Family Travel Guide to Mount Rushmore

For those looking for a bonding destination where family members can also immerse themselves on American culture and history, visiting Mount Rushmore in South Dakota is an ideal option as children, teens and adults can become witnesses to the grandness of Mount Rushmore's head sculptures of former U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial
13000 Hwy 244 Bldg 31 Suite 1 Keystone, SD 57751; +1-605-574-2523

Location and Transportation

Mount Rushmore is located in western South Dakota, about 23 miles South West of Rapid City along Highway 16. Drivers typically use the most direct route via Interstate-90. Using exit 57 to Highway 16, also called Mount Rushmore Road, motorists go straight to Keystone. From Keystone, they pass through Highway 244 towards the entrance to the Mount Rushmore Memorial. Meanwhile, those coming from the south must take Highway 385 North going to Hot Springs and Custer to Highway 244, which then leads to the Mount Rushmore Memorial.

Accommodation Options

The best accommodation option for families going to Mount Rushmore mainly depends on the actual activities they plan to do during their visit. There are actually dozens of rental cabins, inns, hotels, motels and other lodging spots within a 30-mile distance from Mount Rushmore. Whether choosing a spot within Mt. Rushmore or any of its surrounding areas, knowing one's itinerary allows a more convenient trimming down of options of where to stay during the trip.

Being the nearest area to Mount Rushmore, choosing a hotel, motel or cabin in Keystone makes the family 2 miles away from the memorial. It offers ready access to the Custer State Park, Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, Crazy Horse Memorial, Iron Mountain Road and the Needles Highway. Visitors can also enjoy more than a hundred shops and restaurants that are typically walking distances from their places of stay. The area also features hundreds of campsites and other nearby family attraction

Meanwhile, Highway 16, the road connecting Rapid City to Mount Rushmore, is anywhere from 3 to 18 miles away -- making it an ideal corridor hosting several attractions and recreation sites for Mount Rushmore visitors. Some of the more popular ones include the Reptile Gardens, Bear Country and Rushmore Waterslide.

Activities for Kids and Adults

Aside from the countless parks, hiking and camping spots, restaurants, shopping establishments, mountain tours, boot camps, entertainment shows and other recreation activities available to Mount Rushmore visitors, they can further immerse themselves with what the memorial can offer through the free activity items courtesy of the National Park Service (NPS).

Junior Ranger Activity Books designed for kids 5 to 12 years old guide children through their mountain exploration. Each book suggests ideal activities to do, then the child earns a Junior Ranger Badge and an award certificate upon completion of the required activities. Older children and adults can also use the Rushmore Ranger Activity Booklets suitable for guests ages 13 and up.

The Mount Rushmore Student Guide is also available for download to help students learn more about the varying aspects of American history and culture. This guide includes lists of important people, presidents, timelines, park facts and plants and animals in Mount Rushmore.