Wind Cave National Park Bison Range Back Road

This unofficial route branches off Highway 87 near the Wind Cave visitor center and immediately enters a different world – 28,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie where 400 bison roam like they did before barbed wire. The two-track follows old ranch roads through rolling grassland punctuated by limestone outcrops, past prairie dog towns that stretch for miles. Elk, pronghorn, and wild turkeys share the range, but it’s the bison that’ll stop you cold when a bull decides your path is his path.

Any high-clearance vehicle can handle the route when dry, but spring snowmelt and summer thunderstorms turn the clay-based prairie into axle-deep gumbo. Park service prefers you stay on marked roads, so discretion is key – this isn’t technically open to public vehicles, but enforcement is light. Best visited May through September when wildlife is most active. No camping permitted, but the experience of sharing prairie with a thousand-pound shaggy tank makes the drive worthwhile. Just remember: bison have right of way, and they’re faster than your rig.