Driving through Iron Creek Tunnel in Custer State Park ⛰ Black Hills, South Dakota travel blog

Hi there!

 

So one of the popular things to do in Custer State Park is to drive the Needles Highway.

And aside from the “needles” (the rock formations of the Black Hills) that you will see, you can drive through tunnels along Needles Highway!

Although it’s not the most famous tunnel in Custer State Park, Iron Creek Tunnel is another tunnel that you can drive through when driving the Needles Highway!

 

 

If you don’t see the Iron Creek Tunnel video above, you can watch it on youtube.

 

Iron Creek Tunnel is a one-lane tunnel.

While the Iron Creek Tunnel can only accommodate traffic going in one way at a time, you can drive it in both directions.

 

 

The Iron Creek Tunnel is a tunnel you’ll naturally drive through if you start the Needles Highway drive from the south.

For reference on a map, if you will be driving it from this far south, you might be coming from around Legion Lake or Center Lake, with your destination being Sylvan Lake. (map)

I drove through Needles Highway and Iron Creek Tunnel from south to north, and I did like driving it in this direction because it felt like the “needles” and the Black Hills landscape kept getting more and more dramatic.

And the “good stuff” comes after the Iron Creek Tunnel!

The top attractions of Needles Highway are to the north. This includes the Cathedral Spires trailhead, the Needles Eye Tunnel, the Little Devils Tower trailhead, and Sylvan Lake.

 

 

How wide and how tall is the Needles Eye Tunnel?

The Iron Creek Tunnel is a low narrow tunnel!

 

According to the road sign posted right before entering the Iron Creek Tunnel, the width of the tunnel is 8 feet 9 inches wide and the height of the tunnel is 10 feet 10 inches tall, and the South Dakota state parks website lists the same dimensions.

 

More below about what you’ll see driving through the Iron Creek Tunnel!

 

 

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Now…

Driving through the Iron Creek Tunnel!

PHOTOS!

This is driving to Iron Creek Tunnel from the south, which is the Wilson Corner entrance of Custer State Park. (map)

 

👆 There is a Custer State Park entry station that you will see as you are driving to Iron Creek Tunnel.

 

And now, without around 6-7 minutes to go to get to the Iron Creek Tunnel…

 

👆 You will pass by the road to the Centennial Trail trailhead on your way to Iron Creek Tunnel when driving from the south.

 

 

And then, before you see Iron Creek Tunnel, you’ll see a sign that you are approaching a tunnel.

 

👆 Approaching the low narrow tunnel of Iron Creek Tunnel.

 

And then you will see Iron Creek Tunnel!

And it’s your drive through Needles Highway tunnel #1!

 

 

 

 

And then your drive through the Iron Creek Tunnel is over before you know it!!

But since you drove from south to north, good thing your Needles Highway experience doesn’t have to be! 😜

Another Needles Highway tunnel is coming up, and so are the grand views of the “needles”!

 

 

 

And that’s a bit about driving through the Iron Creek Tunnel!

 

If you are interested in the Iron Creek Tunnel, you may also be interested in these road trip activities:

• Needles Eye Tunnel
• Legion Lake
• Sylvan Lake (Needles Highway)
• Getting to Little Devils Tower trailhead (Needles Highway)
• Custer State Park camping cabins
• Things to do in Custer State Park for VIEWS!
• Best hikes in Custer State Park
• Black Hills National Forest tunnel with view of Mount Rushmore
• Things to do in Black Hills National Forest
• Things to do in Wind Cave National Park
• Can you see Crazy Horse Memorial from the road?
• Things to do in the Black Hills for VIEWS!
• Things to do in Badlands National Park
• Things to do for the best views in Mount Rushmore
• Getting to Cathedral Spires trailhead (Needles Highway)

 

HAPPY DRIVING THROUGH THE IRON CREEK TUNNEL!