Custer State Park & McNinney Fish Hatchery

On our days off this week we went exploring the Black Hills one day and went on a scheduled fish hatchery excursion the next.  First we went to Bear Country USA.  Since I have not seen a wild black or grizzly bear I might as well go on a drive through a zoo to see bears.  We have free passes to most things in the Black Hills because we volunteer.  We have been to Custer State Park before but not on the Needles Highway so we traveled through Custer also.

The fish hatchery tour was a state of South Dakota fish hatchery, 15 minutes away from DC Booth, a partner of DC Booth Historic Fish Hatchery. National Fish & Wildlife, whom we volunteer for, is a partner as well as many others including the town of Spearfish.  That is why we are given sites in the town owned campground next to the hatchery.

We live in the park which is well used and loved by locals as well as tourists.  Wedding are held here at the hatchery (Saturday I will be at the Booth House and the garden behind it is where the wedding takes place) and weddings also take place at a beautiful falls portion of Spearfish Park (I saw one).  A welcome luncheon in the park pavilion for the teachers of Spearfish was taking place today.  There was food, music, and speeches for an in service day at the beginning of the school year.  Great Idea!!!!

Black bears walking to the feeding of bread.  No grizzly here.
  Just one baby grizzly in with the baby animals.  I did not take picture

The Needles Highway in Custer State Park

We traveled through very narrow passes between spires
and went through one tunnel the motor home would never have fit!



At the fish hatchery Michael, the head bioligist, is giving us a VIP tour.  John is in red. 

They produce 60,000 pounds of trout to be released into SD waters for fisherman.

Our group is headed to the hatchery building

We walked the raceways that grow the finger lings to release size.

This picture is of rainbow trout from the deck below.  The water is in a sink hole 121 feet deep.

The artist in me clicked some beautiful pictures at that pond.