This morning started out much more pleasant, as we all had a decent night's sleep and we enjoyed scrambled eggs, bacon, and strawberries. We filled up the camelbaks and began the loop that would include Custer State Park, Wind Cave, and Crazy Horse Memorial. Along the highway to Custer State Park we stopped to photograph the mountain we were driving through. This nearly left the kids speechless, which is a miracle in itself.We arrived to very welcoming staff at Custer State Park and headed for the wildlife loop. In the beginning we saw many, many pronghorn. Quite possibly all the pronghorns that reside in Custer State Park. Part way through the loop we stopped at the Wildlife Station to visit and take a pit stop. The very friendly woman staffing the station asked if we had seen any bison. I responded that we had not, just pronghorns. She informed us that a bull had just passed by and if we kept going we would see lots of bison.
Not long after getting back in the car, we came across the bull she had mentioned. 
Then we crested a ridge and found a couple more bison. Then we crested another ridge and we were astounded to see bison clear to the horizon. There were hundreds, and many of them just standing on the road, including a nursing mother. As we continued to drive along, we could have reached out and touched them. We could hear them bellow, which sounded very much like burping.
Then we crested a ridge and found a couple more bison. Then we crested another ridge and we were astounded to see bison clear to the horizon. There were hundreds, and many of them just standing on the road, including a nursing mother. As we continued to drive along, we could have reached out and touched them. We could hear them bellow, which sounded very much like burping.
When the ranger came by and told everyone to get back in their cars, we allowed the kids to stand up through the sunroof to take pictures and record videos with our phones. Once the ranger was behind us, we turned around and saw that he had stopped and appeared to be chatting with one of the bison in the middle of the road. The kids are still laughing about this.At one point, a large bison acted as a crossing guard for some young and at the very end of the group was a very, very large male who appeared to be watching over it all. It was amazing to watch them all gathering slowly into one large group from many directions. It was also sad to think that 150 years ago, there would have been thousands and thousands more of them.
After the bison, we stopped at the visitor center, viewed the exhibit, and had a picnic lunch. The kids were a bit restless, so I raced them up and down the hill for a bit to burn off some energy.
From Custer State Park, we headed to Wind Cave National Park, the first cave to be listed as a National Park. We arrived in time to view the exhibit hall before heading to the 3:00 pm Natural Entrance Tour. This tour took us to the natural entrance, which was very, very tiny. We then entered the cave through a glass door and began our descent of 283 steps. We stopped in the mailbox room, so called becaus the boxwork created a pattern like post office boxes. The kids were amazed, and I was able to make a jab about the unhealthiness of pop when the ranger informed us that the same substance that creates the bubbles in pop is what eroded away the rock to create the cave. The ranger also turned off all sources of light, leaving us completely blind. It was a very discomforting period of time, and yet awesome to experience complete darkness.
After the tour, we stamped our passports and realized it was almost 5:00 pm. We had promised the kids more time at the pool and time to shop, so we simply pulled to the side of the road to see Crazy Horse. I was disappointed not to see the visitor center, but knew that the kids were beat and likely would not behave well for yet another attraction.
When we arrived in Hill City, Matthew purchased his black cowboy hat and Gabriella purchased Mt. Rushmore chapstick. We then enjoyed ice cream at a local shop, whose owner had been born and raised in my hometown, even attending the same high school as me.
The pool was next, and I sat down for the first time of the trip and enjoyed my book and some conversation with Sebastian. I then took the kids to the arcade and beat them at a game of fuzzball, 10 to 9. We were excited, happy, and still full of energy, so we made yet another fire and s'mores and met our new neighbors who were from Carlisle.
All in all, it turned out to be a wonderful day, a great way to begin winding down the trip.
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