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Spend a Day Up Close With Animals in Custer State Park
On our weeklong journey through the Black Hills of South Dakota, we spent a morning driving the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop. What started as a beautiful drive through 18 miles of open grasslands became a journey of laughter and sheer enjoyment with all the animal sightings along the drive.
What Animals Will You Find On The Custer State Park Wildlife Loop?
Custer State Park is one of South Dakota’s State Parks and protects 71,000 acres of land, 1,500 head of North American Bison, antelope, mountain goats, whitetail and mule deer, bighorn sheep elk, coyotes, wild turkeys, mountain lions, bobcats, prairie dogs, and birds.
Since my husband and I were both born and raised in coastal California, we were blown away by the beauty and vastness of the rolling hills and brilliant green and gold landscape. We started our journey early in the morning to ensure we saw the animals and were not disappointed.
The Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Burros
It wasn’t long before we were met by a herd of burros on the side of the road. They are not indigenous to the area but are descendants of animals brought in to serve as trail rides. They were unafraid and curious, happy to stick their faces in the car in search of snacks and head scratches. They were quite enjoyable. We continued the loop and found prairie dogs singing and digging holes. We didn’t find the Bison herd immediately but stopped at a Ranger Station and museum, where a Ranger let us know where they were last seen and guided us to them. The Custer State Park Wilderness Loop took about two and a half hours to complete. It didn’t need to take so long, but we stopped and enjoyed the animals and scenery along the way.
Blue Bell Stables at Custer State Park
We found our way to the Blue Bell Lodge and enjoyed breakfast before going to the Blue Bell Stables, where we spent the remainder of the morning horseback riding the French Creek Trails.
Knowing what I know now, I wish we had carved out more time to enjoy the park. One could easily stay a week and enjoy the many amenities that the area has to offer.
Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Facts
According to the official website for the Custer State Park, four private historic lodges offer restaurants, guided wildlife activities as well as cabins and hotel rooms as part of the Custer State Park Resort.
In total Custer State Park offers the following activities:
- Biking
- Birdwatching
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Historical Interest
- Horseback Riding
- Interpretive Signs
- Museum and Visitor Center
- Picnicking
- Snowshoeing
- Swimming
Contact Custer State Park
Custer State Park
13329 US Highway 16A
Custer, SD 57730
605.255.4515
Email: CusterStatePark@state.sd.us