Custer State Park Tunnel Height

[murphsharp]

I have searched the web for anyone that has gone through all the tunnels in Custer St Park SD in a Class B Camper Van with out much luck. I am getting all sorts of height numbers. The lowest is the Hood tunnel with heights ranging from 9'6" to 10'6". Has any one driven through the Hood Tunnel in a Class B that is 10' tall?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Charlie

[booster]

Originally Posted by murphsharp

I have searched the web for anyone that has gone through all the tunnels in Custer St Park SD in a Class B Camper Van with out much luck. I am getting all sorts of height numbers. The lowest is the Hood tunnel with heights ranging from 9'6" to 10'6". Has any one driven through the Hood Tunnel in a Class B that is 10' tall?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Charlie

The tunnels are very tight both in height and also width. Some have gone through them and I think the heights and widths stated in the Custer Park literature are quite close. Scraped mirrors on the sides is the most damage I have heard of. We chose not to go through the two narrowest with our C190P Roadtrek as an ambundance of caution. DW gets very worried and is a poor judge of distance on her side, so it gets tougher that way. The entire road up to the tunnels is very narrow and tight but doable in a B, unless you meet something coming the other way that won't move over enough to get past. Also on all the back roads and even some main ones, be aware of lots of all terrain vehicles zooming around. Many are rentals with inexperienced, maybe impaired, users and we have seen them go wide on corners and nearly get head on crashed. The ATVs is a relatively new issue there, only the last couple of years I think. We go to Custer every spring for two weeks. It is one of our favorite places.

[Davydd]

I’ve gone through all the tunnels in more than one Class B. They are all doable.

[murphsharp]

Thanks for the info , my concern is more the height than width.

[booster]

Originally Posted by murphsharp

Thanks for the info , my concern is more the height than width.

There are lots of bad information places on the internet, thus the varying heights. Many are giving the Needles tunnel or others for hood it looks like.



I would go only by the official park or highway documents or maps.


Here is a link to what should be the official Custer Park map that shows it at 9' 10" and would be a no go for a 10' van unless you got lucky with the high spot being in a higher spot of the tunnel all the way through.


https://gfp.sd.gov/userdocs/custer-map.pdf

[Davydd]

None of my Class B’s have been 10’ tall. Most all Class Cs or the euphemism B+s are over 10’ tall. Tunnels are arched and the minimum measurements are taken at the spring of the arch at the tunnel wall. They do like to be on the safe side in telling you that.

I was just in a Sonic restaurant where they listed the canopies at 9’ high. I was mystified as they looked over 11’ high to me. There was a speaker box at some of them that hung down but nowhere I could hit it. That was probably why they said 9’ high.

[michaelingp]

Sorry I can't help but I remember last time I was there the signs and maps were not consistent. Our van is only 9' so we didn't have any issues (other than goats in the tunnels).

[murphsharp]

Thanks Davydd,
I think I’ll make up a measuring stick prior to my trip and find a pullover before taking off the AC. I think I’ll be close but would rather take a minute or two to be sure.

[mloganusda]

Watch this video to learn what not to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LK5RzZDJoQ

[booster]

Originally Posted by murphsharp

Thanks Davydd,
I think I’ll make up a measuring stick prior to my trip and find a pullover before taking off the AC. I think I’ll be close but would rather take a minute or two to be sure.

Your air conditioner comes off in a minute or two?


Probably good to check the actual height of your van to be sure as the specs are often not very accurate.

[Cof3933]

My class B is 9’6” and I made it thru the tunnels. It was very tight but not on height but width, had to tuck in mirrors and had 1” on each side