Mount Rushmore in a few hours

My cousins and I are driving across the country and we%26#39;re stopping by Mount Rushmore. We arrive tonight around 8-9 pm when it%26#39;s dark and have only a few hours in the morning.

When and where is the best place to visit if we only have a few hours?

Is the momument lighted by night? Is it best to catch in the early dawn hours?

Please advise! Thanks.

Mount Rushmore in a few hours

One more question: where%26#39;s a good place to stay nearby? Since we%26#39;re just a bunch of guys, we can sacrifice on quality as long as we maximize our time.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Mount Rushmore in a few hours

Not lit at night, your only option will be in early morning. There are many motels in the town of Keystone, which is closest to Mt Rushmore. Seems the parking lot opens at 7:30am, information center at 8am. www.nps.gov/moru/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Seems you are headed to Yellowstone after this, keep in mind that most of the amenities in YS will not be open and roads can be closed do to snow! Your only lodging options inside the park are Old Faithful Snow Lodge.

what%26#39;s a good place to have breakfast nearby? I hear that ';the lodge'; is good, but not sure where it is...

We went in July and we did the early morning. We arrived when they opened and by the time we were leaving (maybe two hours later)it was getting very crowded.

We stayed in Rapid City. We found that motels around Keystone were more expensive. We liked the HoJo in Rapid City. It had free beer and wine for a couple hours each night during the week and had a nice pool. But we went during peak season so maybe you can find a good deal in Keystone.