South Dakota’s Black Hills are one of the best drive-thru wildlife regions in the country. In one trip you can do a commercial drive-thru bear park near Mount Rushmore, one of the world’s largest public bison herds on Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop, and a free national park where bison graze beside the road.
- Bear Country U.S.A. (Rapid City)
- Custer State Park – Wildlife Loop Road (Custer)
- Wind Cave National Park (Hot Springs)
BEAR COUNTRY U.S.A.
Type: Self-drive North American wildlife park plus a walk-thru Wildlife Walkway with baby animals. It’s run by the same family whose sons founded Bearizona in Arizona.
Location: 13820 US-16, Rapid City, SD 57702 (8 miles south of Rapid City on the road to Mount Rushmore)
Phone: (605) 343-2290
Website: bearcountryusa.com · Hours & Pricing · Rules & Policies · Buy Tickets · Drive Thru Animals
Social Media:
Size: 200+ acres of pine forest and meadow, with a 3-mile drive-through plus a ¼-mile Wildlife Walkway
Animals: Black bears (one of the largest privately owned collections), elk, reindeer, mountain lions, timber wolves, bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, mountain goats, and Arctic wolves. The Walkway has bear cubs, river otters, foxes, porcupines, and badgers.
2026 Admission (per person):
- Adult: $25
- Senior (62+): $22
- Child (5–12): $20
- Ages 4 & under: Free
- Military Adult: $22
- Military Child: $17
- Season Pass: $200 (covers one vehicle of up to 10 people when a named pass holder is aboard)
- No coupons accepted. Book online or at the gate.
Hours:
- October 1 – November 29: Daily 9 AM, last entry 3 PM. The park closes 1.5 hours after the last entry.
- Closed Thanksgiving Day (November 26), and it may close in October and November for snow and weather.
- Closed for the off-season November 30 through late April 2027.
Rules:
- Doors, windows, and sunroofs must stay tightly closed at all times.
- No convertibles, soft-tops, motorcycles, or UTVs, and there are no loaner vehicles anymore. Bikers need to rent an enclosed car.
- No feeding or touching animals. No smoking or alcohol.
- Pets may ride through in your vehicle, but aren’t allowed in the Wildlife Walkway. Walk them on a leash near the gazebo.
- If your car breaks down, stay inside, turn on your hazards, honk, and call (605) 343-2290 ext. 121.
Tip: Fall is a great time to go, because bears are very active before hibernation. Call ahead on snowy days.
CUSTER STATE PARK – WILDLIFE LOOP ROAD
Type: South Dakota state park with an 18-mile paved scenic byway through one of the world’s largest publicly owned free-roaming bison herds
Location: Peter Norbeck Visitor Center, US-16A & Wildlife Loop Rd, Custer, SD 57730 (southern Black Hills, about 45 minutes from Rapid City)
Phone: (605) 255-4515
Website: gfp.sd.gov/custer · Park Entrance Licenses
Social Media: Facebook
Size: The park covers 71,000 acres. The Wildlife Loop Road is 18 miles; allow about 1.5 hours.
Animals:
- About 1,300–1,400 bison
- The famous “begging burros”, a small herd of wild donkeys that walk right up to cars
- Pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule and white-tailed deer, prairie dogs, and elk
Admission:
- Vehicle entrance license: $25, valid 7 days (up to 6 passengers). There’s no cheaper one-day rate.
- Motorcycle: about $15–20
- Annual license: $40 for SD residents, $60 for nonresidents
- Pay at the entrance stations or self-pay stations.
Hours: The park is open year-round. Visitor center hours vary by season.
Rules & Tips:
- Never approach bison. They can outrun a horse and gore people every year. Stay in your car.
- Don’t feed the burros, even though they’ll beg at your window.
- Early morning and evening have the most activity.
- Bison herds sometimes stop traffic for an hour, so be patient.
- The Needles Highway (narrow tunnels, closed in winter) and Iron Mountain Road are spectacular add-ons. The Needles Highway tunnel is about 8 ft wide, so it’s not for large RVs.
WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK
Type: National park with free scenic roads through bison and elk prairie, above one of the world’s longest caves
Location: Visitor Center, 26611 US-385, Hot Springs, SD 57747 (bordering Custer State Park to the south)
Phone: (605) 745-4600
Website: nps.gov/wica
Social Media: Facebook
Animals: About 400–500 bison, elk (with bugling in fall), pronghorn, mule deer, and large black-tailed prairie dog towns right along US-385 and SD-87
Admission: FREE. There’s no park entrance fee. Cave tours are extra.
Hours: Park roads are open 24 hours. Visitor center hours vary by season.
Tips:
- Drive US-385 and SD-87 slowly, since bison and prairie dogs are often right beside the road.
- Combine this park with Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop. SD-87 connects them.
- Stay 25+ yards from bison and elk.
Explore Drive-Thru Wildlife Parks in Neighboring States:
North Dakota · Minnesota · Iowa · Nebraska · Wyoming · Montana