Bears and Bison

Today was all about animals. Our first stop was Bear Country USA, just a short distance from our hotel in Keystone. 

I handed my phone to Leia and let her take pictures (through the car windows)

 Photo by Leia 

while I sat back and enjoyed the view.

 Photo by Leia 

We drove through the first part of the park, 

 Photo by Leia 

where the larger animals are located,

 Photo by Leia 

then walked through another section where baby animals 

  Photo by Leia 

and smaller species are housed.

 Photo by Rachel 

The 15 or so brown bear cubs were especially cute. 

 Photo by Leia 

They knew it was feeding time and kept falling over each other with excitement and getting up on their hind legs looking for their food. Super fun to watch.

 Photo by Rachel

After lunch and a nap, we headed out again at 6 for Custer State Park.

 Trying a fancy root beer at lunch.

 We'd been told that the animals were most active in the early morning and towards dusk.

 Deer At Dusk by Leia 

Since we aren't early morning people, dusk it was!

 Photo by Rachel 

At first it looked like we were going to get skunked (ha!), 

 Photo by Leia 

spotting just a few deer and antelope instead of the 1300 bison that roam the park.

 Photo by Rachel 

But shortly before dark we found part of the herd,

 Photo by Rachel 

spread out on both sides of a dirt road,

 Photo by Rachel 

crossing back and forth at will

 Photo by Rachel 

not really caring what the people or cars were doing. It was amazing to see them so close, literally within touching distance of the van.

 Photo by Rachel 

Tomorrow is Deadwood, Wall and the Badlands. Can't wait!