Taking a Mount Rushmore Family Vacation: Things to Do at Mount Rushmore with Kids

If you’re thinking of taking a Mount Rushmore family vacation, I’ve got some great tips for you.

We recently completed a trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota with our four children, and it was one of the most memorable travel experiences we’ve had as a family.

There are so many kid-friendly things to do in the area including National Parks, state parks, hiking, monuments, memorials, great food, and more.

One of the highlights of the trip, especially for school-aged children, is Mount Rushmore. There is so much history and national significance to this memorial! Our two oldest just completed 2nd grade and kindergarten, and they were excited to learn more about the presidents on the sculpture after talking about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln for President’s Day.

We were not disappointed! This kids had so much fun at Mount Rushmore, and we learned a lot, too!

You could easily make this a quick stop among other activities, or you could spend quite a bit of time exploring, hiking, and eating. It totally depends on your family and what else is on your itinerary.

I’ve included some helpful tips and suggestions for Visiting Mount Rushmore with kids.

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History of Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore is named after New York lawyer Charles Rushmore who was visiting the region in the late 1800s to inspect mining claims. Legend has it that the mountain had no name, so when the lawyer asked a local what the name of the mountain was, he replied that it would now be called Rushmore Peak.

In the 1920s, a local historian named Doane Robinson came up with the idea to sculpt local heroes on the granite spires in the Black Hills to attract more tourism.

He hired a sculptor named Gutzon Borglum to do the project, and Borglum convinced Robinson that the sculpture should depict more widely known figures in order to garner national attention. His original subjects were George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Teddy Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson were added later.

Each former president was chosen for his contribution to the birth and expansion of the United States:

George Washington represents the founding of the country and his efforts toward democracy.
Thomas Jefferson represents growth of the US and commemorates his authorship of the Declaration of Independences.
Abraham Lincoln represents the preservation of the union and his role in ending slavery.
Teddy Roosevelt represents development and conservation. He played an active role in protecting wildlife and public lands, building the Panama Canal, and rapid economic growth.

When The Needles (the granite spires) were found to be too weak, Mount Rushmore became the chosen site for the project, and work began in October of 1927. The likeness of each president was sculpted using dynamite, pneumatic hammers, chisels, and drills.

The project was completed in October of 1941. Nowadays, Mount Rushmore gets more than 2 million visitors each year.

Visiting Mount Rushmore

Thanks to its cultural and historical significance, Mt. Rushmore is an essential stop on your Black Hills family vacation itinerary.

There are plenty of things to do there with kids, and adults can also find history, hiking, and a restaurant to hold their interest.

Best Time to Visit Mount Rushmore

The best time to visit Mt. Rushmore would be during September and October. The weather is a bit cooler and there are fewer crowds to content with.

An alternative if you’re looking for a more low-key visit would be April or May.

Naturally, Mount Rushmore is quite a popular tourist destination during the summer months, and the weather is often sunny and hot, so it’s not ideal. However, if you’re like our family, the summer months are one of the few options available for us to travel together as a family due to the school schedule.

Ideally you would schedule your visit to Mount Rushmore during a weekday, and arrive first thing in the morning to beat the crowds now matter which month you happen to visit.

We had originally planned to arrive just after sunrise, but our plans were thrown off because we didn’t realize we had to arrive at Wind Cave before the Visitor Center opened to get on a cave tour. So we rescheduled our Wind Cave visit for the same day as our Rushmore visit, meaning we had to drive to Wind Cave first thing in the morning to schedule our tour, then we drove north to Mount Rushmore.

Yes, it was crowded during our visit, but it wasn’t unbearable, and there were still plenty of spots to get a picture with no one else in the shot.

How to Get to Mount Rushmore

Travel to Mt. Rushmore: Mount Rushmore is an awesome road trip destination from either the Midwest or the Western regions of the United States. Thanks to its proximity to the Black Hills, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Badlands National Park, and many other fun activities in the area, it’s usually part of a larger vacation destination for families.

If you’re flying in, the closest airport is Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), which is 45 minutes away.

If you’re looking to add Mount Rushmore as part of a road trip itinerary, here are some helpful facts:

How Far is Mt. Rushmore from…

Rapid City: 45 minutes
Casper, Wyoming: 3 hrs, 35 minutes
Yellowstone: 8 hours, 20 minutes
Sioux Falls, SD: 5 hrs, 15 minutes
Custer State Park: 40 minutes
Crazy Horse Memorial: 30 minutes
Wind Cave National Park: 45 minutes
Badlands National Park: 1 hr, 20 minutes

How much does it cost to visit Mt. Rushmore?

It is free to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial, but the parking fee for a private vehicle is $10. That parking pass is good for one year!

What to Do at Mt. Rushmore for Kids

Avenue of Flags

Stroll the Avenue of Flags with your kids. It’s the first thing you’ll see as you enter Mount Rushmore and walk past the gift shop. Each flag represents a state, territory, district, or commonwealth of the United States.

There are the 50 states, District of Columbia, the Territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands (did you even know this was part of the United States? I sure didn’t).

It’s fun to see if kids can find your home state’s flag along the avenue. Hint: the flags are arranged in alphabetical order!

Grand View Terrace

Once you complete the Avenue of Flags, walk up to the Grand View Terrace for the perfect photo opp. The is the large viewing area at the end of the walkway.

Though it was crowded, there were still so many spots to grab a picture, and we didn’t have to wait long for a spot to open up.

Take your time getting pictures and videos of the sculpture, and posing with your kids. This is such a cool monument to American democracy, and your kids will definitely want to remember it!

Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center

Next, head into the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center to learn more about how the sculpture was created from its inception to the carving and the eventual completion. There are so many exhibits to see and learn from!

You can also find Park Rangers in the Visitors Center to help answer any questions you have about Mount Rushmore!

Take your time and read the displays to have a deeper appreciation of what went into building this National Memorial.

Watch the video

Take your kids into one of the 2 theaters to watch the short video called “Mount Rushmore: the Shrine.” It’s 14 minutes long, and screens on the outside of each theater will let you know how long until the next showing of the film.

My kids are still pretty young (8, 5, 4, and 1), so my husband took the toddler while I watched the film with the older 3. It actually held their attention pretty well, and they even remembered a few fun facts!

Join the Junior Ranger Program

Make sure to stop at the Park Ranger station inside the Visitor Center to pick up a Junior Ranger Program. They are free small activity booklets for kids to fill out, and they even have an easier version for younger kids, which our 4-year-old got. (Our 5-year-old is a proficient reader so we chose the regular one for him).

Make sure to bring a pencil or pen for the kids to fill out their booklets! We ended up having to buy a few pencils from the gift shop. Oh well. Accidental souvenir!

I’ll be honest - the Junior Ranger booklets took up a lot of our time there and were somewhat difficult for the kids to fill out. They definitely needed some help from a grown-up. But I do love that it kept them in engaged in the process and got them excited to learn about who the sculptors were and why those specific presidents were chosen for the project.

When the kids complete their activity booklets, make sure to return them to a Park Ranger, who will check them over, then perform a swearing-in ceremony to make the kids Junior Rangers! They got a sticker badge, which they were very excited about.

Presidential Trail

The Presidential Trail is .6 miles long and has lots of stairs, so don’t plan on bringing your stroller for this part of your Mount Rushmore experience.

Along the trail you’ll get some up-close looks at the monument along with some informative signage. This trail is definitely kid-friendly, though you may want to put babies and toddlers in a baby carrier.

Stop for a Bite to Eat

Take a break at Carvers’ Cafe for a bite to eat and a break from the hot sun. There are plenty of menu options for a full meal, but you can also stop at Memorial Team Ice Cream where you can find snacks and ice cream treats.

You can even try TJ’s vanilla ice cream, which is based on Thomas Jefferson’s recipe - the first written recipe for ice cream in the United States. So you be the judge…which was Jefferson’s most important contribution to the United States: the Declaration of Independence, or vanilla ice cream?

Take a Tour

Rent an audio multimedia device and take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore with narration, music, and historic recordings.

You can also attend a Ranger Talk to get a deeper understanding of the history of Mt. Rushmore. You can find schedules at the Information Center and Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center.

If you want the ultimate Mt. Rushmore splurge, schedule a private tour or a helicopter tour.

Sculptor's Studio

Step into the Sculptor’s Studio for an inside look at what life was like for the workers who helped to complete the memorial. This is also the place to see a 1/12 scale model of Mount Rushmore.

The Sculptor’s Studio is down the hill to the right of the main viewing area, and you can join one of the scheduled Sculptor’s Studio talks if that interests you.

Evening Lighting Ceremony

From May to September each year you can attend the Evening Lighting Ceremony where you can see a film about the presidents and witness a patriotic song and all the members of the audience who served in the military get to come onstage and say their name and branch.

We didn’t prioritize this because our schedule was packed and we had a toddler - not necessarily conducive to ceremonies like this. I would love to go back and experience this - I’ve heard it is very moving.

Tips for Planning a Trip to Mt. Rushmore

#1 - Visit early in the morning or around sunset.

As I mentioned earlier, our original plan was to arrive first thing in the morning as soon as Mt. Rushmore opened. If you want great lighting for your pictures and fewer crowds, arriving around sunrise or sunset will be your best bet.

#2 - Plan about half a day for visiting Mount Rushmore.

You can easily fill that time with Ranger Talks, a hike, filling out your Junior Ranger booklets, eating ice cream, or just admiring the sculpture. You won’t need much more time than that, as there are so many other things to see and do in the Black Hills.

#3 - Take a drive on Iron Mountain Road

Take this highway to view Mount Rushmore through the tunnels. The views are just stunning, and it’s fun to see a different perspective of the mountain.

#4 - Bring sunscreen, comfortable shoes, and a good camera

You’ll be doing a lot of walking, and there’s not a lot of shade outside. And don’t forget to capture the memories!

Things to Do Near Mt. Rushmore

There is so much to do in the Black Hills other than Mount Rushmore. Don’t miss these nearby parks and attractions!

Mt. Rushmore Vacation Ideas:

Custer State Park

Wind Cave National Park

Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, SD

Badlands National Park

Rapid City

Sample Mt. Rushmore Vacation Itinerary

dinosaur park kids triceratops horizontal.jpg

Day 1: Arrive in Rapid City. Go to Dinosaur Park.

Day 2: Spend time at Custer State Park. See the begging burros, drive through Needles Eye tunnel and on Needles Highway. Hike around Sylvan Lake.

Day 3: Get up early and reserve a spot on a cave tour at Wind Cave National Park. The Visitor Center opens at 8. You should arrive before 7. After your cave tour, head down to Hot Springs to dig up mammoth bones at the Mammoth Site!

Day 4: Arrive at Mount Rushmore first thing in the morning to beat the crowds. Spend the morning there. After lunch, head to Crazy Horse Memorial.

Day 5: Spend the day at Badlands National Park.

Day 6: Go home.