Needles Highway, South Dakota

South Dakota Highway 87, known as the Needles Highway, is one of the most spectacular scenic drives in the country.  Stretching between US Hwy 16A at its south end and US Hwy 385 on the north, it's intersected by SD-89/Sylvan Lake Road at the Sylvan Lake entrance.  It crosses through Custer State Park and the Black Hills National Forest, both havens for outdoor recreationists.  The best views are seen when travelling south to north.

Before planning your trip, note the following:

• The road is closed in the winter from the first snow until April 1 or later, depending on the weather.
• No trailers are permitted on  this road due to tight switchbacks and narrow lanes.
• Large vehicles will not fit through the tunnels!  The narrowest point is 8' wide and 9'8" high.  It's a very tight squeeze for a dually pickup and RVs of any kind will not fit.
• This is a narrow road with steep drop offs, many without guardrails.  Be patient, drive slow, and always keep safety in mind.  Travel through the tunnels alternates directions one at a time, so don't crowd the entrances/exits and give plenty of space.

Driving the Needles Highway requires entrance to Custer State Park, which is a $20 fee per vehicle and is good for 7 consecutive days (if you'll be staying longer, an annual park entrance fee is $36).  The entrance fee is also good at other South Dakota state parks within the paid timeframe, so plan ahead and make the most of your visit.

Although summer is obviously the best time to travel this route, I drove it on June 30 and was caught in the middle of a few days of torrential rain and thunderstorms in the area, putting a damper on my hiking plans and limiting outdoor excursions.  However, there was much less traffic on the Needles Highway than I'd anticipated and the wait time to drive through the Needles Eye Tunnel was less than 10 minutes.  On a typical day, you'll want to allow an hour to drive the 14-mile road straight through from end to end.  However, there are plenty of great hiking trails along the way, as well as Sylvan Lake, so you could easily spend all day on this route.

The south end of the Needles Highway begins 8 miles east of Custer, SD on US-16A.  The road wanders through the forest without anything significant in the way of views for awhile and the first tunnel you'll reach is the Iron Creek Tunnel.  When I drove it, I was following a mid-90s model Dodge Ram dually from Oregon that barely fit between the tunnel walls.  The road continues to meander while gaining elevation and once the rock spires come into view, it's hard to keep your attention on the road (I should note that all photos on this page were pulled from video shot from my dashboard-mounted GoPro and both hands were always on the wheel).  At this point, it's worth it to stop at any pull-outs if there's a free space just to take in the views.  There are several stretches of road without guardrails, so be watchful for oncoming traffic and wait at wider spots in the road so everyone can pass safely.

A series of switchbacks in the road will indicate you're almost to the Needles Eye Tunnel.  Traffic will likely be backed up as only one vehicle can pass through the tunnel at a time and passage requires some careful navigation by drivers of larger vehicles.  When you reach the front of the line on the SE side of the tunnel, it's difficult to see around the rocks.  Since vehicles proceed through the tunnel in alternating directions, resist the urge to move forward to see the entrance as you could block the exit for the oncoming vehicle.  Wait patiently for it to pass and then proceed slowly.  Once you pass through the tunnel, it's tempting to park in the pull-out on the left to take photos.  However, there's another pull-out just ahead on the right that will be much easier to navigate in and out of if you're continuing on to the north.

Popular Sylvan Lake isn't much farther ahead, along with a few trailheads.  Upon reaching Sylvan Lake, you can turn left and return to Custer via SD-89/Sylvan Lake Road or continue north on SD-87 to US-385.  If proceeding north on the Needles Highway, you'll encounter a final one-way tunnel, Hood Tunnel, as you descend to the valley.

The Needles Highway ends about halfway between Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial.  To reach Mount Rushmore, turn right on to US-385 for just a short distance before turning right again onto SD-244, the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, which will take you directly to Mount Rushmore.  Because it's a national monument managed by the National Park Service, entrance to Mount Rushmore is subject to park fees as well as a parking fee.  To reach Crazy Horse Memorial from the Needles Highway, turn left on US-385 instead and follow the signs for the memorial.  Entrance to Crazy Horse has a fee that includes parking, but does not include tickets to the bus tour that visits the base of the mountain.  Allow ample time to explore the museum as well.