Today was a very full day of sightseeing in South Dakota.  We first drove to Wind Cave National Park with no expectations.  It was wonderful, both the cave and the prairie over it.  The Custer State Park where we saw buffalo (American Bison), mule deer, Pronghorn Antelope, Whitetail Deer and Prairie Dogs was also a real treat.  Then we finished the day with the Needles Highway with its spectacular Cathederal-like spires and beautiful Sylvan Lake.

Wind Cave National Park...the 7th National Park, and the first to protect underground

Inside Wind Cave looking down the tunnel

Holes in ceiling from disoved limestone....no stalacttites or stalagmites

"Popcorn" & crystal formations

Smooth, hard flow...looks like snot!

Very rare "Box Work"

More "Box Work"

A "Box Work" speciman that someone had "taken" as a decoration....now
returned for display at Wind Cave.  Boxes are formed when the
limestone disolves, but the calcite that "glued" it together remains.

Custer State Park, South Dakota

Fawn & Doe

On the trail of BIGGER animals!!

NO, these Prairie Dogs are NOT the bigger animals.

TaDa!!  Here's the bigger animal that left the deposit two pictures ago.
The Amercican Bison!

Bison love to lick the salt at the edge of the road.

This herd in Custer State Park was started
from SEVEN surviving at the Bronx Zoo

LOOK OUT....here HE comes!

Mama & Calf...

Whitetail deer, 10 point buck

Wild "begging" burro

More begging burros

Family of Pronghorn Antelope

Custer State Game Lodge - historic lodge & restaurant featuring
native buffalo entrees`

Heading up the Needles Highway

Beautiful scenery along Needles Highway

Cathederal Court along Needles HWY

Custer State Park Valley from Needles HWY

Columns of granite along Needles HWY

Narrow & short tunnels in Needles HWY

Honk before entering one of these single-lane tunnels

The Eye of the Needle at last, on Needles HWY

A wonderful, peaceful reward after winding up Needles Highway,
beautiful Sylvan Lake, in Custer State Park