Seeing Mount Rushmore and Exploring the Black Hills

Staring up at the iconic presidents carved in stone was a day at Mount Rushmore National Memorial about 30 minutes south of Rapid City, S.D.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial features 60-foot sculptures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, the memorial covers 1.278.45 acres and sits 5,725 feet above sea level.

Carving started in 1927. Completed in 1941, just after Borglum dies. His son Lincoln Borglum oversaw its completion on Oct. 31.

This summer, I am detailing our road trip to the Dakotas and Mount Rushmore as a series for a family adventure you might want to do!

OUR TIME HERE

*Entering the park / Photo from: https://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm*

A large parking garage provides parking that has a fee of $10, which you must pay in order to park at the memorial.

After leaving the parking garage we entered the park entrance where there are restrooms and an Information Center

Further down the walkway are a Gift Shop and a café that also serves ice cream.

Avenue of the Flags

Next, we walked the Avenue of the Flags.

The 56 flags represent the 50 states, one district, three territories, and two commonwealths of the United States of America.

*Avenue of the Flags / Photo from: https://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm*

Arranged in alphabetical order with the A’s on the walkway near the concession building and the W’s near the Visitor Center and Museum.

You can find the names of each state, district, commonwealth, or territory listed on the pillars directly below each flag.

We looked for our home state of Illinois among the many flags along with the state of Missouri where most of my family lives and Massachusetts and Florida where many of his cousins and grandparents live.

Grand View Terrace

The Avenue ends at the Grand View Terrace which provides a good place to take photos of the Presidents.

Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center

Below the terrace is the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center and amphitheater. It has exhibits on the carving, a short film, an information desk, and a bookstore. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter and until 10 p.m. in summer. Reached by elevator or stairs.

Starting the Presidential Trail

Along the Presidential Trail, you have different and closer views of presidents carved into the mountainside at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

This .6-mile loop trail begins on the right and left sides of the Grand Terrace. Closed on the day we were there the west or right side of the trail.

*My son with Mount Rushmore in back at Borglum View Terrace*

We headed to the right down some stairs to first the Borglum View Terrace.

After walking down more stairs we headed to the Borglum’s Sculptor’s Studio built in 1939. Displayed are unique plaster models and worker tools related to the sculpting processes. Here you can also view a 1/12th scale model of Mount Rushmore.

Not open when we were here but is open from late May to the middle of October from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check the website to see if it is currently open.

Just below the studio, a glass structure houses part of the hoist system that would have taken workers up to the top.

Going Up

From the studio you head up many more stairs, you climb up and down a total of 422 stairs for closer viewing of the Presidents. The rocks above here are from blasting done for the carving.

From here we had to turn around since the other part of the trail was closed.

Nature Trail

Also, a Nature Trail goes from the Borglum View Terrace back to the parking lot if you want to avoid the main area on the way back to the parking garage.

*The rocky area along the Presidential Trail*

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of stairs, so this is a strenuous hike. I liked being able to commune with nature and see the Presidents in a more natural setting and most of all being away from the crowds by the Grand View Terrace.

RUSHMORE FACTS

Every year, nearly 3 million people from all over the world visit Mount Rushmore. This provided different views of the presidents more in the forest than from the crowded Grand View Terrace.
The original cost of carving was $989,992.32; about 85 percent was federal funds. The price tag for the 1990s redevelopment was $56 million.
Around 400 laborers, mostly from the ranks of the unemployed, worked on the memorial. There were few injuries and no deaths. Hourly pay ranged from 35 cents to $1.50.
Cracks are patched as needed with silicone sealant. The faces were “washed” for the first time in 2005 using pressurized water.
Noses are about 20 feet long, eyes about 11 feet wide, and mouths about 18 feet wide.

DETAILS

Drive: From St. Louis take Interstate 70 west to downtown Kansas City then head north on Interstate 29 to Sioux Falls South Dakota then take Exit 396 for Interstate 90 westbound and then take exit 61 near Box Elder and go south on U.S. Highway 16 Bypass then take a left onto U.S. Highway 16. Next, take a left another left onto U.S. Highway 16 A, and then the last right onto South Dakota Highway 244. Look for the memorial’s entrance on the right.

Admission: $10 to park in the parking garage.

Hours: 5 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily

Address:

13000 SD-244, Keystone, SD 57751

*My son in the giant trail by the hotel entrance*

Stayed the Night: Downtown Howard Johnson

We stayed the night in Rapid City at the Howard Johnson by Wyndham Downtown Rapid City which has breakfast and a pool. Downtown Rapid City was nearby where there were restaurants. and stores.

Address:

950 North St, Rapid City, SD 57701

Nearby Scenic Drive

We drove the Peter Norbeck and Needles Scenic Highway which includes narrow tunnels and includes Highway 16A and South Dakota Highway 87 to complete a loop that leads back to U.S. Highway 385 going north and then turning right onto U.S. Highway 16.

Hole in the Walk Picnic Area — *Hole in the Picnic Area*

Along this route, there are stops you can make for short hikes. The Hole in the Wall Picnic Area is good for a snack stop along the way. Here you can go into a small cave that was still partially frozen when we were there in late May.

Also, along the route, you can see the rock spires that inspired Mount Rushmore. It was not chosen due to its remoteness.

*The Needles rock formation along the route*

*Be aware of narrow tunnels along the drive.*

*Sylvan Lake has hiking trails that help you explore the area.*

Parts of this route go through Custer State Park, if you drive through it is free, but if you stop you pay $20 per vehicle, and is good for seven days.

*President Harry S. Truman statue. He was from Missouri and the statue shows him holding up a newspaper that showed the other candidate winning. In fact, he had one.*

RAPID CITY SITES

Presidential Statues

Throughout downtown Rapid City you can statues of former presidents.

Dinosaur Park

Upon a hill above the city, you can visit Dinosaur Park with a number of kitschy 1930 cement dinosaurs for kids to climb on.

Hours: 5 a.m. – 10 p.m., Daily

Address: 940 Skyline Drive, Rapid City, SD 57701

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Geology Museum

If you want to learn more about dinosaurs check out the Geology Museum on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Saturday, Closed Sundays

Address: 501 E. St. Joseph St. Rapid City, SD 57701

OUR TIME AT NEARY BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Badlands National Park: East Side Hiking

In Badlands National Park you can see unusual rock formations and canyons with vibrant colors and plenty of hiking trails to explore.

Badlands National Park: West Side Hiking

At Badlands National Park we took short hikes along the Loop Road checking out fossils and going up into the Badlands along a trail. We also stopped at the many overlooks for different views of the canyons and spires we drove by.