Custer State Park, June 27

Late in the afternoon, we went to Custer State Park and drove about 20 miles through Needles Highway and the Wildlife Loop area.  Some of the tunnels carved through the rock are 8 ½ feet wide.  Tough going in a truck!  The needles are true geological wonders but the sad part is the loss of the surrounding trees by the beetles.  Huge sections of the forests have been cut down and stacked as firewood as a result of this devastation.  These will be burned this winter when the snows come.  A Ranger told us there is nothing to do but cut down the trees and wait 50 years…..  Further into our drive through the rolling green plains, we saw deer (on vacation from NJ!!), prairie dogs, wild mules, pronghorns, and a magnificent herd of 50+ buffalo with calves grazing in a woodland area − worth the drive just to see them.          

Tomorrow we head into Wyoming to Sheridan, WY.

See you down the road,

David & Judy