Mt Rushmore

This park is another 'must see' stop if you are driving to see Yellowstone.  Mt Rushmore is a national park, but does not charge an entrance fee.  The parking garage is privately run and charges $11 per car - there are a couple of small lots where you can park for free, but it is a longer walk to the monument.

The massive granite sculpture is great to see at any time of the day - and also lit at night for viewing.  There is a museum, hiking trail, movie about the history, gift shops and concessions on site.  If you hike the trail loop the original studio of Gutzon Borglum is open to visit.  There you will see plaster models and see Borglum's 'pointing machine' that helped the workers transfer the scale of the models to the actual rock face.

One of Borglum's models.  Notice the bar on top of Lincoln's head, part of the 'pointing machine'
Notice the hands and clothing in this model which didn't make it into the actual sculpture.

Design on the hall of records behind the figures which houses
the hall of records of US History

You can see the projecting shafts of granite in the eyes up close
which give the eyes a sparkle of light at a distance

The avenue of flags leading up to the monument has flags from all of the US states and territories.  President Coolidge dedicated the memorial in 1927, commencing 14 years of work.  The Washington head was dedicated in 1930, followed by Jefferson in 1936, Lincoln in 1937 and Roosevelt in 1939.    The total cost was nearly $1 million.