Highway 87

The Wildlife Loop Road follows a semicircle around the southwestern corner of Custer State Park. It is almost guaranteed that buffalo (bison), deer, antelope, wild turkey and other wild animals will be seen from the famed loop drive. This reassurance shield for SD 87 is located after the Wildlife Loop Road intersection.

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Continuing north, SD 87 northbound reaches a small turnout for picnicking. Continue north to Mount Coolidge (three miles) and U.S. 16A (four miles).

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Evidence remained of a massive fire in 1988 that burned the hillsides of Custer State Park. Areas that used to be enclosed in trees were open to the sun for the first time in decades.

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The antennae on the hill are located at the top of Mount Coolidge; a look-out is available on top of the mountain via an unpaved roadway.

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Even more Galena Fire damage was evident in this photo taken near Mount Coolidge.

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Northbound SD 87 approaches its junction with U.S. 16A, Iron Mountain Road, in Custer State Park.

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U.S. 16A east and SD 87 north briefly merge together; they separate at the Needles Highway intersection.

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West U.S. 16A leads to Stockade Lake, Custer and Jewel Cave National Monument. U.S. 16A east connects with U.S. 16A/SD 87 north to Needles Highway, Legion Lake, State Game Lodge, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

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Much further north, SD 87 northbound passes through one of the many one-lane tunnels along Needles Highway.

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Tall trees rise high above SD 87 as the scenic highway travels south toward Custer State Park.

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This sign, which appears to be unique to South Dakota, indicates that livestock are will not be found loose south of this point.

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Indeed, motorists using SD 87 through Custer State Park between SD 89 and U.S. 16A must pay a fee for daily travel to sights such as Lake Harney and the Needles.

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Several tunnels, some of which can only accommodate one way traffic, line SD 87 (Needles Highway). Since this is a scenic area, traffic tends to move slowly, which makes navigation of these narrow tunnels much easier.

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This narrow tunnel has limited sight distance, which makes slow travel even more important. Tour buses and other large profile vehicles pass through this tunnel often during the summer, making tunnel travel a bit more treacherous. However, the views on either side of the tunnel make the trip well worth it. At night, there is no tunnel lighting.

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SD 87 (Needles Highway) passes by several rock formations that help give the highway its name.

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A cathedral of rocks rise triumphantly above the trees as the Needles Highway continues south through Custer State Park.

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There is no centerline dividing line between the two directions of traffic on this stretch of SD 87 (Needles Highway).

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Trees line SD 87 as the highway passes through the forest of Custer State Park.

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U.S. 16A (Iron Mountain Road) lies six miles beyond the turn off for Iron Creek Horse Camp and Camp Remington.

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Southbound SD 87 (Needles Highway) reaches U.S. 16A (Iron Mountain Road). U.S. 16A travels through Custer State Park to the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center and the route toward Iron Mountain and Mount Rushmore. To the west, U.S. 16A aims toward the city of Custer.

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Now on top of Mount Coolidge, this marquee sign shows that much of the area around the mountain is recovering from the Galena Fire of 1988, the same year as the disastrous Yellowstone fires. During that summer, rainfall was abysmally low, and conditions were ripe for fire.

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Close to Mount Coolidge, the Black Hills rise with the green, tree-topped hills in the foreground. In the distance, the greenery transitions into the browner lands of the South Dakota badlands.

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Many of the scorched trees from the 1988 fire are still in place.

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Further to the north, Sylvan Lake offers a respite from driving the narrow Needles Highway and allows for hikes around the lake.

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Large rock formations form the barrier at one end of the lake.

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