Mount Rushmore was windy and a little chilly during our visit, but the view was amazing. We spent about an hour or so taking it in, looking at the flags, and getting pictures of the monument.
The Flags Deserve a Stop, Too
One part I enjoyed was seeing the flags along the Avenue of Flags and reading the dates the states joined the Union. With Mount Rushmore ahead of you, it is easy to focus on the mountain, but those details are worth slowing down for.
Parking and Time
We paid for parking, and I remember it being around $10. Before your visit, check the National Park Service website for current parking fees.
About an hour worked for the visit we had. That gave us time to enjoy the view and take pictures without making it an all-day stop.
Bring Something Warm—and Your Camera
My biggest recommendations are a good-quality camera and a selfie stick if you want pictures of yourself with the monument behind you. Get a wide shot of the whole mountain, then capture the details of the carved faces.
I had bought a zoom attachment for my iPhone, and my wife was very patient while I tried to get it working properly. We had not even made it 20 feet from the entrance before I was already fiddling with camera gear. Once I got it working, I could spend some time trying to capture the details of the monument.
I would also bring an extra layer. The wind made it feel chilly while we stood outside looking around.
Even with the weather, Mount Rushmore was worth the stop. The mountain was the highlight, and the flags added another memorable part to the visit.
The gift shop made the stop even better: we found something with my wife’s name spelled correctly. She usually gets disheartened because she can never find anything with the right spelling, so this was a special little win. Between the amazing view, her patience with my camera setup, and that gift-shop find, this stop was a 10/10 for sure.
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