THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKPERMANENT NPS STORY ARCHIVE
Organized by publication date and destination. Each story retains its permanent State & Nation address and official NPS source.
The National Park Service today announced fireworks will again illuminate the sky above Mount Rushmore National Memorial on July 3, 2026, to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary. Public tickets for the event will be available through a lottery on Recreation.gov from April 8 – 12.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service at Mount Rushmore National Memorial plans to conduct a prescribed fire at Starling Basin, a 95-acre burn, on or after Oct. 1, 2025, weather permitting.
Official NPS source
Beginning May 23, Mount Rushmore National Memorial will offer a variety of interpretive experiences to help visitors enjoy this iconic national park.
Official NPS sourceMount Rushmore National Memorial is excited to announce the unveiling of its newly remodeled visitor center theaters and the debut of the captivating new film, “Mount Rushmore: Carved in Stone,” starting on Friday, May 23, 2025.
Official NPS source
To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Mount Rushmore National Memorial is excited to open a new outdoor exhibit focused on Lakota ethnobotany, star knowledge, and sacred sites.
Official NPS source
On June 14, 2024, Mount Rushmore National Memorial will host a Naturalization Ceremony in honor of Flag Day. The National Park Service, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will welcome more than 150 people from over 60 countries.
Official NPS source
Beginning May 24, visitors to the Memorial will have a variety of interpretive programming to choose from to enjoy their visit to this Iconic location. The Visitor Center and Information Center will be open from 8am until 10pm, and the Sculptor Studio will operate from 8am until 8pm through mid-August. The NPS App and Operating Hours webpage are available for visitors to use when planning their trip.
Official NPS source
The park will make two changes to the iconic Avenue of Flags in 2024. Utah and Minnesota legislatures have both passed legislation changing their respective state flag designs. The new Utah flag was installed on March 9, while Minnesota's will be installed May 11. Utah’s new flag will centrally feature a beehive. Minnesota’s will have colors representing the shape of the state and the numerous lakes which comprise that state.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service announced that 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million visitors in 2023, an increase of over 13 million or 4% over 2022. Mount Rushmore National Memorial saw 2.43 million visitors in 2023.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed an air tour management plan for Mount Rushmore National Memorial on November 17, 2023. The plan will prohibit commercial air tours over the park and within one-half mile of the boundary of the park to protect the park’s natural and cultural resources, Tribal sacred sites and ceremonial areas, and visitor experience within the ATMP boundary. The plan’s operating parameters will be effective within 180 days from the date of signature.
Official NPS source
Mount Rushmore National Memorial will transition to winter hours of operation starting on November 1st. Visitor services will be reduced to accommodate regular seasonal changes in staffing and visitation.
Official NPS sourceKEYSTONE, SD –– Beginning September 12, visitors may witness climbers repelling and ascending across the sculpture. This is due to an annual re-calibration of specialized equipment that monitors changes in the rock to anticipate damages due to environmental shifts in temperature and erosion. This information has been collected since 1996 through a contract with RESPEC Engineering out of Rapid City, South Dakota. With a three-dimensional map and continual monitoring, park staff can quickly identify any changes in the sculpture and implement any needed remediations.
Official NPS source
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 2,440,449 visitors to Mount Rushmore National Memorial in 2022 spent $385.6 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 5,694 jobs in the local area with a cumulative effect of $551 million in economic output. “People come to Mount Rushmore National Memorial to vacation with their families and friends while learning the history of the park and region,” said Superintendent Wheatley. “We recognize that tourism is a critical driver to the local economy and work closely with our tourism partners to support their initiatives.”
Official NPS source
On June 14, 2023, Mount Rushmore National Memorial will host a Naturalization Ceremony in honor of Flag Day. The National Park Service, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will welcome more than 200 people from over 60 countries.
Official NPS source
Beginning May 26, visitors to the Memorial will have a variety of programming and trip planning tools at their disposal. The park has updated its digital calendar, Summer Programming, and Operating Hours webpages to reflect upcoming activities and building hours for visitors to enjoy. The Visitor Center and Information Center will be open from 8am until 10pm, and the Sculptor Studio will operate from 8am until 8pm through mid-August. The NPS App is also available for visitors to use when planning their trip.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are seeking public feedback on a draft Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) and associated environmental assessment that are being proposed for Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Official NPS source
Beginning October 12, visitors may witness climbers repelling and ascending across the sculpture. This is due to an annual re-calibration of specialized equipment that monitors changes in the rock to anticipate damages due to environmental shifts in temperature and erosion. This information has been collected since 1996 through a contract with RESPEC Engineering out of Rapid City, South Dakota. With a three-dimensional map and continual monitoring, park staff can quickly identify any changes in the sculpture and implement any needed remediations.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are seeking public comments on potential alternatives for an air tour management plan (ATMP) for Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Public comments will be accepted during a 30-day public scoping process starting September 6 through October 6.
Official NPS source
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 3.6 million visitors to Black Hills area national parks spent $231.6 million in the state in 2021. That spending resulted in 3,362 jobs and had a cumulative benefit to the state economy of $301.4 million.
Official NPS sourceMount Rushmore National Memorial will be implementing prescribed burns this winter.
Official NPS sourceBeginning on October 28, the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center and Information Center will open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m.
Official NPS sourceBeginning on October 1, the lighting of the sculpture will begin at dusk and last until 9:00 p.m. The Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center and Information Center will open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. The Gift Shop will open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. The Carver’s Café will open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m.
Official NPS sourceMembers of the Rope Access Team will be visible on the faces during this timeframe and visitors can expect to see them conducting their work. All facilities will continue to be fully operational and open to visitors during this time.
Official NPS sourceSpecial programs will be presented at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 11, 2021 and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 12, 2021.
Official NPS sourceBeginning on August 15 operational hours throughout the park will change. The Evening Lighting Ceremony will start at 8:00 p.m.
Official NPS sourceMount Rushmore National Memorial will reopen for visitors 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning April 1. State Road 244 east and west entrances will reopen at midnight tonight. Iron Mountain Road will remain closed through tomorrow allowing firefighters to continue mop-up operations.
Official NPS source
National Park Service Regional Director Bert Frost announced the selection of Michelle Wheatley as superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Official NPS sourceMount Rushmore National Memorial will implement a prescribed burn on Wednesday, April 29 to reduce accumulated fuels in support of the park’s fire management plan.
Official NPS sourceMount Rushmore National Memorial is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing.
Official NPS source
National Park Service Regional Director Bert Frost has announced that Patricia Trap will be serving as acting superintendent at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. She assumed her temporary position on January 6, 2020.
Official NPS sourceTransition to fall hours of operation will begin at Mount Rushmore National Memorial Sunday August 11.
Official NPS sourceMajor construction will begin after the Independence Day holiday week. Scull Construction Services Inc. from Rapid City South Dakota has been selected as the contractor to address deferred maintenance projects at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Official NPS source
The official start of the summer season offers enhanced visitor enjoyment through extended hours and the opening of the newly restored Sculptor’s Studio.
Official NPS sourceWith the enactment of the continuing resolution, staff at Mount Rushmore National Memorial have resumed normal operations as of Monday January 28, 2019.
Official NPS sourceDuring the shutdown of the federal government due to the lapse of appropriations, national parks will remain as accessible as possible while still following all applicable laws and procedures. Park roads and the grounds at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, will remain accessible to visitors, but emergency and rescue services will be limited.
Official NPS source
The parking facility at Mount Rushmore is about to change lanes. Beginning October 2 visitors will drive up, take a ticket for parking and pay at one of several pay stations located throughout the parking facility, near the Information Center, at Carvers' Marketplace or at the Gift Shop.
Official NPS source
As the leaves begin to change, so do the hours of operation at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Fall and early winter can be a beautiful time to enjoy the sculpture.
Official NPS sourceTransition to fall hours of operation will begin at Mount Rushmore National Memorial Sunday August 12.
Official NPS sourceU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke designated the Blackberry Trail at Mount Rushmore National Memorial as a nationally recognized recreational trail joining the recreational trails system that stretches across the United States.
Official NPS sourceThe official start of the summer season offers enhanced visitor enjoyment through extended hours and opportunities to address deferred maintenance projects at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Official NPS sourceIn celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week Mount Rushmore National Memorial reveals data from a new National Park Service report which shows that over 2.4 million visitors to Mount Rushmore in 2017 spent an estimated $139 million in local communities. Spending that supported 2,140 jobs in the area and had a cumulative benefit of $177 million to the local economy.
Official NPS sourceMount Rushmore National Memorial wastewater treatment system team is the recipient of the 2017 Operation and Maintenance Wastewater Treatment Award presented by the South Dakota Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, DENR.
Official NPS sourceIn commemoration of Veterans Day, on Saturday November 11 parking fees will be waived for veterans visiting Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Official NPS source
On Tuesday, September 26, an early celebration of National Public Lands Day occurred with the reopening of the Blackberry Trail.
Official NPS source
On Saturday, September 16, the National Park Service unveiled a plaque to recognize Luigi Del Bianco as the Chief Carver of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Official NPS sourceThe month of August is a time of change at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The steps leading to the Borglum View Terrace will be temporarily closed; the Evening Program time will change; and the Heritage Village and Youth Exploration Area are closing for the season.
Official NPS source