How to Drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in One Day: Best Stops, Tips, and More!
Are you visiting the Black Hills of South Dakota and have a limited time to see and do everything? Well, we have the perfect solution for you! Driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway will allow you to see most highlights of the Black Hills in just a day! In this guide, we’ll go over how to drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in a day, the best stops along the way, and more.
If you want to experience some of the best scenic drives of South Dakota in one day, look no further than the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.
This 90 mile-ish route is the ultimate Black Hills scenic drive, combining three shorter South Dakota scenic roads together along with some of the best places in the Black Hills to visit, including Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and more.
When we visited South Dakota, we drove this route in portions over several days, but we were really taking our time in the area. But there’s good news for those of you who are short on time…you can drive the entire Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in just a day…with time for various stops at famous landmarks along the way!
It will be a jam-packed day, but driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in a day will allow you to see many highlights of the Black Hills in a short amount of time. In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about driving this route, including all the best stops along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway and all our best tips. So, let’s get to it!
In this Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway guide:
What is the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway?
A bison traffic jam along Wildlife Loop Road, a detour off the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway is a 90 mile stretch of scenic road that runs through the heart of the Black Hills in southern South Dakota.
The route connects three famous South Dakota scenic drives: Wildlife Loop Road, Iron Mountain Road, and the Needles Highway (all of which we’ll get into more detail later!).
It also connects popular attractions in the Black Hills region, including Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse, with options for side trips to even more amazing places if you have the time.
With just a day in the Black Hills, you can hit the best stops along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway and maybe tack on a few more cool things to do along the way.
Who is Peter Norbeck?
Peter Norbeck was a State Senator, then Governor, then US Senator who was a recognized conservationist and the founder of Custer State Park. He believed in increasing access to the land while not comprising the natural beauty of the area. Because of this, he saw road building as a work of art, which is exemplified by his work on two main attractions of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road. As you will see soon, these roads creatively weave their way through the landscape using spiral bridges and rock tunnels!
Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway Map
To orient you to the route and all the best stops along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, we’re including this map borrowed from the U.S. Forest Service.
A map of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway adapted from the South Dakota State Park website. The yellow route marks Part 1 of the Byway described below, blue marks Part 2, purple marks Part 3, and orange marks Part 4.
Best Direction to Drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
While driving this South Dakota scenic highway in either direction will give you amazing views, we would recommend driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in a counter clockwise direction.
The main reason for this is because in this direction you will be driving Iron Mountain Road in a south to north direction, which will give you the famous views of Mount Rushmore that this scenic drive is known for (you’ll see what we mean in just a bit!).
Where Should You Start the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway?
It really doesn’t matter where you start your drive on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway! You can enter the loop at any point and begin your drive.
However, here are some considerations for how you might want to plan out where you start and end the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.
Starting in Keystone: Starting the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in Keystone would allow you to hit Mount Rushmore first in the early morning, which will help you to avoid the big midday and evening crowds. We hear Mount Rushmore in the morning is practically empty! Then, if you drive counter-clockwise, one of your last stops will be Wildlife Loop Road. You will be here in the late afternoon/evening, when you have a better chance of seeing wildlife. Then, you’ll finish your drive on Iron Mountain Road, driving in the correct direction to get those famous Mount Rushmore views.
Starting in Custer: If you are starting the Peter Norbeck Scenic Drive in Custer, we recommend you start right off the bat with Wildlife Loop in the morning because early morning (and evening) are the best times to drive Wildlife Loop Road to see animals. Then head up to Mount Rushmore, and finish your day on the Needles Highway before heading back to Custer. Finishing on the Needles Highway will allow you to do a sunset hike if you have the time and energy!
How Long Does it Take to Drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway?
Without stops, it will take about 3.5 hours to drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway as we outline in this article. But you’ll want to stop…and lots of times!
Definitely plan for the entire day to drive this scenic South Dakota road trip route. After reading through this article, you’ll see it will probably take you closer to 8 hours to properly get to and visit all the best stops along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. And at the end, you’ll probably wish you had more time!
Best Time to Drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
Spring, summer, and fall are all great times to drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. In the Black Hills, the temperatures stay pretty moderate in the summer, so you don’t have to worry about crazy heat, but thunderstorms are pretty common.
It would be impossible to drive the entire Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in the winter, as the Needles Highway closes in the winter (starting with the first snowfall through April 1st). Iron Mountain Road will also have occasional closures for snow removal.
How to Drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in One Day
Now that you know the logistics, let’s get into the fun part! Here, we’ll go over all the best stops along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.
We’re ordering the stops on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway as you would find them going in a counterclockwise direction, beginning at the Custer State Park Visitor Center, but remember, you can enter this loop at any point that’s convenient to you and just work your way along!
Part 1: Iron Mountain Road and Mount Rushmore
Estimated time: 3 hours
One of the most interesting and unique places along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway is Iron Mountain Road. This is the first feature you’ll encounter on this South Dakota scenic drive if starting from the Custer State Park Visitor Center.
Iron Mountain Road is a small portion of 16A stretching from Custer State Park up to Mount Rushmore. It’s only 18 miles, but in those 18 miles, it twists, turns, and spirals its way across the Black Hills. The most interesting features include three pigtail bridges, which are spiral bridges that loop back under themselves, and three narrow tunnels that seem to perfectly frame Mount Rushmore. This is the main reason we have you driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in a counter- clockwise direction – driving Iron Mountain Road from South to North will put you in the right direction to see that framing of Mount Rushmore as you drive through the tunnels.
Looping back under one of the pigtail bridges on Iron Mountain Road
A view of Mount Rushmore from Iron Mountain Road!
Also along the road is the Iron Mountain Road visitor center, some roadside exhibits, and a beautiful viewpoint looking down on Mount Rushmore from atop the scenic drive (the Norbeck Overlook).
Doane Robinson Tunnel: 12’x11’4”
CC Gideon Tunnek: 11’6”x10’9”
Scovel Johnson Tunnel: 10’9”x11’
RVs and larger vehicles aren’t recommended as well due to the tight pigtail turns.
While the drive itself is fun and worthwhile, your end destination is an iconic American landmark and famous stop along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway…Mount Rushmore!
One of the most famous stops along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway!
Here, you can view this famous sculpture up close and from all sorts of angles and perspectives, attend ranger talks, and walk the famous Avenue of Flags. To be honest, we weren’t too excited at first about visiting this monument. We thought, how exciting can it really be? But it turns out, we actually really enjoyed our visit and loved learning all about how it was sculpted!
A bonus is that you will be getting here early in the morning if you are following this exact Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway itinerary, so you will beat a lot of the heavy crowds that start to come in by mid- morning.
When you leave Mount Rushmore, you will head west on route 244 to continue along to the next stop on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. About a mile or so down the road, you will come to a small pull off along the road to view Washington’s side profile, a unique perspective of the monument that you can catch outside of the park. On Google Maps, it’s called Mount Rushmore Profile View, so be sure not to miss it!
A view of Washington’s side profile from the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
Part 2: Crazy Horse Memorial (and optional trip to Jewel Cave)
Estimated Time: 2 hours (plus 2 hours for Jewel Cave side trip)
After visiting Mount Rushmore, you’ll continue heading west on route 244 until you reach route 385. Go south on this route.
According to the official maps of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, they will have you make a turn onto route 87, the official start of the Needles Highway. But on our unofficial route here, we’ll have you continue down 385 (but don’t worry, you’ll join back up with the Needles Highway later!).
The reason we have you continuing along 385 is so that you can make another stop at an iconic South Dakota landmark…Crazy Horse Memorial.
Located just off route 385, Crazy Horse memorializes the famous warrior of the Oglala Lakota tribe. Construction began in 1948, and it’s still a work in progress, but you can still visit the grounds for up close viewing of the carving, and to visit museums, see films, attend cultural programs from local indigenous groups, and watch the evening laser show. Optional tours can also bring you even closer to the monument (to the base of the carving or even to the top) for an extra fee.
A distant view of Crazy Horse…can you see the carving?
The admission cost to Crazy Horse is about $12-15 per person depending on the time of year. You can read more about the history and story of the Crazy Horse Memorial here and check the calendar of events here to plan your visit.
After stopping at Crazy Horse, continue south on 385 down to Custer.
Optional side trip
From Custer, you can make an optional side trip by driving west on route 16 for about 13 miles, which will bring you to another great stop on your Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway itinerary…Jewel Cave National Monument.
Jewel Cave National Monument is often overshadowed by the nearby Wind Cave, but it’s actually the third longest cave in world! Here, you can tour inside the cave or explore the trails outside.
Important Update: Tours of the Jewel Cave have been closed for a while now due to elevator repair. Be sure to check the site before you go to get the current status.
Above ground, three trails ranging from a quarter mile to over 5 miles take you through forest, meadows, and above Hell Canyon for views, wildlife, and wildflowers.
If you have the time and energy, this would be a really cool and unique stop just off the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.
Part 3: The Needles Highway
Estimated time: 1 hour plus any time at various stops and hiking trails
Next up on your one day in the Black Hills…The Needles Highway in Custer State Park! This is probably one of the most scenic and fun portions of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.
Along this 14 mile point to point route, you’ll drive among tall needle-like rock spires that give this highway its name, as well as drive through two narrow rock tunnels along the way.
Driving through rock tunnels will be one of the more unique things you do on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway!
Iron Creek Tunnel: 8’9” wide and 10’10” tall
Needles Eye Tunnel: 8’ wide and 9’9” tall
Along the Needles Highway, you can make a few stops for sightseeing and hiking, so take your time and enjoy!
One major highlight where a lot of people stop is at the road’s most famous feature, the Eye of the Needle. This is found right before the Needles Eye Tunnel. There is a small space to pull over to view the feature, which actually does look like the eye of a needle, having been carved into a tall rock spire from wind and erosion. Expect quite a bit of traffic piled up here midday during peak times, such as during the summer and on weekends.
Driving the Needles Highway toward the Eye of the Needle in Custer State Park
Another popular stop is Sylvan Lake, the most picturesque and popular lake in Custer State Park. Here, you can swim, take a stroll around the lake, or rent a kayak or paddleboard.
Finally, many of Custer State Park’s best hikes are found in the Lake Sylvan area or further along the Needles Highway, including Black Elk Peak (South Dakota’s tallest summit!), Little Devil’s Tower, and Cathedral Spires. If you are driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in a day, you probably won’t have a ton of time for a long hike at this point, so we would recommend either the Cathedral Spires Trail or Little Devil’s Tower.
Walking across the summit of Little Devils Tower - a great hike off the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
Hiking among the Cathedral Spires - a quick hike off the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway!
Optional side trip
Before you head up the Needles Highway, you can make an optional trip out to the Gordon Stockade, which is a quick and easy stop if you are interested in the history of the area. This is just 5 minutes east of Custer along 16A and will bring you to a replica of a base camp once used in the 1800s as early settlers searched for gold. Nearby is Stockade Lake, another scenic Custer State Park lake. After you are done here, you would backtrack the short way back towards Custer and then turn right onto the Needles Highway to continue along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.
Part 4: Wildlife Loop Road
Estimated time: 2 hours
Wildlife Loop Road is a must-do detour off the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway!
While not an official part of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, driving Wildlife Loop Road is an absolute must-do for anyone driving through Custer State Park, so this is just a natural detour from the byway and is included in our unofficial route here!
So, what is Wildlife Loop Road? This is an 18 mile point to point route that gives you incredible opportunities to spot wildlife in Custer State Park. Often spotted here are bison, prairies dogs, and burros, but if you’re lucky, you might also see elk, coyotes, deer, pronghorn and even bighorn sheep.
Getting to Wildlife Loop Road: After you’re finished with the Needles Highway, you’ll find yourself back on 16A. Head west for about 1.5 miles and then take a left turn onto route 87. After about 5.5 miles, you’ll see the Blue Bell Entrance Station on the left, which is the start of Wildlife Loop Road. The road ends 18 miles later near the Custer State Park Visitor Center.
Once on Wildlife Loop Road, take it slow and stay vigilant for wildlife! The road takes about an hour to drive, but expect it to take longer because you may just find yourself in something like a “bison traffic jam”!
Getting stopped in the road by the burros on Wildlife Loop Road!
Once you’re done with Wildlife Loop Road, you’ll arrive back onto 16A. If you’re interested, you can head west for a mile and visit the Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education Center to learn more about Peter Norbeck and the park.
Optional side trip
Before heading onto Wildlife Loop Road, you can continue heading south on 87, which will bring you to Wind Cave National Park after about a half hour (14 miles) of driving. This is another really amazing stop in the Black Hills of South Dakota, but will take several hours to properly visit. Plus, coming this late in the day if following this exact itinerary might make it hard to take a tour of the Wind Cave, as tours may already be sold out for the day. However, if you’re starting the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway at a different point in the loop and find yourself here earlier in the day, then this detour might work out for you!
If you can squeeze it into your day on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, hiking and touring the cave at Wind Cave National Park are awesome things to do in South Dakota!
And that’s a wrap!
Congratulations! You’ve just completed the entire Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in a day!
As you can tell, it’s quite a jam-packed day. Even without all the amazing optional side trips we mention, the whole Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway will take you about 8 hours, depending on how long you hang out at each place. But we promise, the busy day will be well worth it and is the best way to see the best of the Black Hills in just a short amount of time.
Driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway With More Time
The above Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway itinerary might seem like a bit much to cram into just a single day. If you only have one day in the Black Hills, we highly recommend going for it! But of course, we always recommend more time in any place to slow down and explore!
Chances are, with just a day, you won’t be able to do all the optional side trips we mentioned, but with more time, you can certainly add them all on! Plus, you can spend more time in Custer State Park doing amazing hikes, and take detours up to Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish, and even Devil’s Tower in Wyoming.
With more than one day on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, you can fit in more stops like Devils Tower National Monument!
Tips for Driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
Wildlife sightings are common on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway!
Check vehicle size restrictions. As we mentioned in a few places above, some of the roads along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway have limitations due to narrow rock tunnels, so be sure to double check the size of any larger vehicles or campers before heading out!
Watch for wildlife. Many places along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, especially throughout Custer State Park, have lots of wildlife which may be along the side of or in the road! Take your time and stay vigilant, especially during dawn and dusk. Also, never approach or feed any wildlife you may find.
Time your drive to be at the right spots at the right time. We highly recommend timing your drive along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway so that you hit Wildlife Loop Road in the morning or evening for your best chance to see animals! Ending the day at either Mount Rushmore (for the lighting ceremony) or along the Needles Highway (for a sunset hike) are also good options.
Check conditions and closures. Remember, especially if you’re travelling in shoulder seasons of spring and fall, to check road conditions and opening and closing dates of roads like The Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road to make sure you can complete the whole Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway!
More Information for Your South Dakota Road Trip
If you’re planning a one day South Dakota road trip or longer, you might find some of our other articles helpful! We mention a lot of them throughout this post, but here they all are again for your reference!
MOUNT RUSHMORE - Check out our complete guide with things to do at Mount Rushmore.
CUSTER STATE PARK - Learn about everything to do at Custer State Park and get some suggested itineraries!
If you want to hike in Custer, be sure to check out our article on our three favorite hikes in Custer State Park, including one to the highest point in South Dakota!
WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK - Read our ultimate guide to Wind Cave, including how to tour the cave, our favorite hikes, and more.
DEVILS TOWER - Get our take on if Devils Tower is worth the visit!
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK - Learn all about the best things to do in the Badlands, plus read all about the different hikes in Badlands National Park! And if you’re short on time, read how to spend one perfect day in the Badlands.
ONE WEEK SOUTH DAKOTA ROAD TRIP - Got more than one day in South Dakota? Check out our South Dakota road trip itineraries from one day to one week!
Does driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in a day sound like something you would do? What stops would you be most excited about? Let us know in the comments!