Love this place. Would I go if it were the only thing in the area...no. There are two museums in separate buildings and a gift shop as well. They also have a restaurant that we did not go too. Occassionaly they do shows in the amphitheater. I actually find some of the historical facts interesting. Like no one died in the construction of it! We were even told by someone that there is a drill bit in the eyelid of one of the Presidents and you can see the rust running down the granite. If you are handicapped visit the website and learn what is accessible and available to you. The information is NOT readily available! read more

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Heading towards the park from Keystone on SD-244 you can already get a full view of the monument from the road (there is a pullout which can accommodate several cars). The angle will be a bit different from the view in the park - you'll get the profile of Washington instead of mostly from the front. Unlike other national monuments here they don't charge park entrance so the National park pass is not accepted. Instead there is a parking fee - $10 regular/$5 seniors - you take a ticket on entering and pay at a machine (or in the gift shop) prior to leaving, all things considered not unreasonable. The site is definitely worth visiting. Be sure to take a walk on the presidential trail to get views from different angles (although mostly looking up as the path winds lower than the main viewing platform. A lot of steps for sure but it's a pretty walk parts of it shaded by trees and there are rest places along the way with benches. read more

Visited early morning around 7AM and there was basically no one around which was nice and the sunrise gave the rocks a beautiful reddish tinge. Was definitely a nice quick stop on our road trip and was just a $10 entry fee. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

Mt. Rushmore is an awestrucking National Memorial. The craftsmanship of some of my favorite presidents are carved into a mountain settled in the Black hills of South Dakota, roughly 30 minutes south of Rapid City. We have been to the monument twice. Once was in the winter of 2020 at midnight. We stopped through driving to Minot on orders. Our second was in June of 2022 in the summer. I highly encourage you to try and experience the monument in the winter. The snow fallen on the trees and faces is just a whole different feeling. Much like many of the memorials in DC, this is also a monument that takes on a whole new life at night. The summer is the busy season with 1000s of visitors. A parking garage is available and is a one-time paid parking fee. There are 3 separate giftshops. The one on the right of the entrance is where you can stamp your National Park Passport, the one on the left has more tshirts, ornaments, and the usual collectables, and down on the second floor where the amphitheater is, there is the bookstore and restrooms. That is also the floor where the mountain reflects on the windows, and you can get another unique picture with your family. There is a short hike available that does require quite a few stairs, but it is very easy. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

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This place is very impressive to see in person. And it's not just the monument, it's the story behind it that you can learn in the museum. The museum itself has lots of information on the US history in the 18th - 20th centuries. There's also a 14-min movie talking about the creation of the monument and its architect. All of it serves a great educational purpose and would probably be more interesting to adults rather than kids. Parking was very easy and pretty close to the monument. Make sure you also visit the Crazy Horse monument nearby - it's a cultural gem. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

Great place for a few hours - very patriotic, easy parking, good services. The evening show is also excellent. **Caution** - parking ticket ($10 or $5 if age 62+) says "limited reuse." I asked a ranger at the evening show if that include the evening show parking? "Yes, but the parking gates are open anyway." Well...wrong on both! No tiicket reuse, the gates were not open and no age 62+ discountV on checkout, either. Very poor marks to the NPS rangers on duty! read more

Of course I recommend this but I really think everyone should see the night time show it was so beautiful! Just a very memorable moment. read more

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Really fun place to visit! Worth the drive! My advice, get here early! We arrived around 9 am on a Thursday and there was almost no line and parking was super simple. Within about and hour and a half it was packed and the line to get in was crazy! Take the stairs all the way to the end, you can get some really cool peaceful shots of the presidents. The gifts shops have a huge selection and are decently priced. I'm not one to but many souvenirs, but $20 for a cute T-shirt isn't bad. I bet this place is beautiful in the fall! Hi read more

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I remember coming here when I was a kid 1988/89. i don't remember much from then but this was a cool place to show my now 11 year old daughter. we were there about 45 min as it was pretty chilly read more

Mt. Rushmore - Snapchat filters are perfect - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

Prior to my first visit in April 2021, I'd always wanted to visit, and when I finally did, it did not disappoint. It is MAJESTIC! Driving up from Keystone along 244, you come around the curve and THERE IT IS! It's impressive and to see something like that - which one sees in books and pictures all one's life - and then it's right in front of you. The pictures you'll see in print or online don't do it justice at all. Once inside the site, the staff is all very helpful and nice. There's also the Presidential Trail, which shouldn't be missed. One can get views of the monument from various angles, including views that single out each of the former Presidents. THere's a number of markers along the way with information on each president and why they were selected. Another opportunity is the Sculptor's Studio, which shows the full intended sculpture for the site. One learns that the sculpture was never fully completed, and can see what the intended finished work may have been. There's also the theater that's a film on the history of the monument from inception through all the work that has gone into making it what it is. This is definitely a bucket list item for one to bring the whole family. read more

Recently I was able to visit Mt. Rushmore and to me , in my opinion, it's a must see destination for history buffs. I went on a Saturday midday and had no idea what to expect. I knew what the weather was going to be and late September was a perfect time. Parking to get in was very easy and you have to pay as it's run by a private company. There are handicap parking spaces and ramps to by pass the few stairs heading into the area. If you have a larger/longer truck/car, there we're spaces for those. Walking into the area you'll see restrooms , info center , a visitor center gift shop (it's not the main gift shop) you'll then walk forward towards the memorial and flag displays. As you get closer to the memorial, there is a larger cafeteria , ice scream shop, more restrooms in the cafeteria building, a museum (no charge) and another main gift shop. There are some trails to walk on , one is paved, this leads to stairs and to each view of the presidents. Along the way there are several spots to rest and take photos. There is a designers studio that closes at 4pm. You'll see artists and such during operating hours. There is also a HUGE amphitheater that shows a film during summer months and has rangers speak before the evening lighting ceremony. I loved coming here to so different information and seeing how they incorporated the history of how the mountain memorial came to be and still honoring my Native American heritage . While there is much info left out, all around it's great all the same. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Mt. Rushmore theater - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

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Folks, This is the Best of the Best in the National Parks Rankings!!! Yes Mt. Rushmore is #1 and when You visit you will see why!!! Breathtaken Scenery surrounds this Wonderful Park. Yes another Bucket List Place to add to our Growing List!!! Now just walking into the Park is awesome sight as You gander down the Flags laced Bridge that has each State Flag and Year it became a State. Lucky for Us it was not Packed and the Sushine helped get You into that USA Spirit!!!! Now I found out about Thomas Jefferson's Original Ice Cream from some Bullpups Fans and Yes it was Fantastic with a Hint of Cinnamon. Ok I think you get my Jest of how You should make the Trip to see the Fantastic Work of Art that actually took from Babe Ruth's Era to World War Two to complete. Enjoy your Country's Best National Park. read more

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Bathrooms are not made for kids or people in wheelchairs. They have no lowered sinks or soap dispensers. They do not have towels to wipe up water mess from other patrons. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Only made for average people. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

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An iconic attraction, that everyone needs to visit. It's so well organized, clean and customer friendly. It was on my bucket list, to take my grandchildren there when they were old enough to appreciate read more

You would think that Mt. Rushmore is just a large statue in the mountain from the pictures you've seen on the web or in books, but nothing shows the actual grandeur of the memorial unless you are sitting at the bottom of the mountain. Set in a beautiful spot in the black hills this is a must-see attraction in the area. The museum on site is really informative and has a couple theatre's showing the construction which are really interesting. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Mt. Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

We loved seeing the flags from all the US states and territories that lined the walk to view the monument. A short movie can be seen on the lower level near the amphitheater- it is well worth seeing as it gives you some background on the making of the monument. Mt. Rushmore is an impressive and iconic symbol that is not to be missed. You can see it from the highway, but a closer look is recommended. Seniors pay $5 to park and there is a sign at the entrance telling you how many spaces are available in each lot. Very easy to navigate around. read more

The park service and local government make it easy to visit this area with everything clearly marked. This monument has been on our bucket list for a long time and we're glad we saw it in person. During this COVID-19 pandemic it's nice to visit an area that you can enjoy without spending a bunch of money especially when you are out of a job. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Perfect day 2020 - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

Free enter and just pay for parking and parking is good for the rest of the year! I loved it here so patriotic. At night there's a light show and the food here in a separate review was great and so cheap! Must have ice cream with the mouth Rushmore in the background. About an hour away from rapid city airport I took American Airlines and had no problem read more

This experience was exactly what I expected. The Memorial park is easy to get to get to and offers plenty of parking. We expected to pay $5 for parking but they have raised it to $10. But no big deal. There were lots of porta-jons set up before you go in but once inside they do have real restrooms. Concessions were available too. Glad we made this part of our trip. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

This place is impressive to see 1st hand. Parking is plentiful & close. You will do some walking to see everything. When you pay to get in, you get in it is for an entire week. It's very neat to come back at dark to see it lit up! During the summer, veterans are honored in a brief ceremony and are called up front to be recognized. It is well worth a trip back. There is a road that runs beside the monument & you can see Washington's profile. At night, lit up, it's so impressive. read more

Mt. Rushmore - The place is impressive to see it up close & personal . - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

We had lots of people tell us that Mt Rushmore was underwhelming. Those people were wrong. We ended up going twice a few hours apart because it looked so cool at night. There is a large amount of rude people in red hats and american flag shirts throwing cigarette butts on the ground at every exit though. read more

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Gift shop had a good selection of souvenirs, but the employees were not familiar with the merchandise. Clean shop with an efficient checkout. Mount Rushmore itself was beautiful, but it looks bigger in pictures than in real life. Facilities to and from the monument, including parking, were clean and efficient. read more

Beautiful place. $10.00 per car to get in and it's worth every penny. If you feel like getting a little workout, take the trail to the right of the visitor's center. Stop by the carver center and hear the story about the mountain. When all is said and done, get some ice cream. The vanilla is the best but don't discount the strawberry cheesecake and the praline pecan. Everything is clean and up-to-date and some new additions are coming as there was some construction. Enjoy! read more

Mt. Rushmore - My. Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

Great parking garage, very easy to park. Gift shop was limiting people entering but it still felt crowded. Burger and salad from carver grill was average, cafeteria style food read more

Mount Rushmore is definitely one of those have to see kind of places. Even if you're not in favor of all these presidents this architectural wonder is quite amazing. There's not a lot more to do once you actually see it and snap a few pictures. There are very expensive stores nearby to buy gifts and souvenirs, and some high-priced food vendors as well. The enjoyable part is the right in when you can see the carved mountains from a distance and the side view on the way out of George Washington. The ride in and ride out of the area is really beautiful. This is definitely somewhere you need to visit very early in the morning as it gets extremely crowded very quickly. We were on a motorcycle during Sturgis bike week and all of the bikes got routed into one garage packed with hundreds of other motorcycles. It was actually quite comical! The park collected money and tickets while having the motorcyclists parked on an uphill climb all holding their brakes and trying to keep the bike in neutral. Not the smartest way to collect money and tickets but oh well. It was great to see this amazing monument with friends and family! read more

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I'm giving this place a 3. It was amazing how wonderful this place is But they put concrete all over parking structure and buildings takes away from the nature and how wonderful this place supposed to look. This makes me so sad that the government has ruined a place like this just to make money. So sad. read more

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Okay not going to lie, went here because this is THE attraction that South Dakota is known for and let's be honest it's a national landmark! Okay let's start with the positive: plenty of parking, more food options than I thought would be there, and the monument itself is breathtaking. Now for the negative: this one is my biggest one too, but why can't you get any closer??? They have the monument fenced off from like half a mile away! I would have really of liked to be closer! It's also a tourist trap as I'm sure you could imagine. You basically walk down a beautiful entrance and then have an opportunity for a photo op and that's about it. Also, the drive to get here takes HOURS, just wish there was a little more to do once you got here. With all that being said we got great pictures from a half a mile away ;-) read more

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We went here for a quick trip and wanted to see history. It's been years since I've visited but to see it again was magnificent. The venue became busy in the afternoon. The short trails that lead closer to the monument was a nice walk. The ice cream at the Memorial Team was great during the summer. With variety a of flavors to choose, it was a hit to many tourists. Overall, the National park was clean and worth the visit. Don't forget to stop by Rapid City for more venues. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

This was more impressive in person than I ever thought it would be. If you make it to this area of the country, it's really worth the stop. Unfortunately, the visitors center was closed for reconstruction when we came. We did venture into the sculptors studio, and this area is not to be missed. During the summer, they have employees who tell a bit about the history and creation of the monument. The young girl giving the presentation was well spoken and really engaging. We are so glad we came down to take a look around. Outside, there was a Native American ranger who discussed the history of the land. His words were moving and he gave us a better understanding of the history of not only the monument, but the area. There is a gift shop that is impressive on site. If you are looking to make a day or mini vacation out of your visit, on your way to the monument is a strip of hotels, stores, and restaurants. It looked like a fun family friendly area with a surprising amount of things to do. We only allowed enough time for a day trip here, but will likely venture back in the next few years. Suggestion: The Badlands National Park is only about an hour from here and you are able to drive through it. It has the most spectacular views. Truly worth the detour a bit further east. read more

Mt. Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

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We paid for parking in a car garage. Then a quick walk to Mount Rushmore. It was very clean and well organized. This mountain was carved to depiction of 4 former American presidents. It was breath taking and a bit over welling. Please take time to really take in this mountain because I cried. My family has served this country for generations. This place make you feel proud to be an American. read more

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We finally made it to another national park, another state, another family memory. Today the Weather was perfect low 70's. Best of all it wasn't crowded. The visiting center, walking area, gift center are a must to stop and enjoy. The walkway has the fifty states flags which makes you so proud to be an American. There are a lot of stairs do bring water, and do walk the stairs it is a lot but it is a big loop and different stops for different view of this amazing monument . you'll also enjoy the back side drive by national forest or horsethief lake. (The blacks hills of South Dakota) read more

Mt. Rushmore - Mount Rushmore our 2nd road trip 2021 - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

This was my second visit to Mt Rushmore. Last time was 22 years ago () It was bigger than I remember it being. We went on a Sunday morning, probably around 9 or 10 am, and there was no line. No wait for anything. 10 bucks to park and the pass is good for a year! We parked the closest to the park, there was no issue with that. There were some people there but not a lot. We were visiting from So Cal where everyone would be wearing mask. There were very few people wearing masks while outside but you had to wear one indoors. We went thru the trail and the base of the mountain and were able to get some very cool pics. The trail was easy although there are a lot of stairs at the end. We only did the trail and the gift shop. We enjoyed the park very much. Wish we could have seen it at night but we packed a lot of touring into only a few days. read more

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Great place for kids to learn some history Teaches about the founding of the us and about great strides to make it what it is today read more

Mt. Rushmore - My Rushmore - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Keystone, South Dakota

Clean, polite, beautifully maintained and breathtaking views I love this place, this should be a mandatory visit for all Americans

6-18-19 Catching up on reviews. This was my fourth time coming here. Always a treat. If you have time I recommend going during the day and at night. The night time ceremony is amazing! It does cost $10 to park. Your national park pass doesn't work here. It's worth it! I have never had food at any of the restaurants. The gift shops are nice and there are souvenirs for everyone. Post office within the park. Dogs are aloud outside the gates but not within the park. read more

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We took a road trip to Mt. Rushmore Monument located just outside Keystone, South Dakota. It is a wonderous and awesome monument to the four US presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. It is amazing just to be at this monument which is free to the public, just pay $10.00 for parking. It has the Avenue of the Flags which has state flags of all 50 states along with flags of US territories. There is a nice auditorium below the monument. There is the Presidential Trail which is about 1 mile that runs below the monument and has nice photo op locations. On the trail is a Lakota Sioux tribal display that offers free cultural shows. The gift shop is nice with a vast variety of souvenirs ranging from t-shirts to shot glasses. I bought a baseball with a Mt Rushmore design. There is also a lemonade stand, and a little restaurant that sells anything from ice cream to beer. US Park rangers are present throughout the area. No dogs permitted at the monument. Restrooms are clean. Museums are all at the site. I highly recommend visiting Mt Rushmore. read more

Mt. Rushmore is everything you'd expect it to be when seeing it for the first time. It's breathtaking, majestic and awesome. You don't just see the monument, but the history behind the building of it etc. For you pup lovers, dogs are not allowed out of your vehicle unless they are an ESA, so hopefully you have an automatic start car with air condition. It does stipulate all of this about dogs on their website. It's 10.00 a carload at this time. Easy walk up to view the monument (0.6 miles). Such an amazing view! If you're in South Dakota, this national monument is a "must see." read more

I don't think you can love American history without a trip to Mt. Rushmore. This place just keeps me in awwww. You can come here on a summer evening and just bask in this amazing sculpture!! read more

I never thought I would actually see Mt. Rushmore. But I did, and I loved it. The whole Black Hills area is beautiful. Make a day of it by adding in Custer State Park. When I was there last year, the amphitheater was closed for construction, but it was still really neat. Very clean and well maintained. If you can manage, see it during the day and come back in the evening to see it lit up in the dark! read more

WOW! It's been about 25 years since we were last here and they've made a lot of changes. I liked that there was lots of covered parking and working elevators. 3-5 groups in front of you was the norm for paying for the parking. The pay kiosk asked some questions and took bills and cards, so I guess that's why they didn't do that when you arrived. It did look like you could pay as you left. We walked the Presidential Trail which had a nice number of Pokemon Go stops and gyms. read more