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Needles Highway

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Needles Highway
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About
Wind your way through the hairpin turns and one-lane tunnels of this scenic drive within Custer State Park. Driving through the 14-mile Needles Highway in the rocky landscape of southwestern South Dakota is an adrenaline-filled experience. You’ll get to enjoy fantastic views of the monumental Cathedral Spires and other natural landmarks within the Black Hills, as well as spot plenty of wildlife—including buffaloes. Make sure you stop by the stunning Sylvan Lake to unwind and maybe stay the night at the lodge. If driving is not your thing, you can hop on a tour bus to explore the area. – Tripadvisor
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  • slightlyheavy
    Moose Jaw, Canada303 contributions
    Good even in the fog
    We drove through on a rainy overcast day. When we started our drive through we didn’t know if we would be able to see anything. The foggy cloudy sky made some of the needle formations harder to see but made for some amazing pictures when we could see. The highway is quite tight with several single lane tunnels along the way. It took a long time to go through stopping lots to view the different rock formations.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 14, 2023
  • Villagesre
    The Villages, Florida1,116 contributions
    Excellent Drive with Great Views.
    Our second time here, the last was over 10 years ago. We went in late in the afternoon this time, very little traffic, and plenty of time to stop in the pullouts to take pictures. This drive is about 14 miles long, and takes at least an hour with the narrow road and many blind hairpin turns . Take your time, and use the pullouts to see some great views. All of Custer Park is well worth spending some time there.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 16, 2023
  • gerri624
    Sylvan Beach, New York193 contributions
    Breath-taking!
    Very scenic drive. It is a very winding narrow drive that is amazing. You will see cathedral spire mountains, tunnels, rolling hills, amazing rock formations, and wildlife. There are several spots where you can pullover to enjoy the view and/or take pictures. Definitely a must do.
    Visited July 2023
    Written July 31, 2023
  • Old Panther
    Bainbridge, Georgia264 contributions
    Loved It!
    Loved the Black Hills including of course Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse - creations of man into the creations of the Good Lord - and really loved the creations of Him on this Highway! One amazing sight after the other. The rock formations are beautiful and I took a couple of a zillion photos - none of which can capture the true beauty. But I sure did enjoy trying! Highly recommend the Black Hill’s and definitely including this amazing drive!
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written September 2, 2023
  • Nick M
    Sheridan, Wyoming120 contributions
    One of the Black Hills Essential Scenic Drives!
    While this stretch of highway isn’t that long mileage- wise, expect it to take at least an hour to drive if you plan on stopping for the many photo ops along the way. Add additional time if planning to walk the path at the serene Sylvan Lake. The rock formations and scenic vistas are stunning. If going through in the summer, expect your experience to be diminished as there will be ALOT of traffic. Spring or fall is the best time to go to the Black Hills and it’s not even close! Do not be in a hurry as the road can be narrow and there a lot of twists and turns. Also be aware of wildlife and other visitors in the road.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written September 10, 2023
  • kirbykirby
    Junction City, Kansas75 contributions
    wonderful drive
    slow down and enjoy the drive. it really is amazing to see and drive. my only suggestion would be when driving through the "eyes" make sure you honk your horn to let others you are driving through. park off on the side to get some really great pictures.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 16, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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spitzy135
Buffalo, NY884 contributions
Incredible Must See Drive
Jun 2022
Driving the Needles Scenic Highway in Custer State Park definitely lived up to the hype. What a thrilling drive! But, we are crazy people who like driving twisty, curvy, narrow roads, winding through mountains and gorgeous scenery. Driving through the Needles Eye Tunnel was a real adrenalin rush. This was the narrowest tunnel we have ever driven through, and we made it through without a scrape! If you’re not up to this kind of driving gymnastics, you can always book a tour bus. Just don’t miss this drive, it is that spectacular.

We drove Needles from south to north, as some have suggested, starting at the Wilson Corner Station on Route 16A. Make the turn onto Needles Scenic Drive, Route 87 and keep following this road north. The first several miles are nothing special, but once you drive through Iron Creek Tunnel, it starts to get interesting. The Cathedral Spires area is just stunning. Then you get your turn driving through the “Needle.” This tunnel is only 8 feet wide and 9 feet 9 inches tall. The sign doesn’t say how long it is, but it is the longest tunnel of the bunch too. It’s white knuckle all the way driving slowly through it, hoping you don’t scrape your vehicle in the process. It’s hard to believe that tour buses can make it through this tunnel, although I’ve heard some have scrapes on their side mirrors as proof! The area after the tunnel at the Needles Scenic Overlook is equally amazing. Keep going and you’ll wind up at Sylvan Lake. Definitely make a stop here too to take in the beauty of this lovely idyllic lake for some great photo ops.

Don’t confuse the Needles Scenic Drive with the Iron Mountain Scenic Drive. Needles is route 87 and runs up to Hill City. Iron Mountain is Route 16A and is near Mt. Rushmore and Keystone. Iron Mt. Rd. is the one where you can see Mt. Rushmore “framed” in the three tunnels on that scenic drive. That is another must see drive you need to include in your Black Hills visit.
Written July 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RecreationV
New York City, NY384 contributions
Fun to Drive
Jun 2019
Drive this road and take your time. It is scenic, with twists and turns and some of the narrowest tunnels ever. Pull over in multiple places to enjoy the views, rock formations and the wildlife. The mountain goats were the most fun, they seem to effortlessly climb straight up the walls. How do they do that?
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nyormirror
Bay City, MI1,274 contributions
It's Distinct Landscape Will Surprise You!
Aug 2020
The different and spectacular views of 14 mile section of SD 87 offers wilderness, rock formations, wildlife, water and much more. Switchbacks, tight turns, narrow tunnels and world class views are everything you can expect. The roads name comes from the needle-like granite formations that pierce the horizon along the highway.

The speeds are usually 25 mph or less and the travel time is 45 minutes to an 1 hour without stops. Needles Highway is not RV friendly. I would definitely recommend and would return.
Written September 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suzanne
Dallas, TX158 contributions
Unique drive
Sep 2022
This is a beautiful drive with many pull offs for photo ops. The landscape is just so unique, it was a treat to drive amongst and actually through the needle like projections. So cool! This is part of Custer State Park at the Sylvan Lake area and does require a fee but is well worth it. We drove the highway in the fall which just added to the beauty of it all! Fantastic!
Written October 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SneakinDeacon
Christiansburg, VA1,484 contributions
SIMPLY AMAZING
Jun 2021
Words can not describe just how amazing the Needles Highway is. This thrilling road runs through Custer State Park, but the entry fee is worth every penny. I entered the Needles Highway off U. S. Highway 385 just a few miles from the Crazy Horse Memorial. Soon after entering the park the amazing views began. Do not do this drive unless you have plenty of time because you will be constantly stopping for photos and to take in the wonderful views. Sylvan Lake great but just a prelude to what is to come as you wind your way through the rocky landscape toward Cathedral Spires. Along the way you will move slowly through the Needles Eye Tunnel which is simple unbelievable. I traveled the Needles Highway all the way through from Highway 385 to U. S. Highway 16-A. Even Though it is only distance of about 20 or 25 miles the journey took me a little over two hours as I was treated to spectacular beauty at every turn and kept stopping for pictures. Along the way, I saw a variety of wildlife including deer, a bear and buffalo. This is one of the most amazing drives in the country and should be done when you have plenty of time.
Written March 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard K
Yakima, WA346 contributions
Incredible Drive
May 2021
We were lucky enough to go through here in May before the heavy tourist season. This is a must do drive if you are visiting Mount Rushmore. Plan on taking a couple of hours at least so you can stop often and hike and take pictures. The rock formations are pretty spectacular and the views phenomenal. You go through roughly ten one-way tunnels. These are hewn through the solid rock and each one is an experience to go through. Two of them were specifically designed and placed to give you a view of Mount Rushmore when you look through one end of the tunnel. This is a very windy road so be prepared to take your time and be aware if you get car sick easily. One of the highlights of our trip.
Written May 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ShuL-0831123
Pittsburgh, PA198 contributions
Absolutely Stunning (and a bit scary)
Oct 2020
It's a beautiful drive that rewards you with breathtaking views and keeps your heart racing the entire ride - not just from the beauty, but also because of the heights.

We decided to take this scenic drive to Sylvan Lake, and I'm so glad we had - even though I'm terrified of heights and literally closed my eyes briefly at a couple of spots.

So this is an absolutely amazing drive. The view at the top was absolutely stunning! And the view coming out of the second tunnel (going towards Sylvan Lake) was so impressive! If you take the drive from this direction, I recommend slowing down to pull over coming out.

The entire drive was just so rewarding. However, you need to be ready to drive with the feeling that you can go off the cliff at times. It's pretty narrow and winding for the most part.
Written October 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Disneybus
Pittsgrove, NJ859 contributions
Roads?! Where we're going We don't need Roads!!! (yes you do)
Jun 2021
Fantastic ride! The views, turns, and shouts kept coming! Around every turn you'll see beautiful sites of the Black Hills, from rolling hills to the famous Needles rock formations. This is one of Peter Norbeck's engineering marvel highways, the others being Iron Mountain and the Wildlife loop roads. Be sure to stop at the many cutoffs to marvel in the scenery and take those photos. The highlights are the needles rock formation along with the carved out tunnels. Be patient waiting in line to pass through the tunnels; if you are impatient it will lessen your experience but we found it rather fun jockeying for position. Some travelers have a person jump out on the opposite side to get pictures of their car coming through. It can be a challenging ride for some, but we found it very manageable. The only problem was trying to drive while engaging in the sites, that's why pulling over is necessary.
Written July 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
traveling_smiles
Longmont, CO503 contributions
Needles only near the Sylvan Lake end
Jul 2020
We drove this from Sylvan lake down and I wish I'd spent more time appreciating the needles at the start as that's where you get the closest to them and toward the end there aren't any. We enjoyed a short hike off the highway about halfway through. The tunnels are narrow and wouldn't be suited to hauling a trailer nor a large RV.
Written July 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RYC88
Centreville, VA1,266 contributions
Wonderful scenery and great adventuresome road
Jul 2021
The fun twists and turns and great tunnels and beautiful scenery make this a must-do road. It's a great part of the loop that you can take from Mt. Rushmore to the Crazy Horse Memorial and then down to Custer State Park. There are plenty of places to pull over and see the wonderful spires and interesting rock formations. Plus, the tunnels are so much fun to go through and it's also fun to just watch the big pick-ups have to fold in their rearview mirrors to get through.
Written August 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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