Bear Country USA

Not sure if I can call this one an "off the beaten path", but Bear Country is absolutely one of my favorite spots in the Black Hills. I highly recommened to to anyone considering visiting the Black Hills.

A little about Bear Country (from their site):

Bear Country is a drive through zoo that consist of 250 acres of towering pines trees, rolling meadows and amazing animals. Bear Country is conveniently located only eight miles south of Rapid City. Bear Country U.S.A. offers visitors intimate views of most North American magnificent mammals. Visitors take a leisurely three-mile drive through several enclosures and encounter black bear, elk, reindeer, deer, cougars, bobcats, rocky mountain goats, bighorn sheep, dall sheep and buffalo.

Bear countries address:

13820 U.S. 16, Rapid City, SD.

 



Admission is between $10 for children and $16 for adults. Bear Country USA is open May through late November with peak season (Jun,Jul,Aug) hours at 8am to 6pm daily. Shoulder season (May,Sept,Oct,Nov) hours are 9am to 4pm. We are open every day of the week during the season but may close due to inclement weather in October and November.

Can you see the moutain lions hanging out in the tree?



 

More information can be found on Bear Country's web site: http://www.bearcountryusa.com/visitors/index.php. They even have a virtual tour here: http://www.bearcountryusa.com/home/vt.php.

If you have any specific questions, Bear Country is very active on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bearcountryusa, on twitter: http://twitter.com/bearcountryusa or by phone: tel:(605)-343-2290.

Moutain Goat resting

Young femail big horn sheep in the forground, young male in the back

Some artic wolves after an afternon snack.

 

Have a great time in the Black Hills!

Jim

 

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Custer State Park: Hidden Gem 1: The Needles Eye

Custer Park: Hidden Gem post #1: Just off "The Needles Eye"Just up highway 89 in Custer State Park is a pull off called the "The Needles Eye". Lots of people stop and take in the spectacular view; little do they know that just 20 mins of hiking offers an even more majestic display of Gods glorious South Dakota Black Hills. Panoramic views of Custer State Park!

 

View from the trail. This picture was about 2/3 of the way up the trail.

This trail is very light, about 30 minutes of walking. Unfortunately the damage of the emerald Beatle can be seen.

starts with a slight incline, then levels out and then goes to the top

once at top, viewers have a grogeous panoramic view of custer, Lake Sulvan, cathedrial spires, little deviles tower, and Harneys peak.

It is a good spot for climbers looking for a smaller subset of rocks that still give a phantastic view.

For more information about Custer State Park please check out http://www.custerstatepark.info.

Here are some more photos from the the path off the Neddles Eye:

On the trail:

 

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