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After a morning of fantastic wildlife viewing on the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop, we start our drive along the Needles Highway.

Have you ever visited nature that made you say out loud,

“Well done ” ?

Needles Highway is one of those spots.

Needles Highway

We are in awe as the unique, granite spires, rise above. Each spire has it’s own shape, it’s own personality.

Stopping at the look out points is a must. We take a quiet moment to appreciate the amazingness that is nature.

One of the famous Needles Highway stops, is the Needles Eye Tunnel.

It is nerve racking enough traversing this in our rental SUV, but as we explore the view point, we suddenly notice a tour bus, edging through the tunnel.

The visitors milling about pause to watch the Tour Bus vs. Needles Eye Tunnel show. It seems an impossible task, made even more so when everyone starts to point at a sign displayed in the bus’s windshield. It reads, Student Driver.

There is a collective holding of breath, followed by a resounding cheer from the crowd, as the bus emerges fully from the tunnel. The view point crowd takes pictures and videos of the bus, while the bus passengers take pictures and videos of the cheering crowd.

Do you ever contemplate just how many strangers’ pictures and videos you might be in?

Sylvan Lake

Not wanting the inspiration to cease we end our day in Custer State Park, at Sylvan Lake.

It’s a lake like I’ve never experienced.

The water shines with an emerald color straight out of Oz.

Rocks spring up from the ground like a crazy game of Tetris.

Roaming along the lake path,

there is no choice but to stop and stare at the unnatural looking beauty.

Alpine Inn

Now I’m all for winging things during a trip, but there are times when doing even a minimal amount of research is beneficial.

I read a lot of negative reviews about the Alpine Inn, because people didn’t realize going in, that they have “a thing.” Because I know ahead of time that they have “a thing,” I am excited to embrace it fully.

We arrive before opening. The line is already out of the door.

There are only two dinner entrees at the Alpine Inn. The bacon wrapped filet mignon meal if you eat red meat, and the spaetzle primavera, if you do not.

Our filet mignon meal begins with a wedge of iceberg lettuce, covered in Alpine Inn’s homemade ranch dressing.

Next comes the bacon wrapped filet mignon, complete with baked potato, and two pieces of Texas toast (there are no choices of sides, you get what you get and you don’t get upset).

I believe that a well made baked potato is an underrated side dish.

Unlike the entrée choices, the dessert choices at the Alpine Inn appear endless.

We’re stuffed, but decide that we’ll at least eat a few bites of dessert. Once we have our first taste of the Grasshopper pie, we know not a single morsel will be left behind.

Though it’s not the best filet mignon we’ve ever had, it’s tasty. We enjoy everything we have at the Alpine Inn. The dining area has a lovely, historic charm, and the experience is full of old-school quirk. Just remember that it’s cash only. Eating at the Alpine Inn is the chocolate drizzle on top of our wonderful day in Custer State Park.

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