

We started our day bright and early. We arrived at Mount Rushmore at about 7:00 in the morning in Mountain Time. Now, I’m not a morning person, but thankfully we were still accustomed to Eastern Time and that would have been 9:00 a.m. for us. We found an awesome parking spot in Lot 6, and only had a short walk to the entrance. Yay!

As we made our way towards the monument, it was incredible to walk between the two rows of the 50 state flags as they gently waved in the breeze. The way they framed the carvings of the four U.S. Presidents on the side of the mountain was absolutely magnificent! It was a photo op we couldn’t pass up.

Juliana and I got our maps and Junior Ranger books at the Visitor Center and we walked to the Sculptor’s Studio. It was a beautiful trek on a well paved trail through a wooded hillside. The sun was shining and there was a smell of fresh pine in the crisp morning air.

As we entered the Sculptor’s Studio, we were very impressed with the high ceilings and the abundant windows that provided natural light for the sculptors to work. We listened to the ranger answer questions and were amazed to see the models of the presidents up close. These models are not full size. They are only about 5 ft. tall, whereas the actual heads are closer to 60 feet tall. These models were built on a 1:12 scale, so for every one inch on the model, the actual carving is one foot. On our way out, we met Rory. While he normally works behind the scenes at the park, Rory was very kind and took the time to answer our questions.

We started along the Presidential Trail where there are 425 stairs. So here’s a word to the wise, if you take the trail from the Sculptor’s Studio, it is actually more steep and you will have to climb up 262 stairs. If you start the trail from Grand View Terrace, it’s not as strenuous and you will only need to climb up 160 stairs. I wish I knew that beforehand, because we took the harder trail. Of course we did. 😉

On the trail, there were more gorgeous views with plenty of places to take pictures. Seeing the way the rocks look as though they were pushing their way out of the earth was staggering. We also saw the blasted granite rubble at the bottom of the mountain. The marks from the dynamite were still clearly visible.

One of our favorite things about the trail is the ability to see each president individually. The National Park Service graciously put signs along the way sharing a lot of fun facts and educational information. We really appreciated learning about each president as we viewed them from below.

When we arrived back at the Grand View Terrace, we were met with a pleasant surprise. Starr Chief Eagle, joined with her two nieces, were captivating the crowd with a traditional hoop dance. In her breathtaking performance, she uses 22 hoops. Right before our eyes, she used them to shape butterflies, animals, and an intricate eagle tail, telling a story of how all living things are interconnected. She even showcased an incredible dance tracking her own journey through life. Learning about the Lakota people through her art was an unforgettable highlight of our trip.

We wrapped up our day by descending into the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center where we learned more about the amazing artist who undertook this incredible feat of engineering as well as the workers who risked their lives to bring this dream into creation. Juliana and I also received our badges.

Here are some fun facts we learned:

The four presidents on the Mount Rushmore are: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln
“The head of George Washington is 60 feet (18.3 m) tall with a nose that is 21 feet (6.4 m) tall. Theodore Roosevelt’s head is slightly smaller, Abraham Lincoln’s is slightly taller.” https://www.nps.gov/moru/learn/kidsyouth/how-big-are-the-heads.htm
Each of the eyes are about 11 ft. wide. My, what big eyes they have! 👀
The mouths on the presidents are approximately 18 ft. wide. That’s a pretty big smile! 😁
The artist Gutzon Borglum worked on the sculpture from 1927 until shortly before he passed away on March 6, 1941.
His son, Lincoln Borglum, finished the project on October 31, 1941.
The workers’ favorite sport was baseball and they even had a team called the Rushmore Drillers. ⚾

If you would like to see our full YouTube vlog, including videos of Mount Rushmore and Starr Chief Eagle’s performance, please either click the photo below or the link here: Our Mount Rushmore National Memorial Experience

Our family had a phenomenal day at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. It was truly unforgettable experience for us and we highly recommend a visit there.

We hope you enjoyed traveling along with us!

If you’d like to keep exploring, you can find more family travel adventures here:

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We’ve also shared videos on our YouTube channel to complement this post and bring the experience to life.

Thanks so much for traveling with us, and stay tuned for more adventures with Traveling with the Trapps.

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