On to Custer State Park

Continuing our adventures in the Black Hills of South Dakota, we took a day to see Custer State Park, but first we had to get there.

We drove up and up and over a few of these so called 'pig tails' where the road loops over on itself. They are lovely wooden curved bridges made to blend in with the forest.


And we went through tunnels like this one. What is that saying about the light at the end of the tunnel being a train? Well, in this case, it's a bus.


But what's special about these tunnels is that each of the three is oriented to have a view of the presidents. (Yes, Ron backed up for me to take this. What a guy!)


Finally at the top of the pass was a wonderful overlook. The Black Hills are so named because the dark pine trees make them look black (or at least hard to photograph.) That's Mt. Rushmore on the right.


Finally, we reached Custer SP, home of the welfare donkeys. Yikes! Ron told me not to get out of the car!


When they realized I didn't have any food (just a camera,) they left me to surround the car. I was so surprised I forgot to take a picture of that comical sight. But isn't this little guy just adorable?


We took the popular Needles Highway and saw magnificent rock spires like these.


And everybody got out of their cars to watch a bus navigate this tight spot.


We stopped at the unique Sylvan Lake. It's a man made lake, but they only had to built a dam about 30 feet across. The lake is surrounded by interesting rock croppings.