When to arrive for Mt. Rushmore evening ceremony?

In planning out one day of my road trip, I%26#39;m wondering how far in advance of the lighting ceremony at Rushmore I should be planning to arrive.

The plan is to start the day in Billings, MT, head to Devils Tower in Wyoming, head into Deadwood for dinner and (time permitting) some blackjack, then head down to Mt. Rushmore. It%26#39;s pretty ambitious, but especially since I%26#39;m working in gambling time that I don%26#39;t care about scrapping if I%26#39;m running behind, it seems like it can be done.

This will be on Saturday the 27th...do I need to arrive by 8:00 at Mt. Rushmore for the 9:00 program? Is parking a hassle? Would people recommend taking the time to do much before the lighting ceremony? So far I%26#39;m not gathering that there%26#39;s much to do at Rushmore aside from looking at the monument itself.

Thanks in advance for the input.

When to arrive for Mt. Rushmore evening ceremony?

Your day is quite ambitious and really requires a pretty early start. You are talking about 4.5 hours from Billings to Devil%26#39;s Tower. You should allow yourself about 2 hours to see the tower and walk around the base. You will need another hour and 15 mins to drive to Deadwood, and Rushmore is about an hour from Deadwood. Personally, I%26#39;d skip the gambling in Deadwood. The casinos are quite small, and there is really much more to Rushmore than just looking at it.

The Presidential Trail at Mt Rushmore is very worthwhile, as it takes you out to the sculptor%26#39;s studio where you can see the early visions of the monument. The photo ops along the trail are great also. This is a must during daylight hours. You also have the exhibits at the visitor%26#39;s center as well.

Parking is not a hassle at the monument.

I would be on the road no later than 7:30 a.m. to give yourself plenty of time for your day. Have a good trip.

When to arrive for Mt. Rushmore evening ceremony?

Thanks a lot for the input. Like I said, the casino aspect is something I%26#39;m just fine with scrapping (I can gamble whenever), though I think I%26#39;ll stop in at that Costner restaurant for dinner anyhow...and it%26#39;s connected with a casino, so we%26#39;ll just see how I%26#39;m doing for time.

How long does the Presidential Trail take to walk? If I%26#39;m out of Deadwood by 6:30, presumably arriving around 7:30 at Rushmore, will I have time to do the trail before the 9:00 lighting ceremony?

Hi,

The Presidential Trail is less than a mile long, so if you go out to the Sculptor%26#39;s Studio (the best part), it will take about an hour. Of course, you could spend less time, but I am a ';photo snapper.';

I was trying to find out on nps.gov when the trail closes for the evening, but I didn%26#39;t locate a time. I believe they close it at dusk before the lighting ceremony, so I would plan on arriving before 7:30 at Rushmore if you want to walk it. The Sculptor%26#39;s Studio closes at 7 p.m., which you definitely would not be able to see that if you arrive late.

Thanks again for the info. I%26#39;ll definitely be taking it into advisement on my trip.