Rushmore in one day (Custer: live, restaurant, price)

[quiz1]

Hello-

Headed through RC on the way to Detroit and am thinking of taking a day off to visit Mt. Rushmore. Can you share your favorite things about Rushmore and are there any other things we can do in RC in a day? I know there are things we are going to miss but would like to do the important stuff that we can in a day - thanks!

[24522]

Originally Posted by quiz1

Hello-

Headed through RC on the way to Detroit and am thinking of taking a day off to visit Mt. Rushmore. Can you share your favorite things about Rushmore and are there any other things we can do in RC in a day? I know there are things we are going to miss but would like to do the important stuff that we can in a day - thanks!

Rushmore's only about a half hour outside RC, so shouldn't take a lot of time. It's just a big rock, cool to see, but really you're not going to spend hours and hours there. You say "we" - does that mean kids? Bear Country and Reptile Gardens on the southern edge of RC and on the way to Rushmore are touristy, but kids like them. You could definitely hit all three in a day. A little further out, the loop through Custer Park is a great drive and could be done in half a day. There are lots of other gems in the area, just depends on which direction your interests lie - tourist "traps", shopping and boutiques. pretty drives, etc.

[SouthCityGal]

I visited Mount Rushmore for the first time last year. We ended up spending a lot of time there, much more than anticipated. First we drove up in the evening, ate dinner there, and stayed through the lighting ceremony. We went back up the next morning to check out the view in the daylight. We went on a tour (45 minutes long?) with a park ranger, and then our children earned their Junior Ranger certificate by going around the museum and writing down answers in a booklet. This involved a very thorough tour of the museum that's on site.

If you don't have kids, and you are there in predominantly daylight hours, you could do the ranger tour and museum in probably less than two hours.

You might also enjoy visiting Crazy Horse. You can actually see it well enough from the road if you don't want to go in and pay for a tour. My favorite thing about Mt. Rushmore was, well, everything! It didn't disappoint, despite the fact that it's just a carved rock! I loved seeing it from the viewing deck, as well as closer up (but on lower ground) from the trail. There are many vantage points for taking pictures. The museum and gift shop were also nice. Restaurant was fine, but can get pricey for a family.

[LVPoker1]

Mt. Rushmore is a great for a trip, and when I lived there I would go there and hike the trail in the winter since they would shovel the trail and nobody would be there. It is not an all day thing. As for Crazy Horse, it is a ripoff IMO. It is not finished, it is 3x more expensive, and it is not near the parking lot. This was 5 years ago, maybe things have changed. You will find few locals that would suggest going to Crazy Horse.

[kiotes]

If you have time the lighting ceremony is a good time, its will worth the a visit just to get a scope of the size up close. As for Crazy Horse, its going to be cool when its done. I have a real problem with the native population in this area, Its not that i dont like them or there people its the poor me attitude they all carry with them. Sure theres good and bad with all people everywhere. I feel they play this to the full extent. They feel the white man has scared their sacred Black Hills with Mt Rushmore, but Crazy horse is the best thing you can do to a mountain. I sorry Mt Rushmore well worth a look Crazy Horse is good too!