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Drive the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop

Custer, South Dakota

4.7/5
based on 10 reviews

Description

Added by Alex Thompson

Savor a 30-minute drive with sights of bison, burros, pronghorn, and more!

The Custer State Park Wildlife Loop runs for 18 miles across beautiful grasslands and pine-speckled slopes that are home to much of the park's wildlife. Bison, pronghorn, whitetail, mule deer, elk, coyotes, burros, prairie dogs, eagles, hawks, and a variety of other birds may be spotted along the way. Depending on the time of year, the road may be surrounded by beautiful, colorful wildflowers and sweeping views of green prairie grassland.

Plan for 2-4 hours to fully explore this 18-mile loop, and head out in the morning or just before sunset to maximize your chances of spotting wildlife. More than 1,400 bison live in Custer State Park, and many of them are often gathered close to the visitor center, causing frequent traffic jams and giving tourists an up-close look at them. When in their company, always remain in your vehicle and use caution, as they are deceptively fast and can be very dangerous.

Another popular possible wildlife sighting along the drive is known as the Begging Burros encounter. Descendants of a herd that once provided trail rides in the park, these burros are the friendliest of the wildlife lot.

Buffalo Safari Jeep Tours are also available at the State Game Lodge Resort for visitors looking to get access to the off-road areas and gain a deeper insight into the history and maintenance of the park and its wildlife inhabitants.

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Features

Photography
Bathrooms
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Picnic Area
Scenic
Wildlife
ADA Accessible

Drive the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Reviews

We didn't see any vision up close though, but still a pretty area

Got up close. Too close

The abundance of wildlife in this park is unbelievable and it is so close. Definitely a photographers dream. My advice would be to go in the off-season when there are not a line of cars stopped to photograph every bison.

Didn’t see much wildlife, but that’s how she goes sometimes

This drive is best done in the early morning or around sunset. There are tons of bison, but even more cars, which can be a drag if you go in the middle of the day. The burros were super cute as well!

Cool experience if you're not headed to Yellowstone or Glacier.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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Go Great Places in South Dakota

In the Mount Rushmore state, travels to South Dakota are full of one-of-a-kind adventure with wide-open spaces as endless as the horizons. Between legendary landscapes and scenic drives, you can always find space that shifts life into park. When you’re ready, go great places.

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