Wildlife Loop Road
Wildlife Loop Road
4.5
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An 18-mile scenic drive in Custer State Park.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • ANR_78
    Marion, Illinois727 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Saw the Buffalo
    Somehow, we visited at, what seemed like, just the right time. We were able to drive through at our own pace (without crowding) and experience the scenic, sweeping views and with the wildlife right up close. I don't think that I would ever go back to this part of the country (too many other places to see) but am very glad we visited here while in the area.
    Visited June 2022
    Written 28 March 2023
  • Randy
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Many Wildlife to see if you can't make it to Yellowstone National Park. Probably the next best thing in an 18 mile Loop.
    Rode my motorcycle out to South Dakota just for fun and stayed in the Black Hills. Did the 18 Mile Loop in Custer in the Wildlife Reserve on my first night there. I highly recommend either going at dawn or near dusk as this is when most of the animals are out. I am no expert by any means this was my very first time out but when I went back in the middle of the day there were far fewer animals out than in the evening. Anyway I even saw a mountain lion on my way back but not in the wildlife preserve. I was heading back towards Custer prior to getting on Rte 16 when a mountain lion came in front of me and remained just about 10 to 15 ft inside the wooded area next to the road. I came to a stop on the motorcycle just perpendicular to him and we both just stared at each other for several minutes. I finally left because neither one of us was doing anything so I decided to continue back since it was very cold out that night. Anyway I found out how blessed I was to be able to see this as many of the locals do not even get to see one. All in all I've been to Yellowstone as well and as much as I love Yellowstone and would never put it down in any way shape or form as it is truly magnificent I would say that if you can't make it to Yellowstone definitely make your stop in Custer as it was well worth the ride to see many different animal species. I saw a hundred or more Buffalo and large herd of elk also mule deer I think they were that I'm not sure and Mountain goats, and on my way out on my last day a white coyote. Of course there were wild turkey and regular white-tailed deer but I have those around my house and I see them everyday. So it wasn't very exciting to see them but all in all lots of Wildlife and a good time.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 9 May 2023
  • Julie A
    Riverton, Utah34 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don’t miss
    Beautiful drive around the loop. Make sure you go down the different dirt roads available to the public. We ran into four hundred or more Buffalo hiding out over a hill. The burros greeted us on a corner they all hang out. Great visitor center bathrooms were clean.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 June 2023
  • Christina H
    Marietta, Georgia288 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Take this drive!
    Wanted to see the wildlife, so we took the drive. Didn’t see anything, so we stopped in to the Bison Visitor Center, talked to a ranger and told us exactly where to go to find Buffalo! We wouldn’t have seen any if we didn’t talk to the ranger.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 9 June 2023
  • KarenM1_10
    1,084 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lots of animal sightings
    We arrived early and started our drive in Custer on the Wilderness Loop. Within a short period of time, we saw a Pronghorn and hundreds of bison. Some of the bison were quite inquisitive and wandered over to look in the cars while they were walking across the road. There were also many baby bison there as well. As we proceeded, we saw prairie dogs and burros. Someone from the park was there with feed and was handing it out to visitors to feed the burros. They were also very inquisitive and unwilling to move so traffic became a little congested. This was a lot of fun and a great time for families with children.
    Visited May 2023
    Written 15 June 2023
  • LeeCG68
    Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida25 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Where do all the buffalo roam?
    Yet again…no buffalo. Two days in a row. How nobody can know where all those buffalo are is beyond me! So why the high rating? It’s beautiful. Pass is for 7 days. Two days in a row I went and just drove it. (Loop is longer than you might expect, btw.) second day I got smart and brought a lunch. No wildlife to be seen, so I pulled off on a ridge, opened the doors, and just enjoyed the view. Nice new-ish info center with gift shop. Be prepared for just a beautiful drive, and if there are buffalo-it’s a bonus!
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 1 July 2023
  • Chris F.
    Fort Collins, Colorado273 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting and fun stop
    I left another review for Custer State Park so be sure to check that one out as I have mor details on it. We absolutely love seeing the wildlife . This trip we saw lots of buffalo, many up close. We also saw the begging burros. What a fun time with lots of giggles. We highly recommend coming here. Please remember, these are not pets, and you can get hurt. Give them the respect they deserve, and all will have a good time.
    Visited June 2023
    Written 5 July 2023
  • Kelly F
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Bison and burros walked right up to our van! Highly recommend!
    The drive was beautiful. We had a group of burros (donkeys) who walked right up to our van and stood in the road. As we slowly moved forward they walked with us. We also saw a herd of bison, over a hundred, who were in the road and grazing. 2 males challenged each other. They also walked right up to our van. We stopped at the ranger station and asked where the herd was. If you don’t see them, stop and ask. Highly recommend!
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 July 2023
  • Jim
    New Smyrna Beach, Florida586 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great viewing of animals
    This was a great self driving ride through some nice scenery. The plus was getting to see “Begging Burros” and Bison. We also saw several Prairie Dogs and Pronghorns. There is also several areas to stop and learn about the area.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 2 August 2023
  • Deb K
    16 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    If you want a zoo, go to Bear Country
    Be sure and ask a Ranger where wildlife has been recently seen. Whereas in the past we experienced bison blocking the paved roads, this time the herd had found a more secluded valley several dirt road turns from general tourist areas. This isn't a ZOO and animals do not appear on demand. Look around you and go out early in the morning or in the evening. We saw bison, elk, pronghorn. Of course, prairie dogs. And the beggar burros who can be quite aggressive for handouts. Please do not put your children in danger by treating the burros like pets unless you keep a spare.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 9 August 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Ed D
Peachtree City, GA675 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
The Wildlife Loop Road is the only place in South Dakota where we saw buffalo, and we saw plenty of buffalo, some very close to the road. We also saw plenty of prairie dogs. There are signs stating not to feed the wildlife, but when we came upon a group of wild donkeys, two nearly stuck their heads in my car looking for handouts. The drive was long, and we were beginning to despair of seeing any wildlife, but then suddenly, there they were. There is a $20 entrance fee to the road.
Written 24 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ERIN H
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Friends
This is a wonderful drive. We saw bison, deer, burros and prairie dogs. Beware of the burrows because they are very friendly. The drive has several places to pull off to take photos and other drivers are courteous while you’re looking at the scenery. We went in October and saw many hues of green, yellow and golds.
Written 12 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Docsports
Hammond, LA159 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
The Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park is a must-do for any visitor to the Black Hills. It's a scenic drive that takes you through rolling hills, forests, and prairies, and it's home to a variety of wildlife, including bison, elk, deer, pronghorn, and burros.
We recently took a drive on the Wildlife Loop Road, and we were amazed by all the wildlife we saw. We saw bison grazing in the meadows, the bison herd passed very close to us, elk crossing the road, and pronghorn running alongside our car. We even saw a few burros begging for carrots at the roadside.
The scenery along the Wildlife Loop Road is also stunning. We drove through forests of ponderosa pine and Black Hills spruce, meadows filled with wildflowers, and rolling hills that seemed to go on forever.
We highly recommend taking a drive on the Wildlife Loop Road to anyone visiting Custer State Park. It's a great way to see the park's wildlife and scenery.
We would definitely recommend taking this drive early in the morning or late in the evening, when the wildlife is more active. And be sure to drive slowly and carefully, so you don't disturb the animals.
Written 4 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

parksvisitor
Maple Grove, MN1,326 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
A must do in Custer State Park. A beautiful drive with the opportunity to see wildlife. We saw bison, pronghorns and prairie dogs, and something preying on prairie dogs that I couldn't exactly identify.
Written 1 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robert L
Amherst, MA1,612 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Just a pleasure to drive at a leisurely pace and see what you happen to run into. Very scenic besides the animals.
We saw a large herd of bison, pronghorns, lots of prairie dogs and 2 coyotes.
The bison center worth seeing. Just opened last year.
$20 to enter the park.
Written 14 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mike S
8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Get off the pavement and take one or more of the CSP gravel roads. But know where you are going as online maps may not work. And after sunset it gets pretty quiet out there. We saw a herd of bison out there!
Written 26 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nancy S
Daniel, WY31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
We saw a buffalo herd and a donkey herd on this drive, as well as admired the way the park is managing burned trees from a past fire. We visited the Buffalo Museum which is very well done. Kudos to the park for their management.
Written 26 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deb K
16 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
Be sure and ask a Ranger where wildlife has been recently seen. Whereas in the past we experienced bison blocking the paved roads, this time the herd had found a more secluded valley several dirt road turns from general tourist areas. This isn't a ZOO and animals do not appear on demand. Look around you and go out early in the morning or in the evening. We saw bison, elk, pronghorn. Of course, prairie dogs. And the beggar burros who can be quite aggressive for handouts. Please do not put your children in danger by treating the burros like pets unless you keep a spare.
Written 9 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jim
New Smyrna Beach, FL586 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
This was a great self driving ride through some nice scenery. The plus was getting to see “Begging Burros” and Bison. We also saw several Prairie Dogs and Pronghorns. There is also several areas to stop and learn about the area.
Written 2 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kelly F
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
The drive was beautiful. We had a group of burros (donkeys) who walked right up to our van and stood in the road. As we slowly moved forward they walked with us. We also saw a herd of bison, over a hundred, who were in the road and grazing. 2 males challenged each other. They also walked right up to our van. We stopped at the ranger station and asked where the herd was. If you don’t see them, stop and ask. Highly recommend!
Written 26 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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WILDLIFE LOOP ROAD: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Wildlife Loop Road