Needles Highway
SD 87Custer to Sylvan Lake · South Dakota
Distance8.4mi · 13.5 km
Drive time19 minon the road
DifficultyModerate
MountainForest
Granite spires and tunnels barely wider than a car, in the Black Hills.
SD 87, the Needles Highway, threads through the granite spires of the Black Hills on a road of tight curves and rock tunnels cut so narrow that larger vehicles can't pass. Open in the warmer months; mind the one-lane tunnels, the sharp blind bends, and the heavy summer traffic.
Where it runs
CusterStart · South Dakota
Sylvan LakeEnd · United States
Character
Corners40bends
Tightness7of 10
Max gradient7%≈ 1-in-14
Hairpins0tight bends
Climb105 mtotal ascent
Summit1768 mhighest point · 5801 ft
SpringSummerAutumn
Elevation
301 m rangeKnow before you go
- One-lane rock tunnels
- Sharp blind bends
- Heavy summer traffic
Sources
Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Needles Highway.
