Needles Highway

The Needles Highway (SD-87) isn’t your typical dirt trail — it’s 14 miles of nerve-wracking blacktop that’ll have you questioning your rig’s width measurements. Threading between towering granite spires and through tunnels barely wider than a full-size truck, this engineering marvel carved through Custer State Park connects Sylvan Lake to the Junction with US-16A. The infamous Needle’s Eye tunnel measures just 8’4″ wide and 12’0″ high — scrape marks on the walls tell the story of drivers who miscalculated.

Any vehicle can technically run this route, but RVs and wide rigs need serious consideration of the tunnel dimensions. No permits required since it’s a state highway, but expect heavy tourist traffic May through October. The payoff is dramatic: cathedral spires, wildlife viewing opportunities, and some of the most photographed granite formations in the Black Hills. Best tackled early morning or late afternoon when the light hits the needles just right and the crowds thin out.