The viewing deck is perfect for gawking. Mount Rushmore is a tremendous sight. But now newly constructed footpaths make it possible to get a closer look. You still can't pat Washington on the nose, but you get a clearer view of his nostrils. The Mount Rushmore gift shop is exactly what you'd expect - an eclectic mix of tasteful and tacky.
Snacks are available, too.
Borglum's on-site studio is open to visitors, with interesting displays chronicling how the famous faces were blasted out of rock. Too many Mount Rushmore neophytes forget to return after sundown. Every night at 9 o'clock, there is a simple but moving lighting ceremony when Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln seem to suddenly spring in ivory tones from the pitch darkness. The crowd inevitably oohs and aahs. Yet, like a great painting in a museum, Mount Rushmore can be looked at only so long before there is an urge to move on.