Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park

Custer, South Dakota

4.8/5

based on 5 reviews

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Added by Ashley Stimpson

A feat of engineering, this 14-mile scenic byway in Custer National Park dives through narrow tunnels, wraps around granite spires, and offers endless instagram-worthy vistas.

Perfect for a pre or post Black Hills/Badlands adventure, Needles Highway is the joyride of a lifetime.

Entrance to Custer State Park costs 10 dollars, and do be prepared to keep it in low gear behind RVs and motorcycles. Pull-offs for photos and general marveling are frequent.

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Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park Reviews

Nicole Mattingly

Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park

08/11/23

Such a perfect motorcycle ride!

5.0

Greg C

Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park

07/06/22

If you have the time it is worth the drive just for the tunnels and scenery. However if you’d like to see these formations from a hike rather than a car, I’d suggest the Cathedral Spires trail.

4.0

Tara Schatz

Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park

11/23/20

Definitely one of the must-visit attractions if you find yourself in Custer State Park without a huge RV. The road is winding and steep, with some little tunnels that you have to drive through. There are places to stop, hike, and explore along the way.

5.0

Isaac Parsons

Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park

01/13/19

If you do not have that much time in the Hills to hike and see all the sites, this is a great drive to see the area! you get so many scenic views, and some really up close looks at the granite spires that make this area so unique! You can do it in a short span of time or make it a whole day affair with stopping at trailheads, parking spots and viewing areas!

5.0

Britnee Steenz

Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park

05/06/18

Really neat drive after a hike in Custer!

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Poet's Table

This hike starts at the Little Devil's Towers trailhead just east of Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. Follow the main trail from the parking lot about 300 yards then there will be an unmarked trail off to the left, it is a beaten path more than a trail. The trail that leads up to Poet's Table veers off the main trail at a relatively flat spot and in between to granite outcroppings. Follow the ...

Hike to Little Devil's Tower in the Black Hills

The trail starts at the Little Devil's Tower Trailhead which is located roughly one mile east of Sylvan Lake on Highway 87. Take Trail #4 for around 1/2 mile until a fork in the trail. The right fork takes you to Harney Peak, while the left takes you to Little Devils Tower. Along the trail there are a few spur trails leading to granite overlooks. One can also explore the Noble Mica Mine which i...

Cathedral Spires in the Black Hills

This is a moderate hike with a huge payout in the form of some of the Black Hills' most beautiful features — tall granite spires rising hundreds of feet above the surrounding terrain, reaching a maximum height of 6,860 feet. Starting from the Cathedral Spires Trailhead --where you may be treated to epic views of climbers above the parking lot dangling off ropes and pulling some serious stone -...

Camp at Sylvan Lake Campground

Hike Sunday Gulch Loop

To get to Sunday Gulch Trail you will need to walk around Sylvan Lake to the Northwest End of the Lake, there is a loop all the way around the lake, so either way will take you there. You will see a sign for Sunday Gulch Trail, it is trail #6. The trail itself can be quite steep in places but it does have hand railing for much of the steep downhill on boulders. There is a creek that flows alon...

Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park

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Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park Reviews

Leave No Trace

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Poet's Table

Hike to Little Devil's Tower in the Black Hills

Cathedral Spires in the Black Hills

Camp at Sylvan Lake Campground

Hike Sunday Gulch Loop

Black Elk Peak and Little Devil's Tower Loop

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