Sight · Custer State Park
A guided horseback ride into French Creek’s pine-lined backcountry.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Custer Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Custer State Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Blue Bell: Creekside Dining and Horseback Rides“You're approaching the Blue Bell Lodge and stables area. For a meal, the log lodge serves ranch-style food, including bison dishes, with a patio overlooking French Creek.”
Plays as you drive up to Blue Bell Lodge Stables in the Parkwolf Custer Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“We recently toured Badlands, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore and more! We learned so much from this app as we toured each of these sites. The audio tours are worth the money.”
Guide
Blue Bell Lodge Stables is the park’s only riding stable and the departure point for wrangler-led rides into French Creek Natural Area. The signature one-hour ride is beginner-friendly, making this a way to see the creek country on horseback rather than from the road. Reserve ahead and arrive 30 minutes early for check-in and horse assignment.
The one-hour route drops into a draw, then follows French Creek through a 2,200-acre protected natural area. Tall willows and grass border the water, with granite rocks along the creek. Keep an eye out for deer, blue herons, turtles and seasonal wildflowers; sightings are never guaranteed.
The two-hour trip adds creek crossings and rock formations and is aimed at advanced beginners. Half-day and full-day rides are for experienced riders: the half-day route looks over Parker Canyon and includes lunch at Blue Bell Lodge, while the full-day outing reaches Parker Canyon with a sack lunch. Young children have a separate Lil’ Buckaroo led loop; children on trail rides must ride independently and meet the current rider requirements.
Wildlife
993 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
91 sightingsWapitiMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
258 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
85 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
256 sightingsBurroMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
707 sightingsPronghornMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Custer. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
Easy2 Hour Trail Loop2.1 mi · 1.5 hr · 1.5 mi awayA compact circuit tucked among the French Creek routes.
ModerateHeddy Draw Horse Trail7.1 mi · 4 hr · 1.9 mi awaySteep Black Hills horse trail with a long descent into Heddy Draw.
ModerateSaw Mill Trail2.2 mi · 1.3 hr · 2.1 mi awayA forested ridge traverse links two mapped Saw Mill sections.
ModerateMount Coolidge Trail3.3 mi · 1.8 hr · 2.1 mi awayClimb the fire tower road for Black Hills views and CCC history.
EasyHeddy Lookout Trail0.8 mi · 30 min · 2.1 mi awayA short wooded walk to a covered overlook above Heddy Draw
ModerateParker Canyon Loop4.4 mi · 2 hr · 2.4 mi awayA moderate loop links Parker Canyon with a meadow and Centennial Trail.
ModerateGalena Trail6.4 mi · 2.5 hr · 2.8 mi awayA 6.4-mile out-and-back on a marked, shared-use Custer trail.
ModerateBarnes Canyon Trail4.9 mi · 4.5 hr · 3 mi awayA 4.9-mile one-way walk through Dry Creek backcountry.
Store · 0.1 mi awayBlue Bell StoreA handy fuel and supply stop along the Wildlife Loop.
Lodging · 0.1 mi awayBlue Bell LodgeA Black Hills cabin base with a creekside patio and backcountry cookout.
Campground · 0.1 mi awayBlue Bell CampgroundPine shade, tent pads, and cabins beside French Creek.
Entrance station · 0.8 mi awayBlue Bell Entrance StationA quick pass checkpoint at the start of Wildlife Loop
Campground · 1.4 mi awayFrench Creek Horse CampA creek-side base camp with two corrals at every site.
Sight · 1.9 mi awayMount Coolidge Fire TowerClear-day views reach Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the Needles.
Scenic pullout · 2.2 mi awayHeddy Draw OverlookA short walk to a covered shelter and broad Black Hills views.
Sight · 3 mi awayBadger Hole Historic SiteA poet’s furnished cabin with a short, story-filled woodland loop.Parkwolf’s Custer ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
