Weather early December?

Hi,

My family and I are planning a visit to Mount Rushmore in early Dec. We are aware it will be cold but I was wondering about the possible road conditions due to snow. Do the roads become blocked/dangerous. We are planning on hiring 2 4WD SUV and have driven in heavy snow in Colorado and Minnesota. We just don%26#39;t want to spend 3 days in our hotel room!!

Thanks

Weather early December?

There%26#39;s always a chance in the winter that your trip could correspond with a storm. But usually a good visit can be had any time in the year. The Needles Highway will almost certainly be closed and Iron Mountain Road will probably be closed but it%26#39;s worth to look to see if the gates are open. Otherwise, all major roads are open.

Keep in mind it gets dark very early that time of year. It will be light from about 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. When I%26#39;ve vacationed in the off season, I%26#39;ve sprung for nice hotel rooms--so you don%26#39;t mind spending time in your room. Staying in Rapid City that time of year also isn%26#39;t a bad idea as there is ample dining. Keystone gets pretty lonely but there are a few things open.