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● Sturgis Ride Guide
Custer State Park Wildlife Loop
Roll through open prairie among bison herds, wild burros and pronghorn. Slow speed, huge payoff.
Miles
18
Time
1 – 2 hrs
Difficulty
Easy
Starts at
Custer State Park Visitor Center
The Route
Peter Norbeck Visitor Center, Custer, SD → State Game Lodge, Custer State Park, SD
What to Expect
SD-16A south of the park visitor center. Expect bison in the road — actually IN the road. Give them space, kill the engine, wait them out. Beggin' burros will stick their heads in your saddlebags.
Ride Brief
Skill Level
Easy. Wide, well-paved, slow speeds. If you can idle in first gear behind a bison, you're qualified.
Fuel
No gas inside the loop. Fuel in Custer or Hermosa before entering. 18 mi loop, easy on a tank.
Food Along the Way
State Game Lodge for a sit-down buffalo pot roast; Blue Bell Lodge for a chuckwagon cookout on summer evenings.
Best Time to Ride
Dawn or the last hour before sunset — bison and pronghorn are most active and the light is unreal.
Watch Out For
- !Bison in the road — kill the engine, wait it out, do not honk
- !Beggin' burros will lean on your bike
- !Cattle guards; slow down and cross straight