Tatanka Sunday

We typically scout out the town the day after we get in when we know we are staying for awhile. That is exactly what we did Saturday. Grocery shop, pet food shop, pick up some supplies, etc. Decided on Sunday to make a trial run into Hot Springs to see where the dentist is to make sure we knew where we were going Monday morning. Found the place, felt comfortable with how to get there and since we were right by Wind Cave National Park, stopped. We have seen numerous caves now and why we went below, I don't know. If you want to see stalactite's and stalagmites or any other type formation or color with a wow factor, don't go to this cave. Instead we saw boxwork (shown here), frost and popcorn which are very unusual and unique, a tad boring. Very few caves in the world have these formations. This national park is one of the oldest - 1908 - and it could stand some upgrading of it's information area and displays. You could go below to walk the trails underground with a ranger/interpreter and/or ride around in the park to see the wildlife such as buffalo, prairie dogs, sheep, antelope, etc. We were so close to Custer State Park that we decided to drive through the park on the way home to Hermosa. We were in the Black Hills area 25 years ago and never saw tatanka - Sioux for buffalo. We not only saw the token one tatanka here and there by the roadside in Wind Cave NP but much more at Custer, we came across dinner time! Custer has a herd of about 2500 and around the first of November will cull the herd down to about 950. They say that about 10,000 people come to watch the roundup. They check every one for health issues, decide which stay and which to go. Those that go are sent to other herds around the country, moved to other parks that have tatanka, and some are sent to butchers (yep - it's legal - and it's popular here to eat buffalo.)

I wanted to come back before we leave to spend time in Custer Park - it is absolutely beautiful here. We made some tentative plans and decided possibly next weekend we will do the loop and see all there is to see.