Custer State Park and Needles Highway
Needles Highway is one of those experiences you do not want to miss when traveling to South Dakota! Needles Highway is just the icing on the cake of Custer State Park, which is incredible in of itself. Needles Eye Tunnel is the cherry on top!
As you are entering Custer State Park from the Sylvan Lake area, you’ll see signs directing you to Needles Highway. The tall pointed rock structures, or needles, will begin to come into view as you wind through the mountains.
Soon the rock formations become very concentrated and narrow down to a tunnel. This is Needles Eye Tunnel. Only one car can get through the tunnel at a time and traffic is coming from both directions. Cars patiently take turns going through the tunnel where you can pull off on either side. I didn’t think it was scary, although it’s a little anxiety inducing maybe if you’re claustrophobic.
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As you keep winding through the mountains on Needles Highway, you will get to Iron Creek Tunnel. It’s a short tunnel that’s still very cool. It’s only inches wider than Needles Eye Tunnel at 8′ 9″, so still one car at a time. Luckily, we didn’t meet anyone as we were cruising through.
Continuing through Custer State Park, you will come across several campgrounds, lodges and picnic areas. There is Legion Lake Campground and Legion Lake Lodge around, of course, Legion Lake. This lodge has a grill with lakeside dining right on the deck. Shopping, cabins and water sport rentals also available here.
Blue Bell Lodge and Blue Bell Campground looks like a fun place to stay with the covered wagon out front. They have a restaurant, shopping, cabins and even a chapel. Between Legion and Blue Bell, as you pass by Mount Coolidge you will see the Fire Tower if you look really closely.
Wildlife Loop Road does not disappoint with all of the wildlife and scenic views. We were able to see buffalo pretty closely, since they were coming over to cross the road that we were driving on! The antelope were also very near the road. I love the markings on the envelope. One of the cutest things was the burros. They actually came up to the vehicle in front of us. They are nicknamed the begging burros, even though I still consider them wildlife and wouldn’t feed them!
Just south of Wildlife Loop Road, and connecting to Custer State Park, is Wind Cave National Park. This is another wonderful area to explore. There was no cave entrance allowed while we were there. The visitor center was also closed. We did notice cabins, wildlife and beautiful scenery. We loved the arched base bridge over Beaver Creek.
While we were at Custer State Park, it began to snow pretty hard. We were loving the snow, but it was getting really cold and messy so after a stop around State Game Lodge for some pics, we ended up heading towards the East Entrance to go back to Rapid City. The State Game Lodge looks amazing though. This lodge not only offers the usual shopping, dining and cabins, there is also a general store nearby.
It was a beautiful setting in the snow. Looks like a place I wouldn’t mind staying in. Another Hallmark Movie scene. Haha We also saw some wild turkeys crossing the road very near the lodge here.
If the weather would have cooperated, we would’ve been happy to spend much more time at Custer State Park. Plan on a couple of days here to really get to experience it. We were here for parts of two different days. There is still so much I would love to see here. Boating, camping, hiking, fishing, tours, events and even Playhouse theater with a variety of shows are additional activities you can engage in. So actually, you could spend many days here. What a fun vacation destination. We will definitely have to go back.
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About Us
We are Bud and Debbie Lilly, two travel lovers from Texas. Spending an enormous amount of time researching each location to find the best places to eat, sites to see and things to do is actually something I love to do. Not for everyone, I know. But, we are blogging our experiences to let you know what you can expect in each location and so you don’t have to redo the research. Let us know if you go on any of the same trips and if you find places that impress you. We would love to hear from you!
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Wow, this place is super cool! I would love to drive among the rock formations! I’ll have to recommend this to my parents who live in South Dakota!
Your parents live in an awesome state!! I bet they will love Custer State Park!
Gorgeous pics (especially the closeups of the animals). So cool!
Thanks Danielle! Glad you enjoyed them!
What amazing rock formations! And I love the wildlife there.
Aren’t the “needles” cool?!
So glad you enjoyed this area! It was a walk down memory lane to experience it through your eyes! Such great fun and memories of this area!
Glad you enjoyed it, Barbara. It is an awesome area to visit!
That tunnel looks like fun to drive through! I love all the photos with all the rock formations too. looks like you guys had fun… even in the snow!
The tunnel was cool! Yes, the snow was an added bonus for us!!
Looks like you guys got close to the bison! Love your videos!
Yes, very close to the bison and other wildlife! Thanks Jill!!
I want to see a buffalo that close. Beautiful scenery.
They are really incredible animals!
Lots of great wildlife. The rock formations are spectacular, I think I would have just a bit of anxiety driving through some parts.
I loved the rock formations too. Maybe going on a tour would help 🙂
I’m going to have to get up that way. This post is very inspiring. Thank you!
Thanks Suz! Glad to hear that! It’s our purpose!
I need to drive the needle highway! It just looks like such a cool drive!
It is Suzan! You would love it!
I bet it was so pretty in the snow! We missed the last snow fall by two days when we went and it had melted for the most part by the time we got there 🙂 Prob a good thing cause we slept in tents! LOL
It was gorgeous! But, I wouldn’t want to be camping in it!
Looks like a place my hubby might actually like. Depending on the day I might feel to claustrophobic but would love to try it. It looks amazing!
I felt like there was plenty of room for our rental van. The video will give you a better perspective. Hope you are able to enjoy it one day!
I totally mis-read & thought it said Custer SKATE Park & I thought you guys were going skateboarding haha. Great photos though, looks like you both had a wonderful time.
Hahaha Yeh I don’t get to skate parks much! Lol
Thanks, yes it was fabulous!
Custer State Park is amazing! I loved going through the needles hwy!
Me too! I agree, Lisa!!
My kids would love driving through the tunnel. This looks like a really interesting place to visit.
We loved it too! So cool!
I never knew South Dakota had such amazing views! I’d most like to visit Custer State Park and the Needle Highway – that’s so amazing that they built a highway right through the mountain and rock!
I wasn’t sure what to expect either! We were very impressed.
This looks like a great place to visit. The tunnels are a little scary but everything else looks very interesting. The photos were stunning. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Sabrina! The tunnels are really cool! I think you would like them!
We were there last month and planned to travel all 3 scenic roads. We had car trouble so only drove Iron Mountain. We plan to go back next summer to hit Needles and the Wildlife Loop. I love your snow pictures!
I’m so sorry about your car troubles. We loved the snow, but we missed Iron Mountain Road because the weather was getting too bad. I’m glad you got to see it tho!
What a nice trip! The snow, as much as I don’t like it, is definitely beautiful! Id rather watch it snow from in my warm home though!
Haha Yes, the snow was beautiful! We just had to get out in it for a bit!
Sounds like a great place to visit! I love all the wildlife!
It’s pretty amazing! Not animals I see everyday for sure!
I love this area, but it has been years since I’ve been there.. I’m ready to go back after reminiscing with your amazing pictures!
Thank you Holly! It’s definitely a place I would love to go back to also!
We love visiting that area. We’ve taken our horses the ride in Wind Cave and Custer. Loved your quick video of driving through the tunnel. We didn’t travel this year, but the clip made me feel like I was right back there.
Oh that’s awesome Laura! What beautiful places to ride horses. Glad you enjoyed the video 🙂