The Best Time to Visit Mount Rushmore

Are you hoping to finally see the famous and iconic Mount Rushmore?! My name is Ash — I’m a former park ranger, and I’m here to help you decide the best time to visit Mount Rushmore for your group!

You’ll want to consider things like the weather, what’s open, and the crowds when choosing the best time to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Here are my suggestions if you’re hoping to:

• Beat the crowds: Late May or Mid-September
• Travel during the summer: June
• Save money: October
• Have a unique adventure: December

Each month in this park is unique and can give you a completely different experience.  Let’s talk through the pros and cons so that you can make an informed decision on the best time to visit Mount Rushmore!

Average Monthly Temperatures at Mount Rushmore

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High (F)	37	36	44	50	60	71	79	78	70	55	44	37
Avg Low (F)	18	18	25	32	42	52	60	58	50	37	27	20
Avg Snow (“)	7	9	10	13	2	0	0	0	1	5	6	7
Avg Rain (“)	0.5	0.8	1.4	2.6	4.8	3.6	3.6	2.3	1.8	1.8	0.6	0.5

Winter at Mount Rushmore (November-April)

Winter at Mount Rushmore is cold and snowy! Starting in November, the park receives a good amount of snow until April because of its location high in the Black Hills. It gets cold up here, too, so be sure to bring your warmest winter gear.

Winter storms are common, so the memorial’s trails and roads may temporarily close for snow and ice removal.

Visiting Mount Rushmore in the winter is a great idea if you’re looking to avoid crowds and save a bit of money. Almost everything is open year-round, so you can still get in here and have a great experience if you don’t mind the cold weather.

November at Mount Rushmore

November marks the beginning of winter at Mount Rushmore as the temperatures drop and the snow comes to stay. Expect shortened hours, no ranger programs, and small crowds at Mount Rushmore during this time.

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open year-round, weather permitting.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open year-round but on shortened hours during the winter.
• Carver’s Cafe is open with shorter winter hours.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is closed.
• All hiking trails are typically open, but weather-related closures may occur.
• Ranger programs are not running, but you can still take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore at this time.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony is not available during this month, but the lights still come on at night even without the ceremony.
• Rapid City hosts its annual Festival of Lights Parade at the end of November to kick off the holiday season!
• The crowd levels are low.

December at Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore will have a nice coating of snow in December, and at this elevation, temperatures usually hover around freezing during the day.

You can still enjoy the memorial this month — you might even have it mostly to yourself! If you want a unique experience at Mount Rushmore, visit during December and enjoy the winter and holiday activities in the area this time of year.

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open year-round, weather permitting.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open year-round but on shortened hours during the winter. Both of these buildings are closed on December 25th.
• Carver’s Cafe is open with shorter winter hours.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is closed.
• All hiking trails are typically open, but weather-related closures may occur.
• Ranger programs are not running, but you can still take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore at this time.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony is not available during this month, but the lights still come on at night even without the ceremony.
• For some extra Christmas fun near Mount Rushmore, check out Kris Kringle’s Christmas Market in Deadwood.
• The crowd levels are low.

January at Mount Rushmore

The snow is still falling and the temperatures are still dropping at Mount Rushmore in January!

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open year-round, weather permitting.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open year-round but on shortened hours during the winter.
• Carver’s Cafe is open with shorter winter hours.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is closed.
• All hiking trails are typically open, but weather-related closures may occur.
• Ranger programs are not running, but you can still take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore at this time.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony is not available during this month, but the lights still come on at night even without the ceremony.
• The Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo starts at the end of January.
• The crowd levels are low.

February at Mount Rushmore

Does winter here ever end?! February at Mount Rushmore is still definitely winter, with freezing temperatures and even more snow.

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open year-round, weather permitting.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open year-round but on shortened hours during the winter.
• Carver’s Cafe is open with shorter winter hours.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is closed.
• All hiking trails are typically open, but weather-related closures may occur.
• Ranger programs are not running, but you can still take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore at this time.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony is not available during this month, but the lights still come on at night even without the ceremony.
• The crowd levels are low.

March at Mount Rushmore

Spring hasn’t quite sprung yet in March at Mount Rushmore — temperatures are low and snow levels are higher than ever.

The memorial grounds begin staying open later starting in mid-March, so you can enjoy the memorial longer at this time!

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open year-round, weather permitting.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. until mid-March when they stay open until 11 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open year-round but on shortened hours during the winter.
• Carver’s Cafe is open with shorter winter hours.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is closed.
• All hiking trails are typically open, but weather-related closures may occur.
• Ranger programs are not running, but you can still take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore at this time.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony is not available during this month, but the lights still come on at night even without the ceremony.
• The crowd levels are moderate.

April at Mount Rushmore

The weather at Mount Rushmore in April isn’t quite what you might expect—snow levels are normally the highest during April than any other month! Rain falls during this month as well, so you’ll want to be prepared for any kind of weather.

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open year-round, weather permitting.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open year-round but on shortened hours during the winter.
• Carver’s Cafe is open with shorter winter hours.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is closed.
• All hiking trails are typically open, but weather-related closures may occur.
• Ranger programs are not running, but you can still take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore at this time.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony is not available during this month, but the lights still come on at night even without the ceremony.
• The crowd levels are moderate.

Spring at Mount Rushmore (May)

Spring is the shortest season at Mount Rushmore — May is the only month that you’ll really get consistent spring-like weather! Temperatures don’t get much warmer than 60 degrees at their highest in May, and this is also the rainiest month of the year.

May at Mount Rushmore

Spring is finally in full swing at Mount Rushmore during May, meaning that temperatures are getting to be a bit warmer and more consistently comfortable for enjoying the memorial.

Ranger programs still aren’t consistently running at this time, though some things do start to open up a little more in anticipation of summer.

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open year-round but on shortened hours.
• Carver’s Cafe is open with shorter hours.
• The Sculptor’s Studio opens in late May.
• All hiking trails are open.
• Ranger programs are not running, but you can still take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore at this time.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony starts running at the end of May! If you’re visiting before then, the lights still come on at night, even without the ceremony.
• The crowd levels are moderate.

Summer at Mount Rushmore (June-August)

Summer is when Mount Rushmore really takes on a new life! The parking garages, public buildings, and museums expand their hours so that you can enjoy the memorial at almost any time of day. Temperatures are usually in the 70s and 80s, making for some beautiful days.

This is also the best time to do the most activities at the park—the evening light ceremony is in full effect, making it a really magical time to visit the memorial. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy a great selection of ranger programs and museum exhibits during these months too!

I like to refer to the summer months at Mount Rushmore as “tour bus season” because this is when busloads of people come to the memorial.

June at Mount Rushmore

Ranger programs, temperatures, park operating hours—they all start to look a bit better in June! If you visit Mount Rushmore in June, you’ll have a wider array of ranger programs to choose from and warmer temperatures to enjoy. The park stays open later too, so visiting at this time is great if you want to spend a lot of time here.

I suggest visiting Mount Rushmore in June if you need to travel during the summer but are hoping for slightly smaller crowds.

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open with extended hours.
• Carver’s Cafe is open.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is open.
• All hiking trails are open.
• Ranger programs are running.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony runs nightly!
• The crowd levels are high.

July at Mount Rushmore

July is the busiest month at Mount Rushmore, especially July 3rd and 4th. Temperatures reach their highest of the year this month, breaking into the 80s — expect beautiful days at the memorial during July!

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open with extended hours.
• Carver’s Cafe is open.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is open.
• All hiking trails are open.
• Ranger programs are running.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony runs nightly.
• Mount Rushmore goes all out for the 4th of July! You’ll often find presidential re-enactors signing autographs, performances, and special evening programs.
• You can find so many amazing 4th of July activities in the Black Hills! The 4th of July weekend is one of the busiest weekends of the year, so plan accordingly.
• The crowd levels are extremely high.

August at Mount Rushmore

August is the last month of summer at Mount Rushmore, so if you weren’t able to make it out to the park during your summer break, now is the time to go!

Everything is up and running on extended hours, the weather is nice, and it is peak season in all of the other interesting places near the memorial as well.

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open with extended hours.
• Carver’s Cafe is open.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is open.
• All hiking trails are open.
• Ranger programs are running.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony runs nightly.
• It’s Sturgis! This famous motorcycle rally occurs at the beginning of August every year and brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to this area of South Dakota. Expect high lodging prices and massive crowds this month.
• The crowd levels are extremely high.

Autumn at Mount Rushmore (September and October)

The weather at Mount Rushmore changes drastically as autumn sets in—summer temperatures stick around into September, but then the snow starts to fall in October. If you’re planning on visiting the park in the fall, come prepared for all types of weather.

Most of the park’s ranger programs end in October, and the memorial runs on shortened schedules at that time. But the crowds die down too. The last time I visited in October, my family enjoyed Mount Rushmore with only a handful of other people!

September at Mount Rushmore

September is a fantastic time to explore Mount Rushmore and the surrounding Black Hills! Temperatures stay comfortable, everything is still up and running, and the crowds are smaller (especially after Labor Day).

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open with extended hours.
• Carver’s Cafe is open.
• The Sculptor’s Studio is open.
• All hiking trails are open.
• Ranger programs are running.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony runs nightly.
• The Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup is usually held at the end of September, and it’s amazing!
• The crowd levels are moderate.

October at Mount Rushmore

October is a time of transition at Mount Rushmore. You might have cool but sunny days or the snow may be falling — it’s a bit of a gamble to visit the memorial at this time!

Most ranger programs aren’t offered during October, and the museums and buildings either close or operate on reduced hours as winter approaches.

What You Need to Know

• The road to Mount Rushmore is open year-round, weather permitting.
• The parking structure and memorial grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center are open year-round but on shortened hours during the winter.
• Carver’s Cafe is open with shorter winter hours.
• The Sculptor’s Studio closes in mid-October.
• All hiking trails are typically open, but weather-related closures may occur.
• Ranger programs are not running, but you can still take a self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore at this time.
• The Evening Lighting Ceremony is not available during this month, but the lights still come on at night even without the ceremony.
• The Black Hills Powwow is held at the beginning of October each year. Come and experience this fun and educational Native American gathering!
• The crowd levels are low.

Now that you’ve learned about the best time to visit Mount Rushmore, you’re ready to make your dream trip to the Black Hills a reality!

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