Best Time to Visit Mount Rushmore
Best time to visit Mount Rushmore: June, July, August and September. Month-by-month temperature, rainfall and crowd guidance.
Best time to visit Mount Rushmore
Go in June, July, August and September. These months score highest on comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and useful daylight.
Hardest months: January, February and December - expect the least comfortable mix of heat, cold or rain.
Climate in Mount Rushmore month by month
Average high, average low and total rainfall, based on three years of reanalysis data.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 14° | 0,4 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
| February | 39° | 19° | 0,8 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
| March | 47° | 26° | 1,0 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| April | 51° | 30° | 2,4 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| May | 61° | 40° | 4,0 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| June | 72° | 50° | 2,7 in | ★★★★☆ |
| July | 80° | 58° | 3,4 in | ★★★★☆ |
| August | 78° | 56° | 3,7 in | ★★★★☆ |
| September | 73° | 51° | 1,5 in | ★★★★☆ |
| October | 57° | 38° | 2,0 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| November | 46° | 28° | 0,6 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| December | 41° | 25° | 0,6 in | ★★★☆☆ |
Climate type: Subarctic. Source: Open-Meteo archive (ERA5).
How Mount Rushmore compares with nearby places
Annual averages, and the difference against Mount Rushmore.
| Place | Distance | Avg temp | vs here | Annual rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer State Park | 8 mi | 47°F | +33°F warmer | 23 in |
| Wind Cave National Park | 19 mi | 49°F | +35°F warmer | 20 in |
| Badlands National Park | 56 mi | 51°F | +37°F warmer | 15 in |
| Wyoming | 202 mi | 50°F | +36°F warmer | 14 in |
| Theodore Roosevelt National Park | 214 mi | 46°F | about the same | 16 in |
What to pack, what to skip
- Sunglasses, a brimmed hat and SPF 30+
- Layers - the daily swing is 72°F, so mornings feel nothing like afternoons
- A warm mid-layer and gloves for early mornings and evenings
- If your dates are flexible, avoid January, February and December - historically the least comfortable months here.
Summary
Mount Rushmore is a tourist attraction in South Dakota. Mount Rushmore is a landmark known for four presidents carved in granite.
Right now it is 51°F (10°C) in Mount Rushmore with overcast. It feels like 45°F. Today runs from 53°F to 71°F. Chance of precipitation is 2%. Sightseeing conditions score 8.7/10 - excellent - go now.
The best time to visit Mount Rushmore is June, July, August and September. The climate is subarctic. January, February and December tend to be the least comfortable months. July is the warmest month with average highs near 80°F, while January is the coldest with lows near 14°F.
The closest major airport is Denver International Airport (DEN), about 285 mi away. Nearby highlights include Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Badlands National Park and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
In plain terms. Today is warmer than average for October. The forecast high of 71°F is 14.2°F above the 57°F typical for this month. The best window to be outside is roughly 2 PM to 5 PM, when temperature, rain chance and wind line up best. hiking is the strongest bet in Mount Rushmore today at 9.5/10. No weather-related travel disruption is expected today. Roads and airports should run normally.
Compiled from this page's own data: atlas facts plus live Open-Meteo readings.
Weather in Mount Rushmore right now
Source: Open-Meteo. Updated 8:00 PM, Oct 1 local time.
Weekend outlook
☁️ 65° / 44°
Overcast · 4% rain · wind 17 mph
☁️ 62° / 41°
Overcast · 0% rain · wind 10 mph
Things to do in Mount Rushmore
Attractions, parks and landmarks in and around Mount Rushmore.
Quick facts about Mount Rushmore
| Type | Attraction |
|---|---|
| State | South Dakota |
| Country | United States |
| Continent | North America |
| Coordinates | 43°52′44.8″N 103°27′32.8″W (43.8791, -103.4591) |
| Known for | four presidents carved in granite |
| Local time | 8:00 PM (UTC-06:00) |
| Best months | June, July, August and September |
| Climate | Subarctic |
Explore Mount Rushmore
Every topic we hold for this place, and the same topic for the places around it.
Best Time to Visit for related places
Frequently asked questions
Where is Mount Rushmore?
Mount Rushmore is a tourist attraction in South Dakota. Its coordinates are 43.8791, -103.4591. It lies in North America.
What is the weather like in Mount Rushmore right now?
It is currently 51°F (10°C) with overcast. Humidity is 66% and wind is 7 mph.
When is the best time to visit Mount Rushmore?
June, July, August and September offer the most comfortable conditions in Mount Rushmore, which has a subarctic climate. January, February and December are usually the hardest months for outdoor plans.
What time zone is Mount Rushmore in?
Mount Rushmore observes America/Denver (UTC-06:00). The local time is 8:00 PM.
What is the nearest airport to Mount Rushmore?
The closest airports are Denver International Airport (DEN), 285 mi away.
What are the top things to do in Mount Rushmore?
Popular options include Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Badlands National Park and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Related articles
Data sources and methodology
| Place data | USPOTUS Atlas dataset (attractions) - coordinates, hierarchy and facts. |
|---|---|
| Forecast and observations | Open-Meteo (ECMWF and national models). |
| Air quality and pollen | Copernicus CAMS via Open-Meteo. US AQI scale. |
| Climate averages | ERA5 reanalysis via the Open-Meteo archive, aggregated over 3 years. |
| Official alerts | US National Weather Service. |
| Method | Scores, comparisons and advice on this page are computed from the inputs above. Distances are straight-line. Nothing is estimated where data is missing - the block is simply not shown. |
Last updated October 1, 2026 at 8:00 PM local time. Live blocks refresh every 15 minutes; climate averages monthly.
