Touring the Black Hills: Custer State Park

by Jan Drexler

The summer is winding down. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is this week...

After the Rally, the tourist season dwindles quickly. By Labor Day the season officially ends, and a peaceful quiet descends over the Black Hills.

That won't keep us away from our favorite place in the Hills, though! Custer State Park is open year around!

I thought I'd take you on a seasonal tour today. Are you ready?

Late July/Early August is rutting season for the Bison. (It coincides with Rally week...no comment!)

We saw these two in a standoff last week. You can't hear it, but they are trash-talking each other something fierce! And why?

The bulls are on the right and the left, and that cow (with her tail raised in a 'come-hither' kind of gesture) is the object of their affections.

Things can get a bit wild. We drove on before they decided if they were going to come to blows or not. If you look at the pictures closely, you can see that both of these big guys have been in a few fights already this year. You can see the scars on their sides and shoulders.

By the end of August, the prairie grasses will be dormant - in dry years they are dormant by the end of July.

After rutting season is over, the bulls wander off alone
or in pairs. They become best buddies...until next July!

The grass holds its nutrition, though, and feeds the bison and other animals all through the winter until the green grass grows again in the spring. Meanwhile, the land is covered with a lovely shade of golden brown.

Late summer/early fall is a great time to see wildlife of all kinds, and some not-so-wild, like the park's burros.

When the aspen leaves turn gold. we know that fall is here and winter isn't far behind.

I've grown to love winter in the Park. There aren't as many animals to see, but it's so beautiful!

Winter eventually gives way to spring. The park can get snow almost every month of the year, but the grass does come back, and so do the animals.

In the spring, orange is one of my favorite colors!

This picture was taken in the spring of 2018 - last year's
grasses were burned off by the Legion Lake fire
in November 2017. Most springs, there is plenty of dormant
grass, but the bison are hungry for the green shoots!

Then we can visit some of our favorite places in the park - the Wildlife Loop, the Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, Heddy Draw, Mt. Coolidge, all the hiking trails...

The Needles Highway

Badger Clark's home, The Badger Hole

The Cathedral Spires

And remember, the best way to see the park is on foot. But if you can't walk the trails, make sure your drive is leisurely...

Until next time!

Have you ever been to Custer State Park? If you haven't, what is the first thing you would want to see?

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.