Mount Rushmore is one of the most recognizable monuments in the United States today. People travel from all over the world just to stand in front of it and look up at it in awe, but there is much more to it than just those four giant granite faces.
Mount Rushmore is of course the monument carved by Gutzon Borglum that represents the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln that paid tribute to the 150 years that the Union stood and expanded. Though Gutzon started in 1927 the carving was finished by his son Lincoln 14 years later.
For those of you that have never been to Mount Rushmore before, when you first arrive, you can either go up a few flights of stairs, or take and elevator to reach the entrance to the Grandview Terrace to view the memorial. It is quite the site to arrive there and see the thousands of people gazing at the mountain side. On the way up to the Grandview Terrace you walk The Avenue of Flags which includes the flags of the 56 states and territories the avenue provides direct and easy access to the Grandview Terrace, Lincoln Borglum Museum and the Presidential Trail.
At the base of the mountain is the park’s amphitheater which often hosts shows, concerts and presentations, but just as often can be found filled with tourists just looking to take a load off on a hot summer day.
The Presidential Trail is a half mile walking trail that surrounds you with many different types of wild flowers as well as many different views of the memorial. Often times during the summer months I like to go up to the monument, buy an ice cream cone and walk the Presidential Trail as it provides a lot of shade. (A lot more in some areas than others depending on the time of day).
Another good way to escape the heat in the summer is to visit the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center and Museum. If you are on the Grandview Terrace you can reach it by taking either an elevator or a flight of stairs down to the base of the mountain. In the main lobby there are various exhibits, pictures, posters and postcards featuring images of the memorial at different stages of its construction. There is a movie theater which runs an EXCELLENT film about the history of the monument, and it is only about twenty minutes long if memory serves me correctly.
In the museum itself there are sculptures, photos, 3-D topographic maps, models, movies, activities and many other exhibits to keep your interest and offer you a look into history.
Mount Rushmore has a really nice gift shop that offers a wide range of products from the traditional t-shirts and post cards to black hills gold jewelry and high end collectors items.
Another of my favorite spots around the monument is just past the entrance. If you are coming up from Keystone, go clear past the entrance to the park and continue for about a quarter mile. You will come to another small parking lot where you can see the profile view of George Washington.
Mount Rushmore has truly become the backdrop of America. The 60-foot faces will look across time “until the wind and rain alone shall wear them away.”
