After leaving the Wind Cave I headed north to the junction of South Dakota State Route 87 the Needles Highway. This is Part 5 of the 2016 Mountain Trip Series, Part 4 can be located here: 2016 Summer Mountain Trip; Wind Cave National Park SD 87 is an approximately 38 mile state highway which connects US Route 385 in Wind Cave National Park to US 385/16 north of Custer State Park in the vicinity of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills. The northern 14 miles of SD 87 through Custer State Park is known as the Needles Highway. The Needles Highway is named for the granite needles that common near the high peaks of the Black Hills Range. SD 87 begins at an approximate elevation of 4,000 feet above sea level before ascending above 6,000 feet. Even though SD 87 heading north from US 385 through Wind Cave National Park doesn't start in the Black Hills it still is a spectacular route that starts off with a scenic bridge over Beaver Creek. SD 87 crosses over i...
Because every road has a story.