Miles: 70 | 34 (as presented here) Upper Loop Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway CATH EDRAL SPI RES, NEEDLES H I GHWAY MOUNT RUSHMORE 1 Mount Rushmore 2 Norbeck Wildlife Preserve Byway tunnels frame Mount Rushmore National Memorial . Get a closer look on memorial grounds. Late May through late September, witness the Evening Lighting Ceremony . Park rangers present a spectacular program and use lights to illuminate the memorial. Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, a haven for game animals and birds, overlaps with Custer State Park and the Black Elk Wilderness . Discover trails and wildlife within its boundaries. 1 5 4 CATHEDRAL SPIRES & BLACK ELK PEAK 16A NEEDLES HIGHWAY & NEEDLES EYE NORBECK WILDLIFE PRESERVE 385 87 LEGION LAKE 2 3 3 Legion Lake Cool off at Legion Lake, where you can swim, fish, rent a watercraft or take a short hike. Then, grab a bite at the Legion Lake Lodge . 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 What’s better than wildlife? Baby wildlife! Find out where to spot them at TravelSouthDakota.com/ baby-animals Cathedral Spires & Black Elk Peak 5 Needles Highway & Needles Eye 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. Navigate tight crossings through the rocky formations of Needles Highway, the byway’s most thrilling 14 miles. Upon reaching the Needles Eye Tunnel and formation, walk the paved trail all the way to the base for a photo-worthy view. TravelSouthDakota.com // 19
South Dakota Vacation Guide 2024 South Dakota Vacation Guide: Page 19
