Self-Guided Tours

The Mount Rushmore Self-Guided Tour: Living Memorial is a recorded, multimedia guide at Mount Rushmore National Memorial incorporating narration, music, interviews, sound effects, photos, video and historic recordings of Gutzon Borglum, Lincoln Borglum, American Indians and workers.

Not only will you be able to hear the inspiring story about how and why Mount Rushmore was carved, but you will also be able to see photos and video that complement the information being heard and read on the screen.

  • Winner of the 2007 Association of Partners for Public Lands Audio Tour Award
  • Winner of the 2007 National Association of Interpretation Award for Audio Tours
  • Winner of the 2008 National Park Director’s Award for Excellence in Interpretive Media
  • Winner of the 2019 NAI Digital Media Award

Rental Fee

Individuals rent the tour for $8. Family rates and group rates available.

How It Works

Using a new device that works just like your iPhone or Android, you can easily select the information you want to learn more about. There are a total of 29 tour stops located around the park. You can either go to each location or sit in an enclosed area and experience this self-paced Mount Rushmore tour.

The tour is translated in Spanish, German, French and Lakota.

An audio-described tour is also available in English for the sight-impaired.

Listen to an audio sample of the tour!

Also included in the tour is the Junior Ranger Quest game, a new adventure that allows kids to participate in up to 16 challenges at different tour stops around the park. Once you complete 12 of 16 challenges, show your device to a ranger at the Information Center desk, and you will receive a Junior Ranger badge, just like the written Junior Ranger program. Although it’s best played at the park, the game is available as a free download on the App Store and Google Play or by searching for “Junior Ranger Quest.”