Last Updated on: 8th July 2025, 02:08 pm
Aside from its hikes, the Custer State Park and Black Elk Wilderness areas are equally known for their scenic drives. And popular drives like the Wildlife Loop, the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road – all covered below – are actually part of the larger 70-mile Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.
While you could cover each section on a separate day, you could also attempt to drive everything in one go if you so desire. In any case, we’ll be covering the three most popular sections separately below.
But first, who exactly was Peter Norbeck?
Who Was Peter Norbeck?
Peter Norbeck was born in 1870 in the eastern part of South Dakota. He became quite wealthy from drilling water wells for cattle ranchers, after which he decided to enter politics. He became a state senator in 1908 and would later go on to become Lieutenant Governor, and then Governor of South Dakota from 1917-20.
And ultimately, he served as a US Senator from 1920 until his death in 1936. During his time as a politician, Norbeck became a major advocate for conservation. In fact, he’s credited with the creation of Custer State Park. And he even designed and initiated the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road.
Peter Norbeck also played a major role in the establishment of Grand Teton National Park as well as Badlands (then just a National Monument), while he even helped initiate Mount Rushmore.
If you’re looking to learn more about his life, be sure to stop at the Norbeck Overlook along Iron Mountain Road and read the informational placards.
Wildlife Loop
As the name suggests, the 18-mile-long Wildlife Loop is considered one of the best places to see wildlife at Custer State Park. Either end of the loop connects to Highway 16A, and there’s no particular direction you have to drive it in. Including stops, expect it to take you about two hours to complete.
On the day of my visit, it had been pouring rain most of the day before finally letting up in the late afternoon. I wasn’t sure what to expect but decided to do the drive anyway to see what I would find.
Early on in the drive, I spotted a bison. Hardly a rare animal around these parts, but always exciting to see nonetheless.
But after twenty or thirty minutes in, I hadn’t spotted any other animals. Of course, with wildlife, you never quite know what you’re going to get. And that’s a big part of what makes seeing wild animals so special.
The next animal I encountered was something most people wouldn’t picture when thinking of South Dakota wildlife: a group of burros. Believe it or not, these burros are actually considered one of the Wildlife Loop’s main attractions.
Nicknamed the ‘Begging Burros,’ these wild donkeys are not native to South Dakota but descend from pack animals used by 19th-century miners. Some burros even helped visitors make it to the top of Black Elk Peak.
But they were eventually released to the wild, and their descendants still roam the park.
Typically, feeding wildlife at parks is heavily discouraged for a number of reasons. But these burros don’t quite fall in the same category as typical wildlife, and feeding them is largely permitted by park rangers.
In some cases, the Begging Burros might come up to your car. But during my visit, I witnessed them being approached by some other visitors. The burros typically enjoy things like carrots and apples.
One of the most unique and beautiful animals you might see at Custer State Park is the pronghorn, also sometimes called the ‘South Dakota antelope.’
While largely brown, they have white chins, bellies and butts, along with some black markings around their heads. They almost appear like creatures from a Miyazaki film.
Amazingly, they’re considered the fastest land animal in North America, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph (17 km). But from what I’ve seen, they don’t typically appear to be in much of a rush.
While the Wildlife Loop lacks the distinctive granite formations of the Needles Highway (more below), it’s nonetheless a beautiful area. Though I didn’t see many more animals other than a female pronghorn, I still enjoyed the views of the rolling hills and expansive prairie.
Speaking of animals, other species commonly spotted in this area include elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, deer, and prairie dogs.
The Needles Highway
The Needles Highway is arguably the single most recognizable part of Custer State Park, and its views are largely what draw millions of visitors here each year. The windy road is also known for its narrow tunnels through which only one car can squeeze at a time.
The 14-mile road is part of South Dakota Highway 87, and you can drive it from top to bottom starting at Sylvan Lake, or from the bottom starting at Highway 16A. These pictures depict the Needles Highway as driven from top to bottom.
Incredibly, the granite rocks here are considered some of the oldest rocks in all of North America. They formed underground roughly two billion years ago before being pushed upward and then subject to millions of years of erosion.
Not every formation eroded in quite the same way, with one of the most unique rocks here being known as the Needles Eye. In the center of this massive spire is a long and narrow crack that almost seems to defy the law of physics.
You’ll find a parking lot nearby so that you can get out and admire the landmark at your leisure.
Just past the Needles Eye is another famous landmark of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway: the Needles Eye Tunnel. The narrow tunnel is only wide enough for one car to go through at a time, so it’s imperative to make sure nobody’s coming from the opposite direction.
As mentioned above, the Needles Highway was designed and initiated by Peter Norbeck himself. But it was by no means a cheap project, and around the time of its construction in the 1920s, it gained the nickname ‘Needless Highway.’
But a century later, nobody visiting Custer State Park would ever think to call this thrilling ride a waste.
Partway through the journey, you’ll pass by the trailhead for the Cathedral Spires Trail. I happened to pass by it around 10:30 in the morning and the parking lot was already full.
Fortunately, I’d already managed to visit the Cathedral Spires as part of a longer loop hike beginning at Sylvan Lake. But if you intend to hike from here, be sure to get an extra early start.
The Needles Highway will then take you through more twists and turns, while you’ll find several more pullovers where you can stop and enjoy the views.
Eventually, however, for those beginning at Sylvan Lake, the impressive views will come to an end as you start making your way downhill. The next half of the road largely has you driving through forest.
Near the end of the journey is yet another tunnel: the Iron Creek Tunnel. If you like driving through these narrow tunnels cut through the rock, don’t miss Iron Mountain Road covered below.
Iron Mountain Rd
For those driving to Mount Rushmore from Custer, you might check Google Maps and see that the drive there (via Highway 385) is only about thirty minutes long.
But though it will roughly double your travel time, don’t miss the chance to get there via the 18-mile long Iron Mountain Road instead.
From central Custer, you’ll want to drive east down Highway 16A, passing by the entrances for both the Wildlife Loop and the Needles Highway. And after about 30 minutes of driving, you’ll eventually, you’ll want to turn left onto Iron Mountain Road.
Frankly speaking, the road starts off rather uneventfully. But things get more interesting after leaving Custer State Park and entering the Black Elk Wilderness Area.
Making your way uphill, you’ll drive through a tunnel similar to those found along the Needles Highway. And looking through it, you’ll be able to see Mount Rushmore far off in the distance. If you’ve only ever seen it in photos and are laying eyes on the real thing for the first time, this is a thrilling way to catch your first glimpse.
And before long, you’ll pass by the Norbeck Overlook. From here, you can enjoy an even clearer view of Mount Rushmore which looks surprisingly small when seen from this vantage point.
But this isn’t where the views of Mount Rushmore end.
Iron Mountain Road’s final tunnel offers the most impressive view of this iconic memorial. When partway through the tunnel, be sure to get out of your car and snap some pics of the presidents’ faces in the distance with the tunnel acting as a frame.
It might be wise to start the drive early in the morning to lessen your chances of encountering other cars. But considering how most people will be wanting to get this popular shot, other drivers will likely be patient as you take a few photos.
Finally, this part of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway leads you to the Mt. Rushmore National Memorial itself. But more on that in a future guide.
Additional Info
While Custer may be a small town with under 2000 residents, its proximity to Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, the Crazy Horse Monument, and Mount Rushmore make it a popular place for long stays.
There are plenty of hotels to choose from, but I ended up staying at the Super 8 and have no complaints about it. I found it to be a quiet hotel and I slept well each night.
Other popular options in the area, meanwhile, include the Comfort Inn & Suites, the Holiday Inn, and the Rocket Motel.
At the time of writing, Custer State Park costs $20 per vehicle and your pass will be valid for 7 days. For those traveling by motorcycle, the fee is $10.
Learn more information here.