Needles Eye
Needles Eye sits along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway at 6,401 feet, facing 230° toward the southwest. The terrain drops 381 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. Buckhorn Mountain rises to the southwest at 4.6 miles, and a cluster of named features spreads across the south and south-southwest horizon, including Bo The Bison at 5.2 miles, Sunset view at 5.4 miles, and Sunrise Point at 6.0 miles, along with Harbach Centennial Park, Way Park, and Big Rock Park, all around 5.9 miles out. The facing direction runs 40 degrees off due west, putting it in line with sunset light rather than square to it. Rapid City lies 22.9 miles to the northeast, Hot Springs 28.5 miles south, and Box Elder 31.3 miles northeast. Flashers View precedes this stop on the byway, with Cathedral Spires next along the route.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Buckhorn Mountain6,311 ftsouthwest · 4.6 mi
- Bo The Bison5,271 ftsouth-southwest · 5.2 mi
- Sunset view5,331 ftsouth · 5.4 mi
- Harbach Centennial Park5,341 ftsouth-southwest · 5.9 mi
- Way Park5,325 ftsouth-southwest · 5.9 mi
- Big Rock Park5,556 ftsouth-southwest · 5.9 mi
- Sunrise Point5,563 ftsouth-southwest · 6.0 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 40° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 06:58 | 19:07 | 18:29 |
| June solstice | 05:13 | 20:41 | 19:57 |
| September equinox | 06:42 | 18:53 | 18:15 |
| December solstice | 07:26 | 16:20 | 15:33 |
Local time (America/Denver). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Rapid City22.9 mi northeast
- Hot Springs28.5 mi south
- Box Elder31.3 mi northeast
Take the scenic way to Needles Eye.
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How high is Needles Eye?
Needles Eye sits at about 6,401 feet (1,951 m).
What can you see from Needles Eye?
From Needles Eye: Buckhorn Mountain (SW, 4.6 mi); Bo The Bison (SSW, 5.2 mi); Sunset view (S, 5.4 mi); Harbach Centennial Park (SSW, 5.9 mi).
Is Needles Eye better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Needles Eye toward the sunset, so at sunrise the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.
What is the nearest town to Needles Eye?
Rapid City, 23 miles NE of Needles Eye.
What is the next lookout after Needles Eye?
Cathedral Spires is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Needles Eye.
Drive to Needles Eye with Byway
Byway plans the scenic way there — real places along Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, real weather, zero hallucinations — and hands the turns to the navigation you already use.
Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Wind Cave National Park · 19 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Needles Eye — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
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