Custer State Park driving

How hilly/mountainous is the drive thru CST?

How likely will there be problems with the car brakes overheating?

Custer State Park driving

Custer State Park is hilly--especially the Needles Highway. But there are not long grades like you%26#39;d find in a big mountain range that give you problems with brakes.

Unless you%26#39;re towing a trailer or driving something like a 72 Dodge Dart, I wouldn%26#39;t worry too much about brake problems.

Custer State Park driving

Accommodator - Thanks very much for the info. Loved the %26#39;72 Dodge Dart comment!

As Accomodator said, the most mountainous area would be the Needles Hwy, but it%26#39;s not like driving over a mountain pass in Colorado. I%26#39;m sure you will be fine. Needles Hwy and Sylvan Lake are the two best sections of the park, imo.

I%26#39;m not sure if you are planning to drive the Wildlife Loop, but that part of the park is pretty flat and open. Iron Mountain Road is known for its pigtail bridges and tunnels that frame Mt Rushmore. The ';pigtail bridges'; reminded me of corkscrews. They aren%26#39;t high, but quite twisty. Once again, you will be fine as long as you take them slowly.

Have a great trip!

slrtravelplanner: Thanks for the info. Yes, we plan to drive the Wildlife Loop also, but the morning of the following day. How much time do you think we should allow for that? We%26#39;ll be coming from Keystone, and I guess traveling via 244 to 16 to Custer for the start of it. Or, should we go south from Keystone via the I.M. Road to the Wildlife Loop? We would already have seen the IM Road the previous day.

We plan to see Crazy Horse after doing the Wildlife Loop.

Hi Witrav,

It seems like heading out 244 to 16/385 would be backtracking to me. You would go by Crazy Horse and then have to come back to see it later in the day. I think you would be better off going over Iron Mountain Road again. Just as another option, you could go over the portion of IM Road where the tunnels are and then go over Rt. 753, which takes you past the Black Hills Playhouse, joining up with Needles Hwy again. You will come out around Legion Lake and head east on 16a toward the Game Lodge and begin the loop there.

If you haven%26#39;t already done so, be sure to order a travel guide from travelsd.com. There%26#39;s a great map in the middle of the book that shows the route I outlined above.

Depending on how much you stop, allow at least an hour for the loop. Give yourself a little more time if you really enjoy stopping for pictures. For me, taking pictures is the best part of the trip! You will get some really great shots of the animals here. The wild burros are great and think nothing of sticking their entire heads in your car looking for food!

Have a great time, and feel free to ask more questions.