American Gam

“Roads were built not just to get from place to place, but to be traveled at a slow pace so the beauty may be appreciated.” ~ Peter Norbeck (creator of the Needles Highway)

We left the herd of Tatanka in the southern half of Custer State Park and ventured north to traverse the Needles Highway, which would eventually lead us to Sylvan Lake at the north end of the park.

Needles Highway is a fourteen mile road that meanders through pine and spruce forests, meadows surrounded by birch and aspen, and rugged granite mountains. The road’s name comes from the needle-like granite formations which seem to pierce the horizon along the highway.

The road was designed by Peter Norbeck, the governor of South Dakota, who was told that putting a scenic byway through the rugged Black Hills was a crazy and impossible idea. He proved them wrong. He planned the route on foot and on horseback to showcase the giant granite spires. Completed in 1922, fourteen miles and three very narrow tunnels later, the Needles Highway was born and has been attracting visitors to the Black Hills ever since.

I hope you don’t listen to the naysayers who say something is impossible.

The gam continues…