PETER NORBECK NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY 1. MOUNT RUSHMORE Byway tunnels frame Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Get a closer look on memorial grounds. Late May through late September, witness the Evening Lighting Ceremony . Rangers present a spectacular program and use lights to illuminate the memorial. Miles: 70 | 34 as presented here Upper loop Needles Highway 2. NORBECK WILDLIFE PRESERVE Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, a haven for game animals and birds, overlaps with Custer State Park and the Black Elk Wilderness Area . Discover trails and wildlife within its boundaries. 1 5 4 3 16A 385 87 2 3. CATHEDRAL SPIRES & BLACK ELK PEAK Hike into the Cathedral Spires, a towering show of granite pinnacles. The relatively short trek is prime for catching rock climbers on the ascent, too. Connect from the Cathedral Spires Trail to summit Black Elk Peak. The peak is the tallest point east of the Rockies and named for a legendary Lakota medicine man. 4. NEEDLES HIGHWAY & NEEDLES EYE Navigate tight crossings through the rocky formations of Needles Highway, the byway’s most thrilling 14 miles. Upon reaching Needles Eye, walk the paved trail all the way to the base of this most-photographed formation. WHAT'S BETTER THAN WILDLIFE? BABY WILDLIFE. TRAVELSOUTHDAKOTA. COM/BABY-ANIMALS 5. SYLVAN LAKE Back on the byway, head to Sylvan Lake and rent watercraft or hike around the lake for a different perspective. TravelSouthDakota.com // 23