Winding drives throughout the park are most enjoyable at a slower pace. When making plans, please allow ample time to travel at a safe speed—generally 25 miles per hour or slower. Expect travel time of about
45 to 60 minutes
to enjoy Needles Highway.
Where does the Needles Highway start and end?
As part of our 7-Day Rapid City Itinerary, we suggest this nature and wildlife-filled road trip loop.
Starting at Rapid City, drive 16A to Iron Mountain Road to the East Entrance of Custer State Park
. The highly enjoyable Wildlife Loop Road will lead you to Needles Highway.
Is Needles Highway scary to drive?
Arguably the most easy-to-recognize road in the state, the Needles Highway (or Highway 87) was thought to be impossible to build but came to fruition in 1922 after workers blasted tunnels into a few of the surrounding granite “needles.” In addition to driving through the narrow tunnels,
the Needles Highway is deemed
…
Can you see Mt Rushmore from Needles Highway?
Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway
The loop includes the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road that takes drivers by granite spires, through rock tunnels and across pigtail bridges on the way to Mount Rushmore
.
Can you drive the Needles highway?
As Needles Highway is only 14 miles long,
you can most certainly drive all of it in less than an hour
. With that said, due to its one-way tunnels, tight turns, and slow driving sightseers it can be a bit slow going. To avoid max traffic congestion, drive Needles Highway in the Spring or Fall.
How many tunnels are on the Needles highway?
The highway’s
three
narrow tunnels, blasted through multiple layers of solid granite, are a highlight of the drive.
How long does it take to drive the Badlands Loop?
It would take
about one hour
to drive the 39-mile loop of South Dakota Highway 240 between the towns of Cactus Flat and Wall without stopping, but almost no one does that.
How wide is Needles Highway?
Needles Highway
Needles Eye Tunnel (Near Needle’s Eye),
8′ 9′′
wide by 9’8′′ high; Iron Creek Tunnel, 8′ 9′′ wide by 10’10” high. The Needles Highway is a spectacular drive through ponderosa pine and Black Hills spruce forests, meadows surrounded by birch and aspen, and rugged granite mountains.
How long is Needles Eye tunnel?
My favorite part of this drive is the Needles Eye Tunnel. To navigate, press the arrow keys. The Needles Highway winds through spectacular Black Hills scenery. This
14 mile
stretch of highway was completed in 1922.
Is Needles Eye tunnel one way?
Needles Eye Tunnel
The most famous part of the drive is the Needle Eye Tunnel. This
one-way
tunnel is only 8′ 4′′ wide by 12′ 0′′ high. Before entering the tunnel make sure no other car is coming from the other end and gauge the size of your vehicle. It’s a tight fit!
Does it cost money to see Mount Rushmore?
There is no entrance fee for Mount Rushmore National Memorial
. However, fees are required to park at the memorial. Parking fee is for private passenger vehicles, valid for one year from date of purchase. Parking fee for Seniors, 62 and older, is $5 and Active Duty Military parking is free.
How long is the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop?
Wildlife Loop Road travels through
18 miles
of open grasslands and pine-speckled hills that much of the park’s wildlife calls home.
Can I see Crazy Horse from the road?
Can you see Crazy Horse Memorial from the road?
Yes you can see Crazy Horse Memorial from the road
and the view is good, but to get the real experience and to learn the history about Crazy Horse then it is worth visiting and paying the crazy horse cost. You also have the option of paying the $4 for an even closer view.
What is the most scenic route through the Badlands?
Badlands Loop Road (SD 240)
is a spectacular way to see the North Unit of Badlands National Park. This two-lane paved road is appropriate for all motor vehicles but does include several steep passes and sections with reduced speed limits. Drive carefully, as wildlife is common along the Loop Road.
Can you drive through Black Hills National Forest?
The Peter Norbeck and Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byways showcase 90 miles of the Black Hills’ most scenic highways, although one will find that
all roads in the Black Hills are scenic drives
!
Who built Needles Highway?
Norbeck and Scovel Johnson
planned a road that would take people by these sites. They did not want the road to hurt the land and animals around the Needles. Johnson then built the Needles Highway. It is now Highway 87 through Custer State Park.
Is highway 83 closed in South Dakota?
U.S. Hwy 83 from south of Murdo to the city of White River is
now open
.
How much does Custer State Park cost?
The cost to go to Custer State Park is
$20 per vehicle for a 1- to a 7-day pass. An annual pass is $36
. The park is open year-round, 24 hours per day. Custer State Park passes can be purchased at any of the five entrance stations.
Will dually fit on Needles Highway?
Yes! you will fit through just fine
. no need to pull in the mirrors. In fact, its wise to leave them out to gauge the room for the dually fenders.
Where is the Needles Eye Rock?
The Needle’s Eye tunnel and formation are one of the must-see spots in Custer State Park, located
along the many twists and turns of Needles Highway
. Just southeast of Sylvan Lake, along Highway 87, this area is well worth the stop.
Are there bears in Custer State Park?
Bear Country
you will definitely see animals
elk, reindeer, mountain goats, sheep, coyotes, bears, bison, raccoons, badgers, porcupines, beavers, lynx, bobcats, fox, otters, grizzly bears, baby bears they are so adorable and some other animals.
Can you drive through the Badlands without paying?
There is an admission fee for the park – either cash or one of the various passes. But because
many of the roads in the park are also “public” roads you can get into the park from some back roads and be on the Loop Road without paying
.
How much does it cost to go through the Badlands?
Badlands National Park is waiving the typical entrances fees of
$30.00 for private vehicles, $25.00 for motorcycles and $15.00 for bicyclists
. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for camping.
Are there bears in the Badlands?
Predators like the
wolf and grizzly bear
, which once culled the bison herds are no longer allowed to live in this part of the country. Now, it is the responsibility of the park to periodically remove some of the bison, so their numbers do not increase beyond the capacity of the area to support them.
Can you drive through Custer State Park?
Custer State Park can be a drive-through
. We didn’t see wildlife on the main road, except for the donkeys! I would definitely advise taking one of the trails.
Can RVS drive on Needles Highway?
I would strongly suggest you
avoid Iron Mountain Road and Needles highway with an RV
. Both are listed on this website. There are videos on line that can give a visual. Iron Mountain has switch backs and spiral turns, Needles also has switchbacks.
Can you drive an RV to Sylvan Lake South Dakota?
If your RV is too big for those tunnels,
you can still go to Sylvan Lake from the town of Custer with an RV if you travel on SD 89
. I would park Sylvan Lake which is at the west end of the Needles Highway. The best sights are only about 1-2 miles from Sylvan Lake.
