Mount Rushmore National Memorial: open or closed?
National memorial · Near Keystone · Black Hills
Current status: Open
The NPS hours page says the memorial is open all year, seven days a week (except December 25), and no NPS closure alert is posted.
Today (from the official page): Parking structure and grounds today: 6:00 am to 9:00 pm Mountain time (October 1 – October 31 schedule).
Official wording or data we matched:
open all year, seven days a week, with the exception of December 25th
Checked Oct 31, 2026, 12:21 PM CDT (Central time). Sources: Mount Rushmore operating hours (NPS) · NPS alerts (official National Park Service API)
About this place
NPS says the memorial's visitor facilities are open all year, seven days a week, except December 25, when the parking structure and grounds stay open (weather permitting) but all buildings are closed. All NPS times are Mountain time.
The sculpture is lit nightly year-round. The evening lighting program with a ranger runs late May through the end of September. Overnight parking is not permitted.
Official links: Operating hours and seasons (NPS) · Alerts and conditions (NPS) · (605) 574-2523
Winter notes
- Winter (Nov 1 – Mar 9) parking structure and grounds hours are 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mountain time, and the visitor center is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., per NPS.
- No evening lighting program from Oct 1 to May 22, but the sculpture is lit from sunset to 9:00 p.m. Oct 1 – Mar 9 (NPS).
- On December 25 the buildings are closed; grounds stay open weather permitting.
Opening and closing history
| Date | What happened | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Sculptor's Studio closed for the season (NPS lists it closed Oct 1 to May 22). | NPS hours page (read Oct 31, 2026) |
| Sep 30, 2026 | Last night of the season for the evening lighting program (the sculpture is still lit nightly). | NPS hours page; also listed in the Black Hills & Badlands Tourism Association, 2026 Closing Dates Calendar (dates accurate as of Aug 20, 2026) (read Oct 31, 2026) |
The memorial itself is open year-round. Dated entries here are seasonal changes to programs and buildings. Only dates read on official pages are listed; we do not fill gaps with guesses.
When to go, month by month
General estimate, not measured data. Crowd and season notes are general estimates from typical patterns and official descriptions, not counts or forecasts.
| Month | Notes (general estimate) |
|---|---|
| January | Quiet; short daylight. Grounds 6 a.m.–9 p.m. MT (NPS winter hours). |
| February | Quiet. |
| March | Quiet; grounds hours lengthen from March 10 (NPS). |
| April | Quiet to moderate. |
| May | Busier from Memorial Day; evening program starts late May (NPS). |
| June | Busy; evening lighting program nightly. |
| July | Peak season; arrive early or for the evening program. |
| August | Very busy, especially early August. |
| September | Busy; last evening programs (through Sept 30). |
| October | Moderate; no evening program, sculpture still lit at sunset. |
| November | Quiet; winter hours from Nov 1. |
| December | Quiet; buildings closed Dec 25. |
How we check
Open when the NPS hours page still says the memorial is open all year, seven days a week (except December 25), and no current NPS alert announces a closure. Partly open on December 25 (grounds open weather permitting, buildings closed). Any closure-type NPS alert makes it Unknown or Closed. We check official sources about once a day; see our method.
Planning around a festival or craft show? Events are listed on the separate South Dakota events calendar.