Granite Outcrops Along Highway 87, Black Hills National Forest

Granite outcrops and ponderosa pines in the Black Hills National Forest near Needles Highway, South Dakota.
Granite outcrops and ponderosa pines in the Black Hills National Forest near Needles Highway, South Dakota.

Needles Highway cuts through granite spires in Custer State Park, part of South Dakota's Black Hills. The road was completed in 1922 under the direction of Governor Peter Norbeck, who laid out its route on foot and horseback to highlight the granite formations rather than avoid them. The rock towers here are remnants of an ancient batholith, exposed over millions of years as softer surrounding rock eroded away. Ponderosa pine forest covers much of the surrounding terrain, with stands thinned in places by wildfire and beetle kill common to the Black Hills. Custer State Park itself covers more than 71,000 acres and adjoins Wind Cave National Park and the Black Hills National Forest to the south.

Photo taken in July 2019.

Photo Part Of
South Dakota
Badlands, Black Hills, and Custer State Park across multiple trips
26 photos
Custer State Park
Bison along Wildlife Loop Road, granite spires on the Needles Highway, and trails to Black Elk Peak in the Black Hills
36 photos
Map
OpenStreetMap Google Maps
More from South Dakota
Needles Eye Tunnel, Custer State Park, South Dakota
Needles Eye Tunnel, Custer State Park, South Dakota
The Needles Eye Tunnel, completed in 1922, is a narrow, one-lane passage carved through a granite spire in Custer State…
Sylvan Lake Fog, Black Hills, South Dakota
Sylvan Lake Fog, Black Hills, South Dakota
Early morning fog blankets Sylvan Lake in South Dakota's Black Hills, obscuring the surrounding granite formations. Created in 1891 by…
Black Elk Peak Trail Descent at Dusk, Black Hills, South Dakota
Black Elk Peak Trail Descent at Dusk, Black Hills, South Dakota
A hiker descends the trail from Black Elk Peak, the highest point in South Dakota, within Custer State Park. The…
Cathedral Spires, Black Hills, South Dakota, Morning Fog
Cathedral Spires, Black Hills, South Dakota, Morning Fog
Low clouds and fog envelop the granite spires of the Cathedral Spires in South Dakota's Black Hills shortly after dawn.…
Horseback riders on Black Elk Peak trail, South Dakota
Horseback riders on Black Elk Peak trail, South Dakota
Horseback riders ascend a trail on Black Elk Peak in South Dakota's Black Hills, a landscape often shrouded in mist.…
Foggy Trail to Black Elk Peak, Black Hills, South Dakota
Foggy Trail to Black Elk Peak, Black Hills, South Dakota
Black Elk Peak, formerly named Harney Peak, rises to 7,244 feet in South Dakota's Black Hills, making it the highest…
Nearby Photos

Built in Minneapolis

Minneapolis Photographer

Browse by location, move through long-running series, or start with recent work.

© 1996–2026 Chad Davis