Booking choice: The Mount Rushmore half day, 4 hours. Book this Compare the options below
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is run by the National Park Service, and unlike many national parks it charges no entrance fee. There is no ticket office, no timed entry and no reservation system for visits or ranger programs.
This guide covers the parking fee and who collects it, why your park pass does not help, what the 2026 fee changes for international visitors mean here, how to see the carving without parking at all, and when paying for a guided tour is worth it.
The quick answer
Entry to Mount Rushmore is free and needs no reservation. If you drive in, you pay a parking fee at the parking structure, which is run by a concessioner under contract with the National Park Service; the ticket is valid for one year from purchase and no national park pass covers it. International visitors pay the same as everyone else. Guided tours are optional: they sell the ride, the guide and the rest of the Black Hills.
Is there an entrance fee for Mount Rushmore?
No. The National Park Service states that Mount Rushmore National Memorial does not charge an entrance fee.
You can walk onto the Avenue of Flags, the Grand View Terrace, the Presidential Trail and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center without a ticket. Ranger talks, the Sculptor's Studio talks in summer and the Evening Lighting Program are free as well. The only charges inside the memorial are optional: the audio tour rented at the bookstore, the cafe, the gift shop and the ice cream stand.
What is the Mount Rushmore parking fee?
A per-vehicle fee for the memorial's parking structure, collected by the concessioner under an NPS contract and valid for a year from the day you buy it.
- Who collects it: the parking is operated by a concessioner under contract with the National Park Service, not by the NPS directly.
- How long it lasts: one year of unlimited entries for that non-commercial vehicle, from the date of purchase (not the calendar year, as some sites claim).
- Reduced rates: seniors aged 62 and over pay less, and active-duty military park free.
- Buses and large RVs: commercial and educational buses pay a separate bus rate valid for 24 hours, and RVs over 29 feet use a separate lane.
- No overnight parking anywhere in the memorial.
Does the America the Beautiful pass cover Mount Rushmore?
Not the parking. The NPS says annual, senior, military, access and Every Kid Outdoors passes do not cover concession fees such as parking.
This catches many road-trippers who bought an annual pass for Badlands or Yellowstone. The pass covers entrance fees, and Mount Rushmore has none, while the parking fee is a concession fee outside the pass system. NPS fee-free days do not remove it either, for the same reason.
No car, or no wish to park? The half-day tour from Rapid City lists the parking fee as included.
Book thisDo international visitors pay more in 2026?
Not at Mount Rushmore. The 2026 nonresident fees apply at eleven named national parks, and Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Wind Cave and Jewel Cave are not among them.
From 1 January 2026 the Department of the Interior introduced a higher America the Beautiful annual pass price for nonresidents and a per-person nonresident fee at Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. None of that touches Mount Rushmore: there is no entrance fee to add a surcharge to, and the parking fee is the same for every visitor. One change does apply: from 2026 the NPS fee-free days are for U.S. residents only, which makes no difference at a memorial that is free every day.
Do you need a ticket or reservation for the lighting ceremony?
No. The NPS says no reservation is needed for any program at Mount Rushmore, including the Evening Lighting Program.
The program runs nightly from late May to 30 September in the outdoor amphitheater and lasts about 45 minutes. Arrive around 15 minutes early for a seat. Your parking ticket from the day covers a return in the evening. Times and tips are in the lighting ceremony guide.
Can you see Mount Rushmore without paying for parking?
Yes, from outside the parking structure: the Profile View pull-off on Highway 244 and the tunnels of Iron Mountain Road both show the carving.
The Profile View, just west of the parking area on Highway 244, frames George Washington's face in profile and has its own parking, with space for cars, buses and RVs; it is wheelchair accessible and pets are allowed. On Iron Mountain Road (US 16A between Keystone and Custer State Park), three rock tunnels frame the whole carving in the distance. You will not get the terrace view, the museum or the trail this way, but it costs nothing.
What do the tours sold as Mount Rushmore tickets include?
A ride, a guide and usually more of the Black Hills. Several listings include the Rushmore parking fee; none is an entrance ticket, because none exists.
How the listings on this site describe their inclusions:
| Tour | Rushmore parking | Other stops | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rushmore half day | Included | None: Rushmore only | 4 hours |
| Rushmore and Crazy Horse | Included | Crazy Horse Memorial | 6 hours |
| Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Wildlife Loop | Included | Crazy Horse, Wildlife Loop Road | 8 hours |
| Black Hills small-group day | Admission to all attractions listed | Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake | 8 hours |
| Private Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer day | Entrance fees listed | Crazy Horse, Custer State Park | 8 hours |
The closest thing to a Mount Rushmore ticket: a half day from Rapid City with pickup, the parking fee and time on the terrace and trail.
Book thisIs a guided tour worth it if entry is free?
It is if you have no car, want the whole Black Hills in one day, or want the story told as you go; with a car and a base in Keystone, you can easily go on your own.
- Staying in Keystone, Hill City or Custer with a car: drive yourself and pay the parking fee.
- Staying in Rapid City without a car: there is no public transport to the memorial, so a tour is the practical option.
- One day for the whole region: a full-day tour adds Crazy Horse, Custer State Park and the scenic roads without the planning.
- You want your own guide: the private tours pick you up at your hotel.
One day, no car, and you want more than Rushmore? The small-group day covers the whole Black Hills loop.
Book thisFrequently asked questions
Is Mount Rushmore free?
Entry is free: there is no entrance fee, ticket or reservation. Parking in the memorial's parking structure is charged per vehicle.
How long is a Mount Rushmore parking ticket valid?
One year from the date of purchase, with unlimited entries for that vehicle, according to the NPS.
Is Mount Rushmore parking free for veterans or seniors?
Active-duty military park free and seniors aged 62 and over pay a reduced rate, according to the NPS parking page.
Is Mount Rushmore open every day?
The visitor facilities are open every day except 25 December, when the grounds and parking structure stay open, weather permitting, and the buildings close.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on each of these tours. Entry to Mount Rushmore itself is free.
Mount Rushmore Half-Day Tour from Rapid City
- Pickup at your hotel or Airbnb in Rapid City
- The Mount Rushmore parking fee
- Tour guide and cold bottled water
Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse Tour
Both mountain carvings without the full-day loop
Black Hills & Monuments Small-Group Day
- Pickup and drop-off in Rapid City, Keystone, Hill City, Deadwood, Lead or Sturgis (per the listing)
- Admission to all attractions on the route, as stated on the listing
- A fully narrated tour in a small group of up to 14
