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早上先到 Mount Rushmore、Crazy Horse 參觀(下一篇),然後回頭遊覽 Custer State Park 的另兩個景點--Sylvan Lake 和 Needles Highway 。
▲(點此)→ 北達科塔第二日行程詳細路線圖
▲ (點此) → 本篇行程詳細路線圖
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Sylvan Lake 這顆被譽為 Custer State Park 皇冠上的寶石位在公園的西北角, 1881年Theodore Reder 在現址建造一座水壩橫跨Sunday Gulch,形成現在的Sylvan Lake 。
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
該湖西、北兩岸都是巨大的花崗岩石山,而東、南兩岸及部分北岸則是松樹、白楊等混雜林,景色非常優美,自2007年的電影“國家寶藏”第二集在此取景後更是聲名大噪。
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
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該區提供遊客一處野餐區,有多處攀岩路線,湖面有出租小船,許多遊客可在此湖垂釣 、游泳,還有多條難易不同的登山步道,其中的一條步道是環湖步道,長約1哩(1.6公里),步道平緩好走,景色優美,來此湖不走上一圈實為可惜。
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Sylvan Lake 一般資料:
海拔:6,145呎(1,873公尺)
湖面面積:17.3英畝(7公頃)
平均深度:約12.8呎(3.9公尺)
最深深度:30呎(9.1公尺)
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Panorama of Sylvan Lake
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Needles Highway
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Custer State Park 內北自 Sylvan Lake開始沿SD-87公路南下直到和US-16A公路銜接的這條長達14哩的景觀道路即是以岩石景觀著名的Needles Highway,此條道路穿越Pine 和 Spruce 夾雜的針葉林區,偶而見到一大片被白樺(Birch)和白楊木(Aspen)圍繞著的草原,沿途舉目所及可見壯觀的花崗岩形成的尖狀岩石,Needles Highway名稱由來即是源自這些尖狀岩石乍看之下極似根根針狀物 (Needle)由地平線刺向天際。
該條景觀道路是曾任South Dakota 州長的Peter Norbeck(1870.8.27~1936.12.20)實地測量規劃、爭取興建,完工於1922年。


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
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



Needles Highway沿線最有名的景點就屬Needles Eye,位在Sylvan Lake南下不遠處的Needles Highway公路旁,此景點包含一座尖突、上有一針眼的巨石,和一個長而狹窄的隧道,其他如 Bell Tower、Hitching Post、和 Bloody Spire 等巨大的尖突巨石如石林般矗立在此區,此區也是攀岩者的最愛。
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

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Needels Eye area tunnel
近幾年美國森林的松樹遭受一種甲蟲(Mountain Pine Beetle)侵襲而枯死,科羅拉多蠻嚴重的,看來南達科塔州也不能倖免。
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遊完Sylvan Lake 和部分 Needles Highway 之後我們又趕回 Rapid City用午餐(說下午茶可能貼切一點),因為下午的行程是 Badlands National Park。
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