Today’s drive partly retraced our previous day’s drive over Needles Highway as we headed to Cathedra Spires to hike the trail there, but we certainly didn’t mind seeing the sights along here again. Unlike the previous day which was warm by mid-morning, today was a bit chilly and quite windy though sunny. We set out on the three mile trail which began through woods and in sections was a bit of a climb over rocks and around boulders. As we hiked, we caught views of the spires from different angles – very impressive. The end of the trail was sort of an anti-climax. It just stopped amid trees at the top of the incline – no views from the top. In fact, there was a sign saying “End of Trail” – not something most trails need. In spite of this, it was a good hike and we enjoyed visiting with a couple from Minnesota at the “End of Trail” area.
After lunch, we drove the Iron Mountain section of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. Like the Needles Highway, this road has its share of hairpin turns and tunnels. Its three tunnels perfectly frame Mt. Rushmore in the distance. In addition it has 3 “pigtail-shaped” bridges which connect the tunnels to lift the traveler from one level to another without adding miles of road. (Interestingly, the designer of this technically tedious section of road quit school at age 13). We passed by Mt. Rushmore’s entrance and stopped at a pull out where we could see a profile view of George Washington gazing off into the distance. It was a spectacular drive.
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