Mount Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony: My Personal Experience and Helpful Tips

Mount Rushmore’s nightly lighting ceremony is breathtaking, and it happens all summer long. However, what are some helpful tips you should keep in mind?

The Mount Rushmore evening lighting ceremony is an outdoor presentation where the four presidents on the monument are illuminated. During the presentation, viewers listen to a history of the memorial and presidents featured on the mountain. This ceremony is educational and moving for viewers.

I’ve visited Mount Rushmore on many occasions, and in all seasons, but my favorite trip was undoubtedly the evening I sat and enjoyed the lighting ceremony. 

So if you are planning a trip to visit Mount Rushmore, let me share my experience with you. I want you to have all the important details you need to know to have the best experience possible.

Learn: How Much Time Do You Need at Mount Rushmore? and When is the Best Time to Visit Mount Rushmore?

What is the Mount Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony?

The lighting ceremony is a nightly presentation that tells about the contributions each president made during his years of service. It tells of the challenges the country was going through at the time and how their leadership helped overcome those trials. It ends with the climactic display of lights on the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The dark sky contrasting the illuminated faces is stunning.

After that, the ranger doing the presentation asks if there is anyone in the crowd who has served in the armed forces. They are called down to the stage and honored for their service. It’s very moving.

Even though the presentation is free and no tickets are required, people begin staking out their seats about an hour before it begins. One handy tip is that food is allowed in the amphitheater and it’s a great time to have dinner or snack and enjoy the view while you wait.

When Does the Lighting Ceremony Take Place?

The lighting ceremony takes place nightly beginning the Friday before Memorial Day and runs through September 30th.

Note: The ceremony is seasonal and does not run year-round BUT the sculpture will still be lit nightly at sunset, during the off-season.

What Time Does the Ceremony Happen?

May-Early August 9:00 P.M.

Early August-Sept 30 8:00 P.M.

How Long Does it Last?

The entire ceremony lasts about an hour.  

What Time Should I Arrive?

I suggest arriving 1-2 hours before the ceremony is scheduled to start.  Consider the day of the week and if you are near any holiday weekends, or maybe the 2-week period around the Sturgis Bike Rally, it will be busier than normal.  If it’s a weeknight in the middle of the summer then you probably won’t find it as crowded as say Labor Day weekend or the Fourth of July.

Can I Eat Dinner There?

Carvers’ Café is an excellent option if you plan to come early and want to get dinner or a snack.  The café is set up more like a cafeteria and there should be plenty of seating inside and out.  If you eat outside you will have a great view of the mountain.  I’ve seen the lines for food get exceptionally long in the summer so bring your patience and arrive early if you plan on eating there as well.

Memorial Ice Cream is a hot commodity at Mount Rushmore and features Thomas Jefferson’s own vanilla ice cream recipe. You have to try it!

Note: The café will be closed by the time you leave the ceremony so don’t plan on grabbing a bite afterward.

Discover: Where to Eat IN and AROUND Mount Rushmore.

What Can I Do While I Wait?

Arriving early to events like shows or concerts can be boring and time can drag on but at Mount Rushmore, the mountain IS the attraction so you can use the time to take pictures in front of the monument and take in the awesome scenery.

Of course, there are also many other things to do at the Memorial, including the museum, gift shop, Presidential Trail hike, Sculptor’s Studio, Dakota Kitchen, Memorial Ice Cream, and even two bookstores.  You won’t be bored while you wait! Read 14 Great Things To Do When Visiting Mount Rushmore National Memorial for more!

Check out: Can you do Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore in a Day?

The Experience

The lighting ceremony will begin with a ranger on the stage of the amphitheater giving a detailed talk about America and what it means to be an American, as well as some interesting details about the presidents on the monument.

This part was so interesting to me and I learned a lot of great facts about each president. Some of them I didn’t already know, like, Roosevelt provided federal protection for almost 230 million acres of land. He was a known conservationist and established national parks, forests, and monuments to preserve the nation’s natural resources.

The ranger will then introduce a touching movie that will talk more about our great nation and the history of Mount Rushmore and its sculptor Gutzon Borglum.

The movie wraps up with a beautiful montage of clips while “America The Beautiful” is being played.  The song will crescendo as the lights finally light up the beautiful monument as the crowd erupts in cheers and applause.  Warning: this moment may cause goosebumps and an occasional tear!

Lastly, the ranger will call up all veterans and members of the military to come on stage and share a moment of honor that most will never get at any other time in their lives.  They will help with the lowering of the flag, before folding it and being dismissed. 

This is a beautiful heartfelt experience that will bless you!  I was overcome with emotions and nostalgia.  If you can see Mount Rushmore during the lighting ceremony, then don’t miss it.

Cons

As with most everything, there can be negative aspects to the things you decide to do on your trip. When participating in the lighting ceremony, you may be faced with the following:

• Early arrival: you will need to arrive early if you are visiting on a weekend, especially a Holiday weekend. 
• Uncomfortable seating: the seating doesn’t have any backs, so you might get uncomfortable especially if you’ve arrived early and are waiting a while.  Pro tip: if you are able to sit in the back row you can lean against the wall.
• Boring for small children: small children may get bored during the presentation and movie. I say this because my cousin’s little girl asked me, “How long IS this movie?” About 10 minutes into the movie. It was quite funny!
• Traffic: there might be a little bit of extra traffic leaving the Memorial because everyone leaves at the same time.
• Weather: because the weather can be unpredictable, you may get a storm rolling through or it could be a little bit too warm.  Normally the summers in the Black Hills are pretty nice but like I said our weather can be unpredictable and it isn’t uncommon to get a summer rain or thunderstorm.

That being said, everyone should experience the nightly lighting ceremony if possible. You will not regret it and you will be left with a sense of pride for our country.

What Else Can I Do in the Area Besides Mount Rushmore?

The Black Hills is home to endless activities. Some of them include visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial, riding the 1880 train, going on gorgeous drives, exploring Mt Moriah Cemetery, hiking to Black Elk Peak, and discovering the beautiful Spearfish Canyon. For a more comprehensive list, see our Black Hills Trip Planner page.

Don’t miss: 15 Family-Friendly Things to Do in Keystone, South Dakota, and 13 Awesome Things To Do In Hill City, South Dakota.

Is There Anything Else I Should Know?

Yes! As you can see, there are many amazing things to do in the Black Hills. The Black Hills can be confusing because it’s a HUGE area and there are so many things to do! 

Most travelers want to visit the most popular sites, yet still avoid crowds. We have a detailed itinerary that gives you a step-by-step game plan so you can get to all the best places at the right times!

But that’s not all! Our itinerary includes a free audio guide to listen to while driving, with over 2 hours of stories about the park!