Needles Highway Guide
Fourteen miles of granite spires, tight curves and two one-lane tunnels in the Black Hills
Updated: October 17, 2026 | 14 miles | 60+ minutes | $25 park license
Quick Answer: What is the Needles Highway?
Needles Highway is the 14-mile stretch of SD 87 through the northern part of Custer State Park, with Sylvan Lake at its upper end. Plan on 60 minutes or more. The tightest tunnel is 8 feet 0 inches wide and 9 feet 9 inches high, the road closes to cars with the first snow, and every vehicle needs the $25 park entrance license.
Where is Needles Highway?
Needles Highway is inside Custer State Park, in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota. It climbs past the Cathedral Spires and the Needles Eye, a thin granite formation with a gap near its top, and tops out at Sylvan Lake. The closest towns are Custer and Hill City.
How long does the Needles Highway drive take?
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks lists the drive at 14 miles and 60+ minutes. That is driving time. Add the stops: the pull-outs near the Cathedral Spires fill fast on summer afternoons, and cars wait their turn at each one-lane tunnel. Two hours is a comfortable plan if you want to walk around at the Needles Eye or Sylvan Lake.
Pair it with the other two park drives on the same GFP scenic drives page: Iron Mountain Road (17 miles, 60+ minutes, toward Mount Rushmore) and the Wildlife Loop Road (18 miles, about 1 hour 30 minutes). Our Black Hills scenic drives guide maps all of them.
Is Needles Highway open?
From April to the first snow, yes. Game, Fish and Parks closes Needles Highway to vehicles with the first snow of the season and does not reopen it until April 1, or later if conditions require. The state publishes no fixed dates, so check SD511 or the Custer State Park page before a late-fall trip. While the road is closed to cars, it stays open for hiking, biking, snowshoeing and skiing.
Can my RV fit through the Needles Eye Tunnel?
Measure before you go. Two state agencies publish clearances for the tunnels on Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road, and their numbers differ:
| Tunnel | Route | Game, Fish and Parks | SD DOT | Plan for (the smaller number) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needles Eye | SD 87 (Needles Highway) | 8 ft 0 in wide x 9 ft 9 in high | 8 ft 4 in wide x 11 ft 3 in high | 8 ft 0 in wide x 9 ft 9 in high |
| Iron Creek | SD 87 (Needles Highway) | 8 ft 9 in wide x 10 ft 10 in high | 9 ft 0 in wide x 11 ft 4 in high | 8 ft 9 in wide x 10 ft 10 in high |
| Hood | SD 87 (north of Sylvan Lake) | Not listed | 10 ft 6 in wide x 9 ft 10 in high | 10 ft 6 in wide x 9 ft 10 in high (DOT only) |
| Doane Robinson | US 16A (Iron Mountain Road) | 12 ft 0 in wide x 11 ft 4 in high | 13 ft 2 in wide x 12 ft 2 in high | 12 ft 0 in wide x 11 ft 4 in high |
| C.C. Gideon | US 16A (Iron Mountain Road) | 11 ft 6 in wide x 10 ft 9 in high | 13 ft 0 in wide x 11 ft 0 in high | 11 ft 6 in wide x 10 ft 9 in high |
| Scovel Johnson | US 16A (Iron Mountain Road) | 10 ft 9 in wide x 11 ft 0 in high | 13 ft 2 in wide x 12 ft 4 in high | 10 ft 9 in wide x 11 ft 0 in high |
The two agencies publish different numbers for the same tunnels. Neither source says why. If you drive an RV, a trailer or any tall or wide vehicle, use the smaller number for each tunnel, and confirm with Game, Fish and Parks or SD DOT before you travel. SD DOT says commercial traffic should not use these sections of SD 87 and US 16A as through routes.
Sources: SD Game, Fish and Parks: Custer State Park scenic drives and SD DOT Motor Carrier Handbook, Table 18: South Dakota tunnel locations. Last checked October 18, 2026.
Many motorhomes are taller than 9 feet 9 inches, or wider than 8 feet once you count the mirrors. If yours is close, take SD 89 instead.
“Due to low, narrow tunnels, large RVs or vehicles towing campers should avoid Needles Highway (SD Hwy 87N) and approach the area using SD Highway 89 north from US Highway 16A in Custer.”
Do you have to pay to drive Needles Highway?
Yes. Needles Highway runs through Custer State Park, so you need a park entrance license. A temporary license is $25 per vehicle or $20 per motorcycle, good for seven days and expiring at 6 p.m. on the seventh day, according to South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. The same license covers the Wildlife Loop, Sylvan Lake and the rest of the park.
Where to stay near Needles Highway
- Custer State Park lodges: Sylvan Lake Lodge sits at the top of the drive. The in-park lodges are seasonal.
- Custer hotels: the closest town, with the park, Crazy Horse and the caves nearby.
- Hill City hotels: a central base between Needles Highway and Mount Rushmore.
Still choosing a base? Compare every area in our Black Hills hotels guide.
Needles Highway FAQ
How long does the Needles Highway drive take?
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks puts the 14-mile drive at 60 minutes or more. Pull-outs, traffic at the tunnels and photo stops stretch it, so plan on more in summer.
Is Needles Highway open in winter?
No. Needles Highway closes to vehicles with the first snow of the season and does not reopen until April 1 or later, depending on conditions. While it is closed to cars, it stays open for hiking, biking, snowshoeing and skiing.
Can an RV fit through the Needles Eye Tunnel?
Most cannot. The Needles Eye Tunnel is 8 feet 0 inches wide and 9 feet 9 inches high. Game, Fish and Parks tells large RVs and vehicles towing campers to avoid Needles Highway and use SD Highway 89 north from US 16A in Custer instead.
Do you have to pay to drive Needles Highway?
Yes. Needles Highway runs through Custer State Park, so every vehicle needs a park entrance license. A temporary license is $25 per vehicle or $20 per motorcycle and is valid for seven days.
Sources: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Custer State Park scenic drives, park entrance licenses and Custer State Park, read October 17, 2026. Tunnel sizes and road policies can change, so recheck before an RV trip.