As you probably know, Mount Rushmore is in Keystone, South Dakota. Most people avoid this northern state in the winter because of the cold temperatures and the snow. I was skeptical of going that far north in the winter myself. However, I am very glad I went when I did.
Visiting Mount Rushmore in the winter was an excellent experience. At the end of December, it is still warm enough to be outside for the short time it takes to walk down the Avenue of Flags to the Grand View Terrace and view the monument. Because it is during the off-season, not too many other people were visiting when I did. I could just imagine the Grand View Terrace swarming with people in the summer and fighting to get a good picture of the presidential memorial. I was very glad to have visited Mount Rushmore in the winter and avoided the crowds.
The downside of visiting Mount Rushmore in the winter is that some services and areas of the national monument are closed. Some are just little inconveniences, like restrooms being open in only one area. However, I was disappointed that the Presidential Trail (the half-mile path that takes you almost right below the presidents for excellent views) was closed. With fewer people visiting, the rangers do not maintain the trail in the winter. The Sculptor’s Studio is not open in the winter either, so I was not able to view Gutzon Borglum’s original tools or the 1-to12-inch scale model or get the details of how he designed and completed the sculpture of the presidents.
The most important parts of the memorial grounds were open, such as the food services area, the Grand View Terrace, the Information Center & Bookstore, the Gift Shop, and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center. The visitor center contains information regarding the four presidents depicted on Mount Rushmore (Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln), a timeline of America’s history in a nutshell, and exhibits that give the basics of the history and development of the sculpture. After viewing these exhibits, I no longer felt I was missing out on too much with the Sculptor’s Studio being closed. There is also the option to view the 13-minute movie about the memorial. Winter hours (8 to 5) are shorter than summer hours, but you should plan to get there early anyway, as the sculpture is best viewed in the morning light. However, if you come later, you can stay for the nightly lighting, which lasts for two hours just after dusk.
If you have to travel with pets, it is easier to visit Mount Rushmore in the winter, when there are fewer people and the temperatures will not harm pets left in the car for a short time. (Temperatures are often in the 80s in the summer.) The memorial grounds do have a pet exercise area, the only place on the grounds where pets are allowed.
While there is no entrance fee to Mount Rushmore or the memorial, parking is $10. Interagency passes are not accepted for parking fees.
Writer’s Note: Be sure to check the weather and road conditions before you decide to drive to Mount Rushmore. While they do an excellent job of keeping Highway 244 clear all year, other roads in the area may not be clear. Keystone, South Dakota is a remote area. You do not want to be stuck in your vehicle in the Black Hills of South Dakota with below-freezing temperatures.
