Needles Eye Tunnel, Custer State Park, South Dakota

Needles Eye Tunnel and clouds
The Needles Eye Tunnel, completed in 1922, is a narrow, one-lane passage carved through a granite spire in Custer State Park, South Dakota. As part of the Needles Highway (SD 87), this engineering feat measures only 8 feet 4 inches wide and 11 feet 3 inches high, necessitating careful navigation for vehicles. The tunnel is named for an adjacent rock formation shaped by erosion, and it remains a key feature of one of the Midwest's most striking mountain drives. The highway connects the park's spire formations with routes leading to Sylvan Lake and Mount Rushmore.
Photo taken in July 2019.
Photo Part Of
South Dakota
Badlands, Black Hills, and Custer State Park across multiple trips
26 photos • 2017–2019
Custer State Park
20 photos • 2026
Map
OpenStreetMap Google Maps
More from South Dakota
Sunrise Over Tent at Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, South Dakota
Sunrise Over Tent at Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, South Dakota
A tent is pitched on a grassy overlook within the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands in South Dakota, as a dramatic…
Indian Creek Drive, Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Indian Creek Drive, Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Indian Creek Drive, a gravel road, traverses the rugged landscape of Badlands National Park in South Dakota. This route, located…
Buffalo Gap National Grasslands: Sunset Over Badlands
Buffalo Gap National Grasslands: Sunset Over Badlands
Sunset at the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.
American Bison in Custer State Park, South Dakota
American Bison in Custer State Park, South Dakota
A mature American bison stands in the prairie of Custer State Park, South Dakota. Established in 1914, the park's bison…
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…
Badlands National Park: Saddle Pass Trailhead Area
Badlands National Park: Saddle Pass Trailhead Area
Badlands National Park, South Dakota, is characterized by its rugged, eroded landscape of sedimentary rock formations. The Saddle Pass Trailhead…
Nearby Photos

Built in Minneapolis

Photographs showcasing change over time

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

© 1996–2026 Chad Davis