Fireworks are back at Mount Rushmore! The State of South Dakota is partnering with the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service for a signature Freedom 250 event at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial this Friday, July 3, 2026.
Like in 2020, the event is ticketed and tickets were chosen by a public ticket lottery. The results were announced on April 14, 2026. As a result, only lottery ticket winners will be admitted to the event at Mount Rushmore on July 3rd. You can learn more about the event itself here, but it’s important to note a few items for anyone visiting the 1880 Train during the holiday weekend.
Road Closures for Mount Rushmore Fireworks
If you are planning to visit Mount Rushmore, be aware that the Mount Rushmore National Memorial will be closed to the general public on the evening of July 2nd and remain closed on July 3rd. It will resume regular hours on July 4th with Independence Day programming available to all visitors. The Memorial grounds will be open from 5 a.m., and special events kick off at 9 a.m. local time. More information about the events are available on the National Park Service website.
Temporary road closures to be aware of include:
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U.S. Highway 16A and S.D. Highway 244 will be in place on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 11 p.m. (MT) through approximately 11 p.m. (MT) on Friday, July 3, 2026.
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A temporary road closure on Highway 16A will be located just west of the Keystone Mall south to Grizzly Gulch Road.
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A temporary closure is also planned on Highway 244 from the junction with Highway 16A south and west to the Wrinkled Rock Trailhead.
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Motorists will not be able to access Iron Mountain Road or Highway 244 from Keystone during the planned closure. However, the routes will be open if accessed from alternate directions.
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The Black Hills National Forest will also implement temporary road and area closures during and around the time of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial fireworks show. The closures will include Breezy Point and Wrinkled Rock Recreation Areas, their access roads (National Forest System Roads 442, and 442.1A) and Lafferty Gulch Road (National Forest System Road 751). The closures will be in effect from July 2 through July 3.
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Signage and barriers will be removed at the end of the closure period.
Watch Live!
If you can’t make it, you can still watch the fireworks online at TravelSouthDakota.com/RushmoreFireworks.
For a full list of road closures with maps, visit the SDDOT website at dot.sd.gov.
