Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Visiting Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills National Forest
USA
We spent a day exploring Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills National forest. The Iron mountain road that cuts through the forest provides multiple viewpoints of the National Memorial while you wind your way through the Black Hills.
The winding road is famous for its unique switchbacks and scenic tunnels and was designed specifically to showcase the black hills and Mount Rushmore.
We made our first stop at the Doane Robinson Tunnel where you can park off to the side and took a quick picture through the tunnel while no cars were coming. We then hiked up a small trail to the side of the tunnel and got some views of Mount Rushmore where Aliya got cozy on a rock outcrop.
Mount Rushmore was created by sculptor Gutzon Borglum and completed in 1941. It features the 60 foot faces of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
After driving the Iron mountain road and taking in the unique viewpoints and engineering feats of the road we made our way back to the official viewing area. There are large road signs to direct you into the parking area and at the time of our visit parking was $10 and the parking lot was a large multi level facility. The attendants directed us to an area with space and then it was just a short walk to the visitor center and viewing platform.
We were visiting in the early fall and the crowds were light.
Exploring the main viewpoint and surrounding area can easily be done in a day. Truly a unique destination to bring your family and learn about American history, happy exploring!
