Kid-Friendly Mount Rushmore Adventures

One look at 60 feet of presidents carved into a granite mountain will quiet even the most distracted backseat passenger. That moment of awe is just the start of what's waiting for your family in the Black Hills. You’ve made it to our coveted western region’s granite spires, winding roads and infamous history. Take advantage of the rugged opportunities in the West and discover a monumental Mount Rushmore family trip.

Discover Mount Rushmore

Visiting Mount Rushmore with Kids

Mount Rushmore inspires awe for kids of all ages. A toddler will crane their neck at the sheer scale, while a 10-year-old will walk away with a Junior Ranger badge and a head full of facts. Here's how to make the most of your visit with kids in tow.

Getting Around the Memorial

The Grand View Terrace is the heart of the memorial and the best starting point for families. It's paved, stroller-accessible and offers that classic face-on view of all four presidents. Elevators provide access to the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center and the amphitheater, so families with strollers or young children can move around without hassle.

The Presidential Trail takes you closer to the base of the mountain and offers some of the best on-site views. A stair-free route option covers 0.7 miles and is considered easy, making it a good fit for strollers and younger kids. The full loop trail's final 0.4 miles includes 422 stairs, so families who want to skip the stairs can turn back after the accessible boardwalk section and still get plenty of great views.

The Junior Ranger Program

Mount Rushmore offers four Junior Ranger options: a Junior Ranger Trainee booklet for ages 3 to 4, a Junior Ranger Activity Booklet for ages 5 to 12, a Rushmore Ranger Activity Booklet for ages 13 and up, and an online version. All options are free, supported by donor funding that helps the park provide booklets and pins to more than 25,000 children each year. Pick up a booklet at the Information Center, work through the activities during your visit, and return it to a ranger for your official swearing-in and badge. It's one of the best ways to keep kids engaged throughout the memorial.

Mount RushMORE: The Iconic Landmarks Tour for Kids

Find history, big scenery and epic views for the whole family. Discover South Dakota’s most iconic landmarks in one go. After Mount Rushmore, head 17 miles south to the Crazy Horse Memorial®. This landmark is an active work in progress. The on-site Indian Museum of North America gives older kids a meaningful context on the people and cultures of the Northern Plains. Mosey over to Custer State Park, where a drive through the Wildlife Loop turns up bison herds, pronghorn, prairie dogs and the park's famous wild burros. Continue to Badlands National Park, where eroded buttes and fossil beds are unlike anything else in the country. It’s a unique adventure for the outdoorsy family, you can even camp.

Made for Kids: Mount Rushmore Amusement Parks & Discovery Centers

For families who want to burn off some energy after the monument, there's no shortage of options just a few miles away in the Keystone area.

Rush Mountain Adventure Park

Rush Mountain Adventure Park packs five attractions into one stop, just 5 miles outside Keystone on Highway 40. The Rushmore Mountain Coaster is the headline draw, boasting a 3,800-foot track through the forest and down the mountain. Riders must be at least 3 years old and 38 inches tall to ride as a passenger on the mountain coaster. The Soaring Eagle Zipline and Gunslinger 7D Dark Ride require a 42-inch minimum height. Little ones who don't meet the height requirements aren't left out: the Sky Tykes Challenge Course is designed for smaller kids and includes its own zipline. Rush Mountain is also home to Rushmore Cave, the closest cave to the memorial, and cave tours are open to kids of all ages.

Rushmore Tramway Adventures

Rushmore Tramway Adventures is the top-rated attraction in Keystone, after Mount Rushmore itself. Ride the scenic chairlift up through the pines and then choose your adventure. Adrenaline and ascent come in several forms, from the President's Alpine Slide and ziplines to the Aerial Adventure Park with eight rope courses and downhill tubing. The Alpine Slide is open to riders as young as 2 years old when accompanied by a responsible adult, making it one of the more accessible thrill rides in the area for young families. At the top, the Mountaintop Grille serves burgers with a view of the faces across the valley.

Entertain & Enlighten: Prehistoric to Presidential History

The Black Hills region has been storing up remarkable stories for 65 million years. These stops bring that history to life for kids in ways a textbook never could.

The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs

About an hour south of Rapid City, the The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs is one of the most significant paleontological sites in North America. Kids can watch active excavations, handle replicas of real mammoth bones, and explore exhibits on Ice Age life in South Dakota. A dedicated junior paleontologist program gives younger visitors a hands-on activity to work through during their visit.

The Journey Museum & Learning Center in Rapid City

The Journey Museum in downtown Rapid City covers 2.5 billion years of Black Hills history in one building, from geology and fossils to Indigenous culture and pioneer settlement. For families staying in Rapid City, it's a great way to give older kids context before heading out to the monuments and parks.

National Presidential Wax Museum in Keystone

Right in downtown Keystone, the National Presidential Wax Museum gives kids the chance to stand next to life-size replicas of every U.S. president. It's a natural complement to a Mount Rushmore visit, especially for kids who want to match faces to names after walking the Presidential Trail.

Mount Rushmore Family Vacation: Tips & Tricks

1. Base yourself in Rapid City. It's the closest major hub and puts you within easy reach of Mount Rushmore, the Badlands and most Black Hills attractions. Good food, family-friendly lodging and easy access to the highway make it the practical choice.
2. Visit in late spring or early fall. Summer is peak season and peak crowds. May, early June or September offer good weather, shorter lines and easier parking at the monument.
3. Check height and age requirements ahead of time. Rush Mountain and Rushmore Tramway Adventures both have restrictions on certain rides, so it's worth a quick look at their sites before you go, especially for families with younger kids.
4. Pick up a Junior Ranger booklet first thing. Grab it at the Information Center when you arrive and let it guide your visit. Kids who are working toward a badge stay more engaged and tend to notice details they'd otherwise walk right past.
5. Make it a weekend. Mount Rushmore can be seen in an afternoon, but the Black Hills, adventure parks and discovery centers can’t. Two days in the area is a good minimum for families who want to see the region's highlights without rushing.