We recently took a trip to South Dakota for a final family reunion of my mother’s family.  Initially, I didn’t understand why we would travel all the way to South Dakota for a get together when none of the family even lives remotely close.  But after taking the trip, I am happy we went to an area I have never been to before.

We stayed around Custer State Park, so most of the pictures below are from that area.

There’s a lot to see from the comfort of your car when driving around Custer State Park.  From natural rock formations….

Amazing natural rock formations are everywhere. Like the Needle’s Eye pictured here located right on Needle’s Highway

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One of Custer State Park’s unique features is a group of granite pillars appropriately called the Cathedral Spires.

…to not so natural, human made formations for artistic creativity…

Perhaps South Dakota is most famous for this…four faces carved in a rock face.

Another carving, Crazy Horse, looms in the distance. When finished, Crazy Horse will be the world’s largest mountain sculpture 641 feet long and 563 feet high. It’s only taken 55 years to get this far, so it shouldn’t be too much longer.

…and human necessity.

Needles highway weaves its way around, and sometimes through, the mountains of Custer State Park.

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One of the tunnels.  With a width of less than 9 feet, it’s a tight squeeze.

Custer State Park also has a wildlife loop, a 29 km stretch of road that offers views of expansive plains filled with bison and donkeys.

A lone tree on the grassy plain in Custer State Park

A herd of 1,300 bison roams freely throughout Custer State Park, often stopping traffic along Wildlife Loop Road.

The strong and imposing stature of the bison

A bison and its calf just off the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park.

The donkeys are always looking for food in the cars along the Wildlife Loop Road. We even briefly worried about the safety of our daughter.

This donkey was on the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park, though I’m sure it’s just wandered off the set of Shrek.

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Our daughter didn’t take too kindly to this donkey moving in on her food supply…my wife on the other hand…

A family makes some new friends on the Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park

Obviously you can’t stay in your car the entire time.   Custer State Park is a hikers paradise offering trails for hikers of all abilities.  There is everything from short, easy, 15 minute walks like the one around Sylvan Lake to the more challenging kind like the half day hike up to Harney Peak.

Central to Custer State Park is the beautiful and tranquil Sylvan Lake.

After a fire, rebirth and renewal begins

A crevice forms a passage way along a hiking trail in Custer State Park

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A long horn cow grazes in a field near Sylvan Lake

Stairs lead the way to the summit of Harney Peak and the abandoned fire lookout tower.

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The view through a window of the abandoned fire lookout tower situated on the summit of Harney Peak.