5.00
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One of the most beautiful and most well maintain parks that we have been to. For the wildlife, big Horn sheep, deer, wild turkeys, and of course horses and bison, beautiful.
The prairies and Fields were spectacular to see all the bison there are amazing and then not far from town we went to a Art Festival, also to the hot air balloon glow at night.
I love it and I WOULD go back and I will go back.
I almost stepped on a rattle snake.
Once a year opportunity to be in Custer State Park for yearly Buffalo Rounding. To my surprise it is a nationwide event with cars coming from all over the State to visit this spectacular side of heard of American Buffalos being rounded into corrals. In anticipation of this event you forget there are other wild animals in Custer Park.
We just took our 5 kids through Custer on the tail end of a trip through the southwest (on our way back to Wisconsin). I am floored this is a state park and not a national park. The beauty can't be undersold. It's huge with ample wildlife, places to stay and camp and more. They'd already put the bison in the corral for the winter, but at least they were easy to find. We had the good fortune of meeting the burros (I kid, I think they go looking for people). My kids spent over an hour petting them. (I'm under the impression that feeding them is par for the course since folks brought apples and carrots for them, but signs around the park ask you not to feed wildlife. I'm sure carrots and apples aren't a big deal and my kids enjoyed feeding them carrots offered by a fellow visitor, but the woman feeding them cheetos was shocking..). A few will come right up to your car for scratches and snacks.
We also saw pronghorns and prairie dogs but didn't see any mountain goats or big horn sheep. One lone bison that clearly got missed in the round up was chilling near the exit so we did get a nice close view from the safety of the RV.
We're already planning a return for a longer visit next summer since we found a great resort nearby (Buffalo Ridge Camp Resort) and I'm sure we'll visit Custer again.
The only issue we had, especially having visited Crazy Horse first, was that it's called Custer. Arguably a pretty terrible guy to the local indigenous peoples of his day, and given its 2020 and time to stop glorifying villains, it's probably a good time for SD to consider renaming this beautiful park to honor the Black Hills tribes.
Definitely put this on your itinerary if you're passing through. The wildlife loop can be done from your vehicle in an hour or two.
The buffalo roundup is a very special event. Highly recommend the viewing of the roundup as well as the arts festival that follows. The unique artwork on display from the local community as well as the artists who have travel hundreds of miles to show off their skills has definately opened my eyes (and pocketbook) at this one of kind event. Great food and conversation goes well with the live music at the Buffalo Roundup!!
So much to do! Needles highway, the wildlife loop, the beautiful lakes. Go on the loop early, we saw tons of animals. It's fun to feed the burros, but they'll mob you if you're the only one with food. Ate at blue bell and legion lake resorts, both were excellent
