Tatanka CUSTER STATE 2016PARK GUIDE TO Buffalo are dangerous. Please do not approach. RESERVATIONS: CAMPSD.COM | 1.800.710.2267 1 Welcome Welcome to Custer State Park. This Additional year you’ll notice big changes that will improvements in enhance your visit. the park include the replacement In the spring of 2016, a new, of 15 cabins with 8,000-square-foot visitor center will new modern, open showcasing the variety of amenities larger-style cabins in the Game Lodge Custer State Park has to offer. Visitors and Sylvan Lake areas. New reunion can ask questions, learn about the park’s cabins have been added at Game Lodge, iconic buffalo, walk through a replica of Blue Bell and Sylvan Lake. Legion Lake the Needle’s Eye and let the kids try out Lodge has been replaced with a new the climbing wall. facility where the restaurant patrons can The visitor center even features a 100- enjoy their meal while overlooking the VHDWWKHDWHUZLWKDVKRUW¿OPIHDWXULQJ lake. Custer State Park’s landmarks and 7KHODVWVLJQL¿FDQWLPSURYHPHQWVDUH activities. ongoing renovations to the Sylvan Lake The Peter Norbeck Visitor Center is also tent sites and a new comfort station going through a transition to become for the Sylvan Lake Campground. This the Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education facility will offer individual showers and Center. This center has always been the bathroom facilities. hub for interpretive programming and There is no better way to start your will continue to be. The education center Custer State Park adventure than by will offer indoor and outdoor classrooms, stopping by the new visitor center and naturalist-lead programs and interactive taking in a program at the education displays allowing for self-exploration. center. It will truly be time well spent. The pedestrian path connecting the visitor and education centers will offer Matt Snyder, Superintendent easy access to both locations. Custer State Park tatanka Tatanka is the Lakota word for bison or buffalo. Volume 37 • 2016 The Tatanka is published by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Dennis Daugaard, Governor of South Dakota; Kelly Hepler, Secretary SD Game, Fish and Parks; Doug Hofer, Director, SD Division of Parks and Recreation; Matthew Snyder, Superintendent, Custer State Park; Brooke Smith, Tatanka Editor Front Cover: Photo by Chad Coppess, SD Department of Tourism. Other photos provided by SD Departments of Tourism and Game, Fish and Parks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Ron Fry. 2 INFORMATION: 605.255.4515 | CUSTERSTATEPARK.COM Contents Things to know | 4 Wildlife | 6 Buffalo Roundup | 10 New Custer State Park Visitor Center | 11 Activities | 12 Trails | 14 Park Programs | 16 Annual Events | 18 Lakes and Streams | 20 Scenic Drives | 22 History | 24 Lodging | 26 Camping | 28 Dining and Shopping | 30 Area State Parks | 32 Black Hills Playhouse | 34 Black Hills Area Map | Inside Back Custer State Park Map | Back Cover (TXDORSSRUWXQLW\WRSDUWLFLSDWHLQDQGEHQH¿WIURPSURJUDPVRIWKH6''HSDUWPHQWRI*DPH)LVKDQG3DUNVLVDYDLODEOHWRDOOLQGLYLGXDOVZLWKRXWUHJDUGWRWKHLUUDFHFRORU national origin, sex, age or handicap. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to: SD Department of Game, Fish and Parks, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501-3182; RUWRWKH2I¿FHRI(TXDO2SSRUWXQLW\86'HSDUWPHQWRI,QWHULRU2I¿FHRIWKH6HFUHWDU\:DVKLQJWRQ'& 235,000 copies of this publication were printed by Midstates Printing at a cost of 15 cents each. RESERVATIONS: CAMPSD.COM | 1.800.710.2267 3 things to know Entrance Fees Custer State Park Visitor Center Located at the junction of Wildlife Loop Road and Annual Park Entrance License | $30 Highway 16. Second Annual Park Entrance License | $15 Memorial Day – Labor Day | Open 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Labor Day – September 30 | Open 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Transferable Park Entrance License | $65 October 1 – Memorial Day | Open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Temporary Vehicle License* (1-7 consecutive Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter | Closed days) | $20/vehicle or $10/motorcycle Wildlife Station Visitor Center Motorcoach License | $3/person per Located on Wildlife Loop Road. continuous visit Memorial Day - Labor Day | Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Camping fees | See page 29 Labor Day - September 30 | Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 1 - Memorial Day | Closed An entrance license is required of all park visitors. Only people traveling non-stop on Peter Norbeck U.S. Highway 16A are exempt from this Outdoor Education Center requirement. Located on Highway 16 near the State Game Lodge. *Valid at all South Dakota state park areas. May 20 - October 1 | Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. October 2 - May 18 | Closed 4 INFORMATION: 605.255.4515 | CUSTERSTATEPARK.COM General Park Guidelines Lost and Found Regulations are designed to protect both park visitors and All lost and found items and records are kept at the park park resources. Park rangers enforce the park’s laws and RI¿FHRQHPLOHZHVWRIWKH6WDWH*DPH/RGJH regulations. ,I\RX¿QGRUORVHDQLWHPVWRSDWRQHRIRXU¿YHHQWUDQFH • Feeding and disturbing wildlife is against park regulations. VWDWLRQVDQG¿OORXWDORVWDQGIRXQGIRUP2XUVWDIIZLOO DO NOT approach the buffalo. GHOLYHUWKHLWHPWRWKHSDUNRI¿FHIRU\RX • 2SHQ¿UHVDUHSURKLELWHGXQOHVVLQDQDSSURYHG¿UHJUDWH Contact Information located in campgrounds or picnic areas. • Visitors are not allowed to jump or dive from bridges, Custer State Park rocks or cliffs into any of the park’s lakes, ponds or 3DUN+HDGTXDUWHUV_ streams. Email | [email protected] • Removal of any natural or cultural features such as antlers, Web | custerstatepark.com rocks or artifacts is prohibited. Facebook | facebook.com/CusterStatePark • /RDGHG¿UHDUPVDUHQRWDOORZHGLQWKHSDUN8QORDGHGDQG Camping reservations FDVHG¿UHDUPVPD\EHWUDQVSRUWHGLQDYHKLFOH 1.800.710.2267 | campsd.com • Open carry is not permitted. You may carry a concealed Custer State Park Resort weapon with a valid concealed permit. ,QIRUPDWLRQ_ • Pets need to be on a leash no longer than 10 feet. Pets are not allowed in any park buildings or on designated Reservations | 1.888.875.0001 swimming beaches. Please clean up after your pet. Do not Email | [email protected] leave pets unattended. Service animals are welcome. Web | custerresorts.com RESERVATIONS: CAMPSD.COM | 1.800.710.2267 5 wildlife Pronghorn Wildlife Talks 6 INFORMATION: 605.255.4515 | CUSTERSTATEPARK.COM Wildlife Loop Road Custer State Park Wildlife Custer State Park is one of the few places in the world where you’re able to see an abundance of wildlife in their natural habitat. You’ll encounter a variety of wildlife throughout the park’s 71,000 acres, including along trails, in the campgrounds and beside the road. Wildlife Loop Road is particularly known for its common sightings of buffalo, pronghorn and prairie dogs, but keep an eye out for white- tailed and mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep and a host of birds and smaller wildlife as well. For the best results, travel the loop during the early morning or later in the evening, when wildlife are most active. Safari Jeep Tour RESERVATIONS: CAMPSD.COM | 1.800.710.2267 7 wildlife Elk Elk are the second largest member of the deer family with only moose larger. They are mainly forest dwellers where they browse and graze on understory vegetation. Elk are shy and seldom seen during the daytime hours. Mature bulls grow and shed heavy, wide antlers. Pronghorns Pronghorns, commonly referred to as antelope due to their similar appearance, live on the open grassland. The name pronghorn comes from the buck’s large pronged horns. The horn sheaths are shed each year. The fastest land animal in North America, pronghorns can run 60 mph for great distances. True antelope live MountainM Lions Coyotes in Africa and have unbranched horns &KLHÀ\QRFWXUQDODQGUHFOXVLYHWRZDUG& Coyotes hunt in all habitats in Custer that never shed. humans,hu mountain lions are found State Park. Their diet is varied, but wwithin the Black Hills and Custer State consists mainly of small mammals. PPark. These predators feed on several They also eat larger game as well as species, including deer, elk, rabbits and insects, fruits and berries. Coyotes are wild turkeys. Even though you may not gray and have a drooping, bushy tail see them, these big cats are a part of and a pointed nose. The coyote is South South Dakota’s wealth of wildlife. Dakota’s state animal. © Dean Pearson © Jim Thompson Jr. Mule Deer White-tailed Deer These deer are aptly named for their White-tailed deer live mainly in the large ears. Their black-tipped tails, timberlands. As its name implies, the which are short and narrow, are carried white-tailed deer has white hair on the down when the deer runs. Mule deer underside of its tail. When the animal often bound with a stiff-legged gait as UXQVWKHWDLOLVÀLSSHGXSDQGORRNVOLNH if bouncing on powerful springs when DZDYLQJZKLWHÀDJ WKH\ÀHH 8 INFORMATION: 605.255.4515 | CUSTERSTATEPARK.COM Mountain Goats The mountain goat was not found LQ6RXWK'DNRWDXQWLOZKHQLW was introduced to the Black Hills. Today, they are found in the granite outcroppings and crags around Harney Peak, Needles and Mount Rushmore areas. The mountain goat is unique to North America Bighorn Sheep Burros and is not a true goat. The all-white South Dakota’s original bighorn sheep The burros in Custer State Park are mammal feeds on grasses, ferns, was the Audubon subspecies. When not native to the Black Hills. They are moss and lichen among other high- it became extinct about 1922, a herd descendants from the herd that once elevation plants. The animal grows of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hauled visitors to the top of Harney a dense wool undercoat and a long was introduced to Custer State Park. Peak. The rides were discontinued outer coat of hair. Both sexes have Bighorns have a sturdy, but graceful years ago and the burros were released sharp, slender, black horns. build. Their coats consist of short hair, into the park where they have become not wool. Rams have thick, curled horns a popular visitor attraction.