Our second scenic drive in Wind Cave National Park was north on South Dakota route 87 from its start at US-385 to the park boundary at the entrance to Custer State Park. There are a couple of one-lane bridges along this route. The first is a concrete arch bridge over Beaver Creek. Continuing north, SD-87 makes a loop as it begins the descent into Reaves Gulch. The second bridge is a timber span across the lower portion of the highway loop. I couldn't find a safe place to take a picture of the second bridge. This is not a route I would recommend for large recreational vehicles or for those towing a boat or trailer. We made the drive on a late afternoon in August 2017.
 |
| Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) |
 |
| Wayside exhibit |
 |
| Late afternoon sun |
 |
| Concrete arch bridge over Beaver Creek |
 |
| Another wayside exhibit |
 |
| One-hundred yard path to a view |
 |
| SD-87 near Centennial Trail trailhead |
 |
| Beaver Creek valley and beyond |
 |
| Prairie and forest |
 |
| Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) |
 |
| Another view of the Mule Deer |
 |
| "Cheese" |
 |
| Pullout parking area |
 |
| Wayside exhibit |
 |
| Pegmatite |
 |
| Looking west beyond Rankin Ridge Road |
 |
| Old bison bull (Bison bison) |
 |
| Bison on Rankin Ridge fire tower road |
 |
| Roadside bison on SD-87 |
 |
| Prairie at sunset |
 |
| Fiery clouds |
 |
| Sunset |
 |
| A pair of Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) |
 |
| Closer view |
 |
| Closer view number two |
Entry to Wind Cave National Park is free. Cave tours require a fee of $10 to $30 per adult depending on the tour. Prices are reduced for children and seniors. Tickets for the current day tours are sold at the visitor center on a first come, first served basis.
The park website is https://www.nps.gov/wica.
No comments:
Post a Comment