Why Custer State Park?
Our Wyoming-based daughter suggested Custer State Park, so we researched the 71,000-acre preserve in the southeastern corner of the Black Hills, east of Custer and south of Keystone, and made reservations — well in advance, which is imperative. It turned out to be perfect for all the right reasons — from scenic granite spires and grassy meadows where buffalo do indeed roam (plus burros, pronghorns, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, and more) to close proximity to Mount Rushmore and other Black Hills attractions. Seeing buffalo On an afternoon walk on the grounds of the park’s State Game Lodge area, my five-year-old grandson and I saw what the pioneers called a buffalo chip. “What’s that, Grandma?” he wanted to know, so I told him. “That must be a really big buffalo!” he exclaimed. I agreed. The park’s origins have everything to do with North American bison (commonly called buffalo), our native terrestrial mammal, which can grow to be six feet tall and weigh 2,000 pounds. The park’s f
