Originally I had planned to head straight (or at least as straight as possible) south out of Custer to Hot Springs, then south on U.S. 385 through Chandron, Nebraska, to Alliance, home of Carhenge.
I'd been following my plan closely so far, so I decided to make a change and drive east into Custer State Park, then south on state highway 87 through the park to Hot Springs, possibly to see the mammoth fossils there.
Just as I left Custer I again changed my plans, turning north on SD 89 to catch 87 at the northwestern corner of the park so I could drive through some tunnels that I saw on the map. I'm glad I did.
The widest of the tunnels was just nine feet from side to side. Low clouds obscured The Cathedral Spires while the sun briefly peeked down from overcast skies. The road, called the Needles Highway, twisted through narrow passes. Again I wasted film trying to take pictures.
The first time I stopped to take pictures I noticed movement at my feet. There, just out of reach, were a half dozen chipmunks, scurrying about, darting close, then sprinting away. I got the impression that they were used to being fed. I soon discovered that they were not the only ones.
The Black Hills tape claimed that this park has over 1600 North American Bison, common called buffalo, and that someone driving through the park will probably see several herds. I saw two. Not two herds, but two buffalo.
Signs throughout Custer State Park remind visitors that buffalo are dangerous, that they are not tame, that they should be viewed from a distance. We wouldn't want anyone trying to pet a beast that weighs more than my car.
On the "wildlife loop" I found another prairie dog town. Unlike the one in the badlands, this one was on a paved road and had attracted a much larger crowd of visitors, especially children. This town was also much larger. And the prairie dogs had been turned into little beggars.
They frollicked, they begged, they sand, and they readily approached to see if I had food in my hands, nippping at my fingers when they discovered I didn't. The minimum focusing distance of my 75-300mm zoom is almost three feet, and every time I kneeled to try to photograph one, he got too close.
I spoke to a park ranger later. He said that they had a problem with children trying to pick up the prairie dogs and reaching into the holes to try to get them out. Since snakes also live in these holes, this is not a good idea.
By far the most spoiled "wildlife" in the park are the "begging burros". Strategically located where pull-off areas flank the road, these animals block traffic and go from car to camper looking for handouts.
I missed my turn for an early exit from the wildlife loop and drove almost the whole thing. I took a gravel road out the east side of the park and went south to Buffalo gap, a tiny town with not a single paved road.
I missed Hot Springs by a few miles and headed toward Nebraska. More later.