WHERE THE BUFFALO (BISON) ROAM, AND OTHER CREATURES

Bison Herd Custer State Park

Surprisingly our Moroccan Reunion Tour had long segments of bus-riding with intermittent stops at tourism centers, designated overlooks or pull-over spots. This was OK with me, as getting on and off the bus with my short legs and short breath was the hardest effort of the day on me.

Bison - Custer State Park

Thus were the the tours through Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon and the Badlands. For me these were good touring days and I still have some good but not excellent photos, most of which were taken while the bus was moving, or through bus windows. This post will be  Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park. Spearfish Canyon and the Badlands may be one or two other posts. I also have Deadwood and Wall SD, too, as well as two nights dining.


I like to provide historical backgrounds; Four different histories would be a lot to digest in one post.

Bison - Custer State Park

The tour through Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park was a bus ride with few stops. It was designed to see the natural wild life of South Dakota. The two drives connect with each other.
Wind Cave National Park does have a cave; in fact it is the 4th largest in the world with 135 miles of passageways. However, this tour was not the cavern, but a warm afternoon drive to hopefully see the abundant wildlife in both parks, like bison, elk, deer, antelope, ferrets, prairie dogs and coyotes. During this drive the sightings of wildlife were sparse; it was a very warm afternoon.

Burro - Custer State Park
SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera)

There are campgrounds, a visitor's center, bike trails, and Ranger discovery programs of 2-hour prairie hikes. A Junior ranger program is provided for ages 6-12, as well as evening programs at Elk Mountain campground on subjects like history, geology, wildlife and the prairie ecosystem during the summer.
The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), one of Pres. Franklin Roosevelt's more successful "alphabet" efforts to provide work during the Great Depression, contributed to the creation of these parks. The laborers planted trees, paved roads, constructed parks,etc.
Since the roads we took for Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park connected to each other I will not be able to tell you exactly where the bison/buffalo were taken. We sighted a variety of deer, but not near enough to get pictures through a bus window.

So about all I have are a few bison and the burros; the burros are  not native to the park but added entertainment as they love to snitch treats, especially carrots from tourists and occasionally nip you, if you are not watching. We were not otherwise allowed off the bus, as the wildlife, especially bison are dangerous and temperamental.

All I had heard was prairie rattlesnakes, and so I stayed within the confines of the rules laid down for our safety.

Bison is the correct word for the species that roam America's prairies. Because they resembled African and Asian buffalo, early explorers  (and myself) called them buffalo and the misnomer became interchangeable with bison. Bison have a large shoulder hump.

Burro Begging For Treats From Tour Member
Custer State Park

In Custer State Park, the 2nd largest state park in the U.S., there are 1300 free-roaming North American bison. These bison were/are used in many movies.

Once a year there is an annual roundup, a great event that draws many tourists. The bison are tested, vaccinated, branded and some sorted out to sell at the annual auction. There is a video clip of the roundup at the link given for Custer State Park.

Baby Burro -  Custer State Park
I Thought Look Lethargic And Ill

The wildlife in both parks are relatively the same, but we saw more this particular drive in Custer State Park, which also had some impressive lodges providing a variety of accommodations and full service dining. There are campsites, camping cabins and several scenic roadways. I think the one we were using was The Wildlife Loop Road.

The amenities of both Parks are similar: hiking trails, climbing, bicycling, camping, campgrounds. The Custer State Park was nearer the town of Custer, which offers shops and other local color for tourism.

A tour director tries to choose a variety of sites, so the majority of the tour members will be pleased. However, controlling where wildlife will be at any given time of the day, is not easily determined.

Mama Burro Trying To Entice Baby With Carrot
To No Avail - Custer State Park

Other Burros Not Interested In Treats
Custer State Park

PHOTOS: Photography all by NitWIT

Please watch video at link for Custer State Park as well as read history. I wish we had not been so tired, because we were in still in Rapid City the day of the Buffalo Roundup.

The amenities of both Parks are similar: hiking trails, climbing, bicycling, camping, campgrounds. The Custer State Park was nearer the town of Custer, which offers shops and other local color for tourism.

A tour director tries to choose a variety of sites, so the majority of the tour members will be pleased. However, controlling where wildlife will be at any given time of the day, is not easily determined.