Mount Rushmore National Memorial
The four presidents, about an hour and a quarter south
The memorial draws just over two million visitors a year, with June through August the busiest months. There's no entrance fee, but a parking fee is required, and national park passes don't cover it. The National Park Service suggests arriving before 9:00 a.m. or after 3:30 p.m. in summer to avoid the worst of the crowds. Drive time and distance are routing estimates from OSRM; allow extra for season, traffic and road work.
Highlights
- Avenue of Flags: The formal approach toward the mountain carving.
- Presidential Trail: A named trail at the memorial; check with the park for current conditions.
Stops along the way
- Pactola Lake Visitor Center: A lakeside break on the way south.
- Keystone: The last town before the memorial.
- Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center: At the memorial.