It is truly a wonderland at the tops of these peaks. At the top you will find the trail connects to a network of trails that run to places like Little Devil’s Tower and Black Elk Peak. The trail is very popular and the parking area is often full. It’s about three miles total (out and back), and the setting at the top is a picturesque valley surrounded with needle spires (like standing in the center of a granite crown). We recommend the moderate Cathedral Spires hike to everyone who can handle uneven ground with some scrambling. and we’ll send it on over! Cathedral Spires Trailhead - Needles Highway SD Needles Highway SD It’s called, “Cultivating a Lifetime of Travel”. We think it’s pretty great, and we’re pretty sure you’ll like it, too. It is our professionally designed e-book and it is FREE of charge. If you love to travel, or love the idea of traveling more, better, or different, we have something we would like to give you. If you continue to climb up the hillside the views open up even more. The needle (pictured below left) is best viewed by hiking up the hillside fifty feet where you can stand atop a viewing area. When you arrive at the first tunnel there will be room to park on the right side (a small amount on the left as well). Needles Highway SD Next Stop: The Needle’s EyeĪ significant point-of-interest on the Needles Highway SD is The Needle’s Eye, located 1.5 miles from Sylvan Lake. To read more about hiking Black Elk Peak, check out our family experience. Look for the trailhead sign near the small bathroom. Drive through the gate and approach the lake, then follow the road around the right side and park in the loop near the swimming/picnic area. The trailhead is found on the east side of Sylvan Lake. The path becomes steep at the top, but there is nothing terribly dynamic to dissuade those motivated enough to make the journey. Endlessly magnificent in it’s grandeur, the payoff offers stunning, 360-degree, mountaintop views.Īlso known as Trail #9, and formerly called the Harney Peak trail (map), the Black Elk Peak trail is a moderate, seven-mile out-and-back stroll into the heart of the Black Hills. At 7400′, this is the highest peak in the state. The natural beauty of the Black Hills culminates emphatically in the Black Elk Wilderness, and at the very top is Black Elk Peak. Needles Highway SD First Stop: Black Elk Peak To read more about Sylvan Lake, South Dakota, check out this article. If walking isn’t your thing, you can swim, fish, rock climb, kayak, or picnic to your heart’s contentedness. On the backside of the boulders is access to the Sunday Gulch Trail. The path is one mile long and full of surprises. To take it all in, walk the circumlocutory path that ducks behind the boulders at the back of the lake. From the backside of the lake you can get a good look at the 30′ high dam, or if you like, you can walk out onto it. The lake was formed in 1881 when Theodore Reder damned the creek at Sunday Gulch. This is one of the more beautiful lakes in the United States and is an absolute must-do when you visit. Located on the Needles Highway SD, Sylvan Lake lives amidst the granite boulders that enunciate Custer State Park. If you would like to learn about ALL the things to do in the Black Hills, as well as what town to base your vacation, where to eat, and local celebrations, we strongly recommend reading The Black Hills of South Dakota: A Complete Guide. We believe it is easily one of the best things to do in the region. We hope it inspires you to include it on your itinerary when you visit the Black Hills of South Dakota. This article will discuss the primary attractions along the Needles Highway. The road begins near Sylvan Lake and terminates at the 16A highway near Legion Lake. Here is a Map of the Needles Highway from start to finish. The experiences available on this short stretch of road are numerous, and it’s hard to enjoy the view when you’re navigating a narrow, winding thoroughfare. Of course we recommend getting out and hiking around as much as possible. Whether you get out of your car or not, the Needles Highway is one of the most beautiful things to do in your USA travels. The project was completed in 1922, and for the past 100 years it has been enjoyed by millions of tourists. Building the road was a significant achievement, overseen by then governor Peter Norbeck. Along its path you are entreated to vast panoramas of incredible scenery. The Needles Highway is 14-miles of winding road that dances between towers and trees. Here the granite spires and pine-covered hills create an irresistible landscape unlike anywhere else on earth. The Needles Highway SD is one of America’s most scenic roads and the quintessential drive in the Black Hills region.
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