Wildlife Loop!

Archived Entry from American Nomad Experiment: 08/24/09 Part II:

Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop is a must for any family trip to the Black Hills.  I have been to many National and State Parks and I can honestly say you won't find a better scenic drive than the Custer Loop.  The scenery varies from extremes of arid plains fit for prairie dogs to high rocky and forested cliffs perfect for Mountain Goats and Mountain Lions.  Custer's wildlife and foliage is diverse.  The reason wildlife and plants have flourished here is because of Custer's land and wildlife management - considered one of if not the best in the nation.  They go to extremes to ensure the animals and forests are perfectly managed to ensure nature will be able to work at its best.

There are two ways to start the Loop: either east from Legion toward the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center or South towards Blue Bell.  My mom and I opted to go the southern route first.    This route starts by going through a high curvy over pass offering views of the surrounding valley and adjacent mountain peaks.  It was here that we saw a few Mule Deer gracefully leaping up a nearby bluff.  We continued on, passing Blue Bell, another lodging area with camping, cabins and a delicious restaurant.  

Shortly after Blue Bell the topography changes from mountainous forestry to open arid prairie.  The plains are vast and underbrush is coupled with wildflowers.  A Prairie Dog town is listed on the map, however has since been abandoned as flooding forced the prairie dogs to move further east on the wildlife loop.  Yes it turns out prairie dogs can swim!  A neat hike is roadside aptly named:  "The Prairie Trail"  This 3 mile loop gives hikers access to a mix of riparian and grassland habitats and one of the most beautiful wildflower displays in America.  A worthwhile hike.  We hope to do it during our stay  - I would advise that you bring lots of water and try hiking at dawn or late afternoon as even through the car windshield the sun blazes on you like a wildfire.

As we drove through the prairie landscape we encounter the Pronghorn.  They are so graceful and agile - fast becoming a wildlife favorite of me and my mom!  We also saw begging burros - a Custer Tradition and one animal in the park you can get up close and personal with.  These burros are descendants of domesticated burros who used to take tourists up to Harney Peak and other area locations.  They were then released into the wild and these are their offspring.  They are friendly and love causing traffic jams as they "beg" for food.  As always show them respect and they will respect you.  I got really peeved when an impatient driver tried to maul them all down.  Parks aren't for speed and it irks me when people are in such a hurry they put wildlife and themselves at risk.  

As the loop curves northward toward Game Lodge the Valley mixes more with forest and creeks, as mountains and cliffs cradled the valley floor.  It was at Game Lodge we finally ran across the herd of Bison.  Custer has one herd and except for a few lone bulls they all move around together and when they camp at Game Lodge they take the place over.  In a Buffalo jam it's important to be patient and respect the wildlife.  Honking at them won't make them move any faster, it will actually scare them and could cause an attack.  They know you're there and are working on getting out of the way - just enjoy the ambiance and be patient - you're on vacation after all :)

After the wildlife loop we made a quick stop at Legion's General Store to load up on ice and milk before heading back to the campground.  After taking a shower I journaled by lantern light until the bugs got to be too much to handle. Not as many people here tonight as many kids are back in school this time of year.  There is a nice Mennonite family across the way from us.  They are very friendly and their kids are so polite!  

I put up my journal and try to get some sleep.  Our car has been making a funny humming noise every time the engine is off - I think it's the leveler, but we're going to take it into Custer (the town) tomorrow to find out what's up the car.

Here's a brief description on Custer Wildlife:

White-Tailed Deer: White-tailed deer live mainly in the timberlands.  As its name implies, the whitetail deer has white hair on the underside of its tail.  When the animal runs, the tail is flipped up and looks like a waving flag.

Mule Deer: These deer are named for their large ears.  They have black-tipped tails, which are short and narrow, and are carried down when the deer runs.  They jump as if bouncing.

Mountain Goats: The mountain goats in Custer are mainly visible on Harney Peak or outside of the park in Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse.  The Mountain Goat was not found in SD until 192 when it was introduced to the Black Hills.  They populate the granite outcroppings and crags around the Needles.  The mountain got is unique to North America and not a true goat.  They are all while with a dense wool undercoat and long outer coat of hair.  Both sexes have slender, sharp, black horns.  I haven't seen one in Custer, but I've been up and close with a few in Glacier and Yellowstone in MT and WY.  They are neat animals!  They have perfect footing for living atop crags and eating alpine shrubbery.

Bison (or American Buffalo): Custer is home to nearly 1500 head of North American bison.  Bison can grow to 6 feet tall and weigh more than 2000 pounds.  They have a short tail and a tassel with a hump at the shoulders, curved black hons on the sides of the head and dense shaggy dark brown and black hair around the head and neck, resembling a beard.  Bison used to range in the millions in North America, but populations had dwindled to less than a 1000 by 1900. Early Park enthusiast Peter Norbeck recognized the problem and in 1914 brought Bison to what would become Custer State Park to live on a Game Sanctuary.  The 36 head originally introduced escalated to a population of 2,500 by 1940.  Soon they had over population problems and therefore began the Buffalo Round-up an annual event, in which park bison older than ten years are sold at auction to ensure that the population gene pool stays healthy and is managed appropriately.

Pronghorn: Often incorrectly called antelope, live mainly on the open grasslands. The name pronghorn is derived from the bucks large pronged horns.  They have broad white stripes across a reddish brown coat.  Known for their remarkable endurance, these animals can run up to 40 mph for great distances.

Bighorn Sheep: One of the coolest animals around.  They are distinguishable by their  rounded horns.  The males thick and curled, the womens smaller and not as curled.  The South Dakota Bighorn sheep became extinct in 1922 and it was decided to reintroduce the animal to Custer State Park.  Unfortunately in recent years the population has dwindled to 18 as the entire herd caught a cause of the flu from farm livestock accidentally smuggled into the area.  They are visible, but have a tough fight to keep their population strong.  Custer has given as many as they could flu treatment shots to ensure their sustainability.

Prairie Dogs: My favorite animal :) the black-tailed prairie dog is found on the dry upland prairie and is a rodent that lives in large social groups called towns.  The round mound of dirt surrounding the prairie dog hole keeps rain water from running into the burrow and serves as an observation post to watch for danger.

Coyote

Mountain Lions are in the park but rarely seen, when visible it is usually at night

Bobcats: also nocturnal and rarely seen

Wild Turkeys 

For more info on the Park and it's wildlife check out the digital Tatanka Guide