This post is a part of my Black Hills Road Trip Series

Wondering which Mount Rushmore movie scene to reenact during your vacation in the Black Hills?

With rumors of a Mount Rushmore secret room and the monument being used as a coverup for government conspiracies swirling about pop culture, it’s hard not to get swept up in the theatrics of it all.

But it’s not hard to imagine why the creators of North by Northwest and National Treasure 2 picked Mount Rushmore as the backdrop for the most intense moments of their movies. I mean, just look at it.

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So important. Much wow.

Mount Rushmore Movie Scene Movies filmed at Mount Rushmore

I made my sister pull over to take this picture.

North by Northwest Mount Rushmore Movie Scene

I took a film class focusing primarily on Hitchcock my senior year of college and North by Northwest was by far my favorite movie we studied. I loved the pace. I loved the hijinks. I loved the soundtrack (the iconic theme definitly made an appearance on my Instagram story the day of my visit).

I loved the film so much that I was disappointed that while visiting Mount Rushmore, I learned that the average visitor isn’t allowed up onto the cliff face. Apparently, only the people who work on cleaning the monument are allowed to do that…so my dream of reenacting this heroic Cary Grant stunt was crushed.

You can, however, have lunch in the Carver Cafè, home of the infamous North by Northwest surprise shooting scene. Although the cafè has been remodeled since it’s appearance in the movie, it still has the marvelous floor-to-ceiling windows which offer views of the Mount Rushmore that can’t be beat.

The Carver Cafè dining room.

The same great view! Hasn’t changed since 1959.

National Treasure Mount Rushmore Movie Scene

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I’m going to steal the Declaration of Independence. Oh whoops, wrong movie! The much acclaimed (lols) sequel National Treasure 2 was also partially filmed around Mount Rushmore. There’s just something about big stone presidents carved into a mountain that screams “PUT ME IN YOUR MOVIE” I guess.

I was actually pretty excited about walking where Nicolas Cage walked. I mean, he’s the guy everyone loves to hate. The Nickelback of actors.

But once again, the film features people who definitly didn’t pay the $10 entrance fee just casually walking along the TOP of the monument, instead of the lovely walking paths down below. So I definitly didn’t get to walk where Nicholas Cage walked.

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Such a disappointment.

My main goal in life is now to create something so culturally and politically important that I am one of the people who is allowed to climb up the faces of Mount Rushmore. Who knows, maybe this post will be that thing.

But I really doubt it!

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Looking for some Ireland travel inspiration?

For amazing Ireland travel inspiration, look no farther than the 2010 CLASSIC Leap Year.

Staring Amy Adams, the film is filled with so much Irish inspo that we suspect it’s all a ploy of the Irish Tourism Board. Here are 29 times that Leap Year was your all time favorite movie (aka 29 reasons to head over to the Emerald Isle ASAP, no matter the year):

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