Roosevelt Inn
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Roosevelt Inn
Hotel Phone
1-605-666-4599 

Phone Hours
8 a.m. ~ 10 p.m.

Hotel email
info@rosyinn.com

Mt. Rushmore
Factoids

Mt. Rushmore National Monument

Distance	Entrance 1/4 mile, Visitor Center 2 miles
Time Needed:	2 or more hours
Best Time To Go:	Visitor Information Center & Museum Open All Year except Christmas Day. Lighting program in evening during summer, starting times vary with sunset. Gift shop and snack bar hours vary with season. Monument is best viewed in the early morning or after dark. In summer avoid the 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. time slot as that is when most tour buses arrive.
Directions:	US16A West; South Dakota Highway 244 west (the road to Mt. Rushmore).
Cost:	Entrance is technically free but there is an $8 charge for parking in the ramp. Unfortunately the National Park Service has used 9/11 as an excuse to close the free parking lot and they do not allow any parking, stopping or standing on the roads nearby, so unless you walk or bike in, you'll have to pay the 8 bucks. The parking pass is valid for the calendar year in which it is issued.
Highlights:	Evening Lighting Ceremony, Interpretive Center; Trail Walks, especially the Presidential Trail.
Description: Open All Year Highly Recommended,  we've never gotten negative feedback about Mt. Rushmore. Last Update: October 4, 2006	Mt. Rushmore, officially known as the "Shrine of Democracy", is the premiere attraction in the Black Hills. This world-famous mountain sculpture was started in 1927 and continued until work was halted  in 1940. It remains "unfinished" to this day, but most of the 2.8 million visitors who come each year don't know that fact. Those more interested in the carving of Mt. Rushmore can visit the Public Broadcast System's, "American Experience" web site about a recent program on the topic.      The State of South Dakota also maintains a web site about Mt. Rushmore at: http://www.travelsd.com/placestogo/rushmore/.       Once a year, on July 3, the Mt. Rushmore society and donors sponsor a fireworks display at Mt. Rushmore. This display is dependent upon the weather and the risk of fire so the Park Service doesn't officially announce the event until June. This is one of the largest and perhaps most spectacular fireworks display in the country and is usually attended by at least 30,000 people. Pictures of the 2005 fireworks can be seen at http://www.molaver.org/mount_rushmore_fireworks_display_1.htm       The sculpture is best seen just after sunrise, however viewing is usually good throughout the morning hours. The monument should also be seen after dark, and the evening lighting program is especially popular during the summer months. Until September 1st, the lighting program starts at 9 p.m., thereafter it begins 8 p.m. At other times the lights are unceremoniously turned on only for the first two hours after sunset.       Most visitors to Mt. Rushmore view the monument from atop the Grand Terrance. There are, however, quite a number of other things to see or do, including a hike around the Presidential Trail,  a visit to the Artist's Studio (summer only) and a visit to the Interpretive Center. There is also a gift shop, a restaurant and a park service visitor information booth at the monument. Finally, it is quite likely you will see white mountain goats (sheep really) on or around the monument because a sizable group lives there.       In case you are the one person on the planet who doesn't know what Mt. Rushmore looks like you can peruse any of the 12,000 images of it at Google Image Search.      Info: 605-574-2523. Web site: National Park Service, Mount Rushmore National Monument. Mail: Superintendent, Mount Rushmore, PO Box 268, Keystone, SD 57751.      BTW: There is no lodging facilities within the Mt. Rushmore boundaries. The nearest accommodations are in the Town of Keystone, two miles from the visitor center. The restaurant (a food court) and gift shop at Mt. Rushmore are operated under contract by Xantera Parks & Resorts.