Needles Highway
We slept in and relaxed this morning. The sky was completely overcast, and everything looked a dull gray. The forecast called for clear skies by 5:00, so we waited out the lousy lighting.
When the skies started clearing, we drove to Sylvan Lake, which is unique for its huge granite boulders that surround much of the lake. When we arrived, workers were setting up for a wedding at the edge of the lake. Although it was a bit windy and there were a couple of brief rain showers, it would be a gorgeous venue for a wedding.
From Sylvan Lake, we drove the Needles Highway in the northern part of Custer State Park. That was the curviest road I've every driven. It followed the forested ridge lines as it wound its way to the granite spires called "The Needles." The road was so narrow and had so many curves that no one dared to drive over about 25 MPH. And because everyone had to drive so slowly, it was a safe road as long as everyone paid attention. We stopped and hiked the Cathedral Spires Trail, which leads to the main climbing area. Although the Cathedral Spires weren't that tall, they were impressive. The spires were like a wall on top of the ridge.
The Needles Highway is known for its narrow tunnels and pig tail curves. It was usually a narrow tunnel followed by a pig tail curve as we drove toward Mt. Rushmore. First we drove through a one-lane tunnel barely wide enough for one car. Then we crossed an old wooden overpass, and then continued in a sharp curve to go under the overpass we just crossed. It was pretty crazy. I think we drove through three such tunnels until we reached a tunnel that you could look through and see Mt. Rushmore in the distance. I planned to do this shot as a morning shot, but the weather and our schedule never cooperated.
By the time we finished the Needles Highway and drove back toward camp, it was too late to return to Custer State Park for a wildlife safari. We settled for grocery shopping and Dairy Queen before we returned to camp and started getting ready to leave tomorrow.
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