Wind Cave National Park, SD

Running out of time trying to catch up documenting my adventures. From here on, I may just put captions on photos to remember where I was and what happened!

Drove to the Wind Cave National Park for tickets for the cave tour in the afternoon (see next post). Wanted to hike where I can see wildlife; the park ranger recommended a couple of trails; decided on Cold Brook Canyon Trail.

Met a fellow hiker at the start of the trail. He's from New Zealand but touring the US, we chatted a bit but he was a fast hiker and went ahead. Encountered at least two prairie dog towns ...

This prairie dog was making loud chirping noises to warn others of the stranger walking in their territory ...

A solitary bison, a good distance from the trail ...

with droppings and hoof prints marking where it (or other bison) had been ...

After the hike, I parked at a pull-out off the main road to heat up some lunch. There was a herd of bison on the hillside--what a view. Other vehicles also stopped to take photos.

Why did the bison cross the road?

To check out that human eating in her RV! The above photos were taken from the driver seat. I quickly closed my windows before the curious bison decided to stick their head inside. That was quite the experience!

Note: I stayed at the Elk Mountain Campground just outside of the Wind Cave National Park. It's very affordable: with the senior pass, it was just $12 a night. No electric but there was water nearby and decent bathrooms (no showers). The big negative was the lack of cell coverage, this was true for most of the area. I ended up parking my RV outside the Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center to use their wifi. They had spacious lots designated for RVs.