Custer State Park essentials

Spanning 71,000 acres in South Dakota's Black Hills, Custer State Park is defined by its dramatic granite geology and free-roaming wildlife. This selection highlights the engineering of the Needles Highway, including its narrow tunnels and the iconic Cathedral Spires. It also covers the 18-mile Wildlife Loop, home to a herd of 1,500 bison, and historic landmarks like the Gordon Stockade and the Civilian Conservation Corps-built lookout at Mount Coolidge.

Needles Eye Tunnel

A narrow, one-lane tunnel carved through solid granite on the Needles Highway. It measures 8 feet 4 inches wide and 11 feet 3 inches high.

Needles Eye

A distinct granite spire featuring a vertical gap created by wind and water erosion. It is located immediately adjacent to the Needles Eye Tunnel.

Epsota24 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake is a lake located in Custer State Park, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States.

Cogdog / CC BY-SA 4.0

Needles Highway

A spectacular drive full of sharp turns and low tunnels surrounded by forests and meadows.

Wildlife Loop Road

An 18-mile route through grasslands and pine forests. It is the primary site for viewing the park's bison herd, pronghorn, elk, and feral burros.

Cathedral Spires Trailhead

The starting point for a 1.5-mile trail leading into a valley of jagged granite pillars. The area is a designated National Natural Landmark.

Custer State Park Visitor Center

Features educational exhibits on park ecology, a 100-seat theater showing a film about the park's history, and information regarding the annual Buffalo Roundup.

Mount Coolidge

A 6,023-foot peak with a stone fire lookout tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It offers views of Mount Rushmore and the Badlands.

Gordon Stockade Historical Site

A replica of the 1874 log fortress built by gold prospectors who entered the Great Sioux Reservation. It interprets the early history of the Black Hills gold rush.