Custer State Park in South Dakota is defined by towering pines, gentle flowing creeks and massive granite outcrops that are, at every twist and turn of the Needles Highway! The diversity of the landscape is amazing, and the opportunity to view the park’s critters from the road they call “Wildlife Loop” is fantastic.

What’s more impressive is that everyone is after the same thing and is totally understanding of one’s need to suddenly stop the car, hop out and take a photograph of some adorable member of the wildlife pack who is just living its life in full view of the millions of visitors who travel this road every year.

Covering over 70,000 acres, this glorious park offers a real diversity of landscapes and inhabitants for everyone to enjoy. They put on quite a display, and I was able to capture some of their moments to share with you.

Bison-Uber! A Bison gives a lift to three birds, destination unknown!

A Male Pronghorn. Pronghorns are commonly referred to as antelope due to their similar appearance and life on the open grassland. The name pronghorn comes from the buck’s large pronged horns which are shed each year. Pronghorns are the fastest land animal in North America and can run at 60 miles per hour for great distances.

Burros! A burro is a small donkey who is not native to the Black Hills of South Dakota. They are descendants from a herd that once hauled visitors around the park – they now roam freely in the park!