Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
Peter Norbeck vs. the Diploma Boys: Building the Impossible Road

The roads of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway spiral through the rocky crags of Black Hills National Forest, Custer State Park, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, defying imagination and providing access to some of the most beautiful landscapes in South Dakota. But none of this would have been possible without the influence of the byway's namesake, Senator Peter Norbeck.

As one of the premiere American conservationists, Peter Norbeck was instrumental in the preservation of thousands of acres in the Black Hills of South Dakota and across the nation. His fervor for protecting landscape and wildlife blended with his desire to show the natural beauty of his homeland to the nation.

Peter Norbeck came from humble circumstances. As the son of a Norwegian immigrant, farming took precedence over formal schooling. Although he attended three terms of college, he left formal schooling to start a successful well drilling business. Despite his simplistic upbringing, Norbeck became one of South Dakota’s most successful politicians. He was never defeated in an election, and he served in every high state office, including both Governor and Senator.

Norbeck always considered himself an artist rather than a politician, and during his career in Washington, he developed several interactive and environmentally friendly masterpieces. One area he focused on in the Black Hills was Harney Range, a series of peaks with huge weather-shaped granite spires called the Needles framing expansive views of pine forests and open sky.

When Norbeck proposed a road through the Needles, most of the engineers of his time said it couldn’t be done. But that didn’t stop Norbeck, who didn't care what the 'diploma boys' thought. With his support and 150,000 pounds of dynamite, the Needles Highway became a reality. Today, you can either drive the Needles Highway, or in the winter, cross-country ski among the pinnacles.

Norbeck championed two other creations, the Iron Mountain Road and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, to create an incredible journey through nature. The Iron Mountain road goes out of its way to avoid destroying natural habitat, sometimes doubling around on itself in pigtail loops to climb up the mountain. The road passes directly through arms of the mountain, and as you emerge back into the daylight, the mouths of the tunnels perfectly frame Mount Rushmore.

Norbeck was the man behind the mountain, although he died shortly after the dedication of Jefferson's head. Peter Norbeck left a lasting legacy in South Dakota and the nation that includes one of the world's most famous monuments. The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway lets you appreciate the art of this down-home statesman with an incredible vision.