Camping
French Creek Campground is 10 miles east of the town of Fairburn.
This is the only developed campsite on Buffalo Gap National Grassland.
Pit toilets and picnic tables are available at this campsite. You
can primitive camp anywhere on the national grassland. Primitive
means no toilet facilities or drinking water. You must take out
what you bring in. We recommend that your fire is in a firepan,
and you are ultimately responsible for that campfire, make sure
your fire is put out and cold to the touch of your hand before leaving
the area.
Fishing
The stock ponds on Buffalo Gap are great for all kinds of fishing
preferences, including ice fishing and fly-fishing for bass and
other pan fish. There are a greater number of stock ponds near Wall,
but due to drought the past several years, the fisheries are fair
to poor. Additional information about public fishing waters can
be obtained from South
Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.
Hiking and Biking
Follow the numerous dirt two-tracks or bike and hike cross-country.
You can hike anywhere on the national grasslands. Anywhere may seem
like an overwhelming choice. The National Grasslands are unique
in that anywhere is often a new experience for recreationists. There
is one developed trail near Wall, SD. To access this trail, from
Interstate 90 take exit 116, go south, cross two auto gates, then
park. Wooden 4 by 4 posts mark this 5 1/2-mile loop trail. There
is an extension of this trail to make it a 15-mile loop. The Badlands
Wall formation is always in view of this trail.
Horse Riding and Camping
While there are no developed horse facilities on the National Grassland,
the wide-open spaces are especially well suited for horseback travel.
Please leave the gates as you find them to assure that livestock
grazing systems work as they are designed. Certified weed-free feed
for recreational stock is required on the National Grassland.
Hunting: Big Game, Upland Game,
and Varmint
All areas are open for public hunting and fishing under state rules
and regulations. Shooting a firearm within 150 yards of a developed
recreation site or across a forest road is prohibited. (36 CFR 261.10.d.1)
Big Game archery and firearm opportunities include white-tailed
and mule deer, and antelope. Varmint opportunities include coyote
and prairie
dogs . All hunters need to be certain of hunting regulations,
hunting unit boundaries and public land ownership. Contact the South
Dakota Game, Fish and Parks for license information.
Off Highway Vehicle Travel
Currently, OHV use is allowed on the Buffalo Gap National Grassland
with the exception of one area, Indian Creek. Indian Creek is located
west of Scenic and east of the Cheyenne River. All OHVs must have
a Forest Service approved spark arrester. Railroad Buttes is a popular
OHV area located off of Highway 44 twenty miles southeast of Rapid
City.
The Forest will soon be engaged in an analysis and public involvement
process to determine what travel routes to maintain open to motorized
travel. If you wish to participate in the process,
contact us or the Nebraska National Forest Supervisors Office.
On the envelope, write Attn: Travel Management Team Leader. Your
name will be added to a mailing list to receive information about
upcoming meetings.
Rockhounding
The Buffalo Gap National Grassland and surrounding area is a virtual
paradise for those interested in rocks, minerals, gemstones and
fossils. Those who collect these treasures are often called rockhounds.
Rockhounding is allowed anywhere on the National Grasslands, with
some restrictions. Collecting on private land requires permission
from the owner. A permit is required for the collection of vertebrate
paleontological specimens, including their trace fossils (tracks)
on any federal lands. These permits are issued only for scientific
research and educational purposes. For further information,
contact us.
Restrictions associated with rockhounding are as follows: collection
of any objects for commercial purposes is prohibited; trading and
bartering are considered commercial activities. USDA, Forest Service
policy and guidance in 36 CFR, 261.9 states "The following are prohibited:
digging in, excavating, disturbing, injuring, destroying, or in
any way damaging any prehistoric, historic or archeological objects."
Special Places
Indian Creek and Red Shirt are two areas proposed for wilderness.
To get information about these areas, contact us at the National
Grasslands Visitor Center.
Wildlife Watching
The most endangered mammal in North America is thriving in the
Conata Basin area of Buffalo Gap National Grassland. Over 250 black-footed
ferrets are established on numerous prairie dog towns. Over 230
species of birds are known to spend part of the year on the national
grasslands. Though birds associated with open prairie are predominant,
other habitats include: cottonwood floodplains, woody draws, juniper
breaks, open water and shorelines along stock ponds, prairie dog
towns, and cliffs and steep banks.
|