Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road
Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop Road is an ~18-mile paved road through the open grasslands and ponderosa-pine foothills of the park's southern half in South Dakota's Black Hills. It is best known for close encounters with the park's free-roaming bison — one of the largest publicly owned herds in the country — along with pronghorn, deer, prairie dogs, and the park's famous "begging burros" (feral donkeys). The road links US-16A near the State Game Lodge with SD-87 as part of the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway. Ride early or late for the best wildlife activity, keep well back from the bison, and expect the herd or burros to stop traffic without warning.
What you'll hit along the way.
Rider-verified stops, overlooks, fuel, and the corners worth knowing about — in the order you'll meet them.
State Game Lodge
Historic lodge at the start of the loop, set among ponderosa pines in the heart of Custer State Park.
Red Hill
A prominent red-hued peak offering open views across the rolling grasslands of the wildlife loop.
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Runs are rider-logged & GPS-traced in the app
Ride your own ride — times are rider-logged & GPS-traced, never a race on public roads.
Shot by the riders who've run it.
Riders upload photos to their profile and tag the road or stop — tagged shots show up here automatically.