Mount Rushmore has been an iconic American road trip stop for years. I visited as a kid, and I was so impressed that I selected Mount Rushmore as a topic for a school report a few months later. Since then, I’ve visited twice as an adult. Even though it’s a smaller park, I’m still excited to go back each time.
On our most recent visit in August 2023, we were passing through on our way from Devils Tower to Badlands. We didn’t linger long, but we did get ice cream from the ice cream shop and walked the 0.6-mile Presidential Trail to see Mount Rushmore from different angles. We were towing our travel trailer on this trip, and I’m happy to report we had no issues with RV parking.
On our previous visit, we were camping near the park. We stopped by in the afternoon to tour the grounds and the sculptor studio. The sculptor studio is definitely worth a stop if you visit. Note that the studio does have limited hours, so be sure to look these up before your visit if you’d like to check it out. Later that day, we returned for the lighting ceremony around sunset.
Visiting
Mount Rushmore is a must-do stop if you’re in Black Hills/Rapid City/Badlands area. It’s worth seeing at least once in your lifetime. We enjoy popping in whenever we are in the area. Note that, even if you have an America the Beautiful annual park pass, you will have to pay for parking at Mount Rushmore. This caught us off guard on our first visit. At the time of our most recent visit, August 2023, it was $10 to park. This pass was good for a full year, so there is no problem with leaving and coming back into the park. More details about parking can be found on the Mount Rushmore website here: Fees and Passes – Mount Rushmore National Memorial (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).
