Jomoud's Fotothing

My 2012 South Dakota Trip

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BEAR COUNTRY

Shortly after entering the Black Hills of South Dakota, and before we even check in to our hotel, we visit Bear Country.

Very few people have had a full-grown black bear look in the window of their car, or if they have, it was not by choice. Even fewer have seen a reindeer or a elk up close. However, many people are getting experiences like these at Bear Country U.S.A.

Nestled over 250 acres amidst towering pines and along rolling meadows just eight miles south of Rapid City, Bear Country U.S.A. offers visitors intimate views of most North American mammals. We take a leisurely three-mile drive through several enclosures and may encounter black bear, elk, reindeer, deer, cougars, bobcats, rocky mountain goats, bighorn sheep, dall sheep and buffalo.

Since we have to stay in the car, the first thing we do after entering the park is to clean the car's windshield and windows, to allow for decent photography.