Take Part In Two South Dakota Legendary Events This Weekend
One takes you on the most popular organized hike in the United States. The other will have your teeth shaking as the sunrises. Both are in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota.
There may be a part of Custer State Park you've never witnessed. The part where a rolling hillside erupts into a stampeding herd of buffalo.
Locals know that the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup takes place the last weekend of September where well over a thousand bison are corraled to be sorted and sold later in November at auction.
Custer State park staff will also vaccinate, brand, and perform cow pregnancy tests over a four-day period.
This Friday, September 30 the gates will be open to the public at 6:15 AM to see the riders lead the buffalo to their corals.
Admission is free for the event and a park entrance license is not required on the day of the Buffalo Roundup.
After you've seen the buffalo round the hilltops, the weekend continues with the Crazy Horse Volksmarch on Sunday, October 2 as the Black Hills Chapter of the American Volkssport Association (AVA) hosted by Crazy Horse Memorial® will lead hikers up to the Crazy Horse Mountain Carving.
Having 15,000 walkers in a record year, the Crazy Horse Volksmarch is a family event that will give hikers an up-close view of the mountain, where work continues on what will be the largest sculpture in the world. The turn-around point is on the Arm of Crazy Horse directly in front of the nine-story-high face, which was dedicated on June 3, 1998.
Think of this as your 10K weekend family hike. And, be prepared for at least 4 to 5 hours on the trail. March times begin at 8:00 AM.
Unlike the Spring Volksmarch, you will want extra time to take those fall color pics.
Admission to the Memorial for hikers will be discounted, regular admission applies to non-hikers. In addition to the Crazy Horse Memorial discounted admission, hikers pay the American Volkssport Association's hike fee of $3 for each participant regardless of age.