Seasonal Rangers

Thanks to donor support, we provide annual funding for seasonal rangers and the interpretive programs they provide. Last year alone, Mount Rushmore Society donors funded National Park Service seasonal rangers, who gave 5,398 interpretive programs about the carving and Lakota culture in and around the park. The programs reached more than 350,000 people.

One of the most popular programs that our seasonal rangers give during the summer is during the Evening Lighting Ceremony. Each night in the summer season, thousands gather together for this ceremony at Mount Rushmore in the Amphitheater. At the end of the program, literally hundreds of men and women from the armed forces gather on the stage to help retire the flag for the evening.

As individuals, they represent dozens of different viewpoints, cultures, professions and experiences. But each night, they come together remembering the common bond of their oath to “defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic” and are recognized for the service that they have provided to their country. It is a sight to behold and an emotional experience for participants and viewers alike. You can help support programs like these!