Hello Everyone,
About fifty-five miles from Rapid City, South Dakota, you’ll find the tiny town of Wall known for Wall Drug. Two blocks from this landmark, visitors notice the National Grasslands Visitor Center. It provides wonderful insight into the 20 grasslands found throughout the western portion of the United States.
HISTORY OF THE GRASSLANDS
The United States acquired most of the Great Plains and Great Basin From France with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Dominated by buffalo and various Indian tribes, the area consisted of native tallgrass prairie with grasses averaging five to six feet in height. Some reached as tall as eight or nine feet. The area was also home to forbs, flowers, some trees, and diverse wildlife.
It was the Homestead Act of 1862 which brought almost six million settlers by 1890 to the area. First, they lived along the rivers. Then they used land that was submarginal for farming. They tried to replace the grasslands with crops by using eastern and European farming methods. By 1928, they had cultivated more than 20 million acres of the Great Plains.
The land proved productive during wet years. However, this success was not sustainable in times of drought and harsh winters. The removal of grasses led to topsoil erosion and clouds of dust, known as the Dust Bowl, rising more than 20,000 feet over parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Ten-foot drifts of fine soil particles buried fences and closed roads.
On lands where buffalo once roamed, overgrazing by sheep and cattle also led to destruction of these lands. During the late 1800s, sheep owners competed with cattlemen for the open range causing range wars. The cattlemen wanted the grass for grazing while the sheep owners preferred cropped grass.
By the early 1930s, the area was in financial trouble due to these Dust Bowls and a deep Depression. Approximately 70 percent of the homesteaders were delinquent with paying taxes. An estimated 2.5 million people abandoned their farms and ranches due to the depleted lands.
The government enacted emergency measures in the form of legislation. The National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 and the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 allowed the federal government to purchase and restore damaged submarginal lands and resettle destitute families.
These lands were assigned to the Secretary of Agriculture and administered by the Soil Conservation Service, now known as the USDA National Resources Conservation Service. Occupying more than 3.8 million acres of public land, they were transferred to the Forest Service on June 23, 1960, and the National Grasslands was born. All these lands are remnants of short, mixed, and tall grass prairie ecosystems.
The tallgrass prairie requires more moisture than the other two and is dominated by grasses more than four feet high. Shortgrass prairie, less than two feet tall, requires the least moisture. The mixedgrass prairie is a combination with tallgrass growing in patches in rich, wet soils while the shortgrass covers dry, rocky soils.
These grasslands have certain characteristics in common. They mainly exist on flat or rolling terrain. They receive an annual precipitation of between ten and forty inches. Moisture varies between peak periods and times of drought which fluctuate from year to year. Wind also affects the grasslands. It evaporates water from the soil and plants making dry conditions more difficult.
Each grassland is managed to conserve the natural resources of grass, water, and wildlife habitat. Native grass species have been reintroduced. The soil is regaining its fertility. Water developments have proved beneficial for livestock grazing, wildlife, and recreation.
The restored habitats now provide homes for wildlife and plants that were declining, threatened, or endangered. This includes 13 threatened or endangered plants and 60 endangered wildlife species such as the swift fox. The most endangered is the black-footed ferret which was successfully reintroduced in 1994 after being thought extinct. Now a captive breeding program conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has proven successful with self-sustaining populations in South Dakota, Arizona, and Wyoming.
Few trees grow on grasslands. This is due to a lack of water, prevalence of wildfires, and a thin layer of soil that prevent trees from developing deep taproots. However, shrubs, wildflowers, and other plants have adapted to the harsh environment of hot dry summers, cold winters and blizzards, and a short growing season. These plants provide food, nesting, and shelter for wildlife and birds making the grassland ecosystems valuable natural resources.
More than a million acres of grasslands are leased for their rich oil and gas resources. Coal is also found on some properties. Paleontologists have discovered many fossils and prehistoric sites. These date from 10 to 130 million years ago. Dinosaur tracks, 150 million years old, and marine fossils from 65-90 million years ago have been discovered.
Grasslands are also known for their recreational uses. More than one million people annually enjoy using this land for mountain biking, hiking, camping, fishing, birding, hunting, rockhounding, and enjoying scenic vistas.
NATIONAL GRASSLANDS VISITOR CENTER
The National Grassland Visitor Center is the only one in our country relating the story of the 20 National Grasslands in our country. Seventeen are on the Great Plains from North Dakota and Wyoming south to Texas and New Mexico. The other three are located in California, Oregon, and Idaho. The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is located in Illinois. The Midewin’s 20,000 acres were once the site of the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant.
The Center’s exhibits are on Great Plains cultural history including the Native Americans and homesteading, prairie plants and animals, recreation, and management of the National Grasslands and Tallgrass Prairie. A 25-minute film, America’s Grasslands, is shown on request. This is also the place to ask rangers questions and have youngsters participate in a Junior Ranger program.
During the summer, rangers conduct programs and events. Since times and topics vary, it’s best to stop by or call the National Grasslands Visitor Center for more information. We were fortunate to hear a lecture on black-footed ferrets.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CENTER
You’ll want to take an hour to examine the Center’s displays. A fascinating exhibit was Taking Grass for Granted which relates facts about grass. Grasses are the principal breadstuffs of the world as well as comprising a large part of food for domestic and wild animals. Wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley and sorghum are considered forms of grasses.
Signs provide fascinating facts about grasses. They have several adaptations.Their narrow leaves are arranged vertically along the stem. This presents less surface area for water evaporation while providing the maximum efficiency for photosynthesis. Most of their mass is underground in their root system. This large root system is a defense against grazing, mowing, and fire. If a large part of the above ground grass is removed or destroyed, it depends on its energy in the roots.
Third, their growth takes place at the bases of their leaves, where it joins the stems, rather than the tips like other plants. When the leaf’s upper part is mowed or grazed, grass renews growth from its base. They grow as annuals, biennials, or perennials. Individual grass plants can live for several decades.
When you have finished reading about grasses, enjoy their interactive. It is one of the activities Junior Rangers need to qualify for their patch. A map shows that tallgrass prairie is in the East while shortgrass prairie dominates the West.
Several dioramas depict habitats in grasslands. The Upland Grassland ecosystem is the largest prairie component. This diorama displays specimens of a snowy owl, western meadowlark, sharptail grouse, and pronghorn.
The Prairie Dog Town is represented by a black-tailed prairie dog, burrowing owl, swift fox, black-footed ferret, prairie rattlesnake, and a badger. Burrowing is very widespread on the grasslands. More than 120 wildlife species are dependent on prairie dog towns. This includes the burrowing owl who uses the abandoned burrows and the black-footed ferret that preys on the ground hogs and uses their burrows as well.
We returned to the Center in the afternoon to hear a lecture on the black-footed ferret. Their diet consists 90% of prairie dogs. They eat one every three days. It is known as the vampire of the plains. They go into the burrow, catch the sleeping prairie dog, and go for the windpipe, drinking blood instead of water. They either eat their prey there or drag them out of the hole. If you shine a light on their face, it glows green.
The ferret populations are entirely managed. Their predators are hawks, eagles, badgers, and coyotes. Loss of their land has also endangered their species.
Prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets can get bubonic plague from fleas and eating affected flesh. In 2007, there were 20,000 acres of prairie dogs down to 10,000 acres by 2017. The USDA is trying to combat the plague by using Metherene flea powder on the prairie dogs. The prairie dog’s favorite flavor is peanut butter so the government gives them pellets of this plague vaccine.
Black-footed ferrets are caught and have blood and hair samples taken. They are microchipped and inoculated for the plague. Unfortunately, attempts have not been 100% successful.
Wetlands depicts how important water is to grasslands. It provides nesting and feeding grounds for birds, small mammals, and amphibians as well as habitats for fish. Residents shown in this diorama are the red-winged blackbird, bluegill, largemouth bass, sandhill crane, blue-winged teal, and mink.
The final ecology visitors see is the Woody Draw. Although it occupies less than 11% of the grasslands, it provides a vital wildlife habitat during migration, breeding, and the winter. You’ll see a raccoon, red fox, and red-headed woodpecker. Near these dioramas is a display of a coyote pelt and the guard hairs of a beaver and bison.
Learn about homesteading. Discover how the lack of timber led to settlers building sod houses. For their fires, buffalo or cow chips were used. Those who settled on homesteads brought few belongings with them - some furniture, a few tools, dishes, and clothes.
Read about the cattle empire which started in Texas and spread over the entire Great Plains by 1876. Ranching in the West, contrasted to stock farming in the East, required the use of the horse. Cowboys drove cattle over the trail to railheads for shipment to Eastern markets. You’ll find a large map of such trails as the Fremont Trail, Chisholm Trail, and the Santa Fe Trail.
Barbed wire was invented to keep livestock off of croplands. In 1874, only 10,000 pounds of barb wire were made. However, by 1980, more than 80 million pounds were manufactured.
The Center exhibits a variety of brands applied to cattle. The first branding was done by Cortès on the cattle he brought from Mexico. Cowboys learned from the vaqueros and developed their own brands. Brands became a legal symbol of ownership where they were registered with ranches often named after brands.
Another exhibit is titled Plains Indian Traditions and Lifestyles. Check out the arrowheads from Thunder Basin and Buffalo Gap. You’ll also find an eagle claw Indian pipe and a ceremonial painted deer hide.
In another area, you will find various rock specimens. Rock hounding is big in the Grasslands.The rock display has everything from jasper to rose quartz and a variety of agates. You will also see citrine crystal, calcedony, and metamorphic rocks. Fossils and casts such as the replica of a Titanothereum, which was like a rhinoceros, are also displayed. In the grasslands, while you can collect rocks, it is illegal to take fossils.
OUTSIDE THE CENTER
Outside, ranger Aaron Rasor escorted us through their Xeriscape garden with a variety of plants and flowers. This outdoor area represents a natural mixed-grass prairie landscape. It was started by Terry Harris, a female ranger, in 2006 when she planted the first bunch of blue gramma.
In addition to grasses, shrubs, and trees, visitors see such wildflowers as upright prairie coneflower, western yarrow, false boneset, annual sunflower, purple coneflower, heath aster, and soapweed. Some have been used as soaps and dyes. For example, the waxy buds of cottonwoods were boiled to make a yellow dye to color feathers for arrows. Lambsquarters were adopted by Native Americans to produce a green paint used on bows and arrows. Yucca roots were collected for use as shampoo.
Some plants are edible: black currents, Golden Prairie roses, gooseberries, and chokecherries. Night shades are related to tomatoes and peppers and are loved by grouses. But beware, when they are green, they can cause diarrhea.
Crested wheat grass was heavily used after the Dust Bowl to stop erosion. It is palatable for cattle and wildlife. Side oats, blue gramma, and buffalo grass are also native to the area. You will also see prairie cordgrass, the tallest grass in the National Grasslands. It grows up to 8 feet. It reproduces by seed and underground stems.
Rubber rabbitbrush, a drought resistant perennial, produces abundant yellow flowers in the fall. American Indians used portions of the plant as chewing gum, to produce a yellow dye, and for tea to treat colds, coughs, and chest pains. It was also used to make waterproof baskets. This plant was toxic to cattle in large quantities but provided cover for birds and small animals.
Other plants in this garden also had medicinal purposes. Gumwood Cactus is an expectorant. Its extract is used as a medicine for whooping cough, an asthma inhaler, and dye. The Prairie Cone Arrow flower is like a Mexican Hat flower. It was used to treat a tooth abscess. Its root was an antibiotic and analgesic.
What grabbed my attention were the immense Maximilian sunflowers. Prairie annual sunflowers are spiney. Aaron told me that butterflies and caterpillars love them.
BUFFALO GAP NATIONAL GRASSLAND
Buffalo Gap National Grassland (BGNG) has nearly 600,000 acres divided into two areas. It is the second largest National Grassland after Little Missouri National Grassland in North Dakota.
The Wall Range District Office, where the Center is found, administers the eastern part of BGNG. This section extends from the Cheyenne River east to Kadoka, South Dakota. It comprises part of the Badlands. Its southern border touches on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The western half goes south from the Cheyenne River and west to the Nebraska and Wyoming borders.
Approximately 2,000 species of prairie wildflowers are native or have been introduced to the Great Plains region. They bloom here between late spring and late summer. However, grass is the dominant vegetation. Forty-seven species of grasses are within the BGNG boundaries. To help identify these plants, you can pick up a field guide at the National Grasslands Visitors Center.
A variety of wildlife finds it home including more than 230 species of birds. Prairie birds such as the Western meadowlark and horned lark are predominant as are birds of prey. Stock ponds and cooperative Ducks Unlimited impoundments have created habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds.
More than 100 species of animals are found in the BGNG. In patches of tall grass, one might see the prairie vole, pale milk snake, and least shrew. Mixed grass prairie, the most predominant, is home to pronghorn, Ord’s kangaroo rat, black-tailed prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets. In fact, this area has achieved recognition for the most successful Black-footed ferret reintroduction program undertaken by the federal government. Coyotes, badgers, and many of the smaller rodents also live here.
Look for short grass prairie in the southwest part of BGNG. It’s the location of the black-tailed jackrabbit, Northern pocket gopher, and many lizards. During the winter months, sagebrush attracts pronghorns.
Though comprising the smallest portion of the Great Plains total area, woodlands are an important habitat for wildlife. In the BGNG, you find woody draws, Juniper breaks, and shrub patches. Woody draws exist along intermittent creeks where trees like cottonwoods can find enough moisture to survive on the Grassland. You are likely to find several animals here. This includes the white-footed mouse, porcupine, white-tailed deer, coyote, red fox, and migrating birds.
You’ll find Juniper breaks that have mostly evergreen trees like the Rocky Mountain juniper and the Eastern red cedar. They’re found on a north-facing slope along river drainages like the Cheyenne River. You’ll also find shrub patches as well.
BGNG is free and open to public for hiking, motorized use on designated trails, rock hounding, hunting, and horseback. French Creek Campground, east of Fairburn, South Dakota, has tent platforms, pit toilets, picnic tables, and grills. For details, call (308) 432-0300.
It is necessary to follow state regulations and obtain a license for fishing and hunting. People mostly fish for bluegill but also for bass, some northern crappie, and walleye. You can hunt deer, pronghorn, and prairie dogs but must obey the state’s specific seasons. You can obtain booklets concerning the regulations for these activities at the Center.
DETAILS
The National Grasslands Visitor Center is located at 708 Main Street, Wall, South Dakota, Its telephone number is (605) 279-2125. Admission is free. Memorial Day through Labor Day hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. The hours during the remainder of the year are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
After going to the Visitor Center, don’t forget to visit Wall Drug. You can check it out in my August 20, 2019 article on this site.
About fifty-five miles from Rapid City, South Dakota, you’ll find the tiny town of Wall known for Wall Drug. Two blocks from this landmark, visitors notice the National Grasslands Visitor Center. It provides wonderful insight into the 20 grasslands found throughout the western portion of the United States.
HISTORY OF THE GRASSLANDS
The United States acquired most of the Great Plains and Great Basin From France with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Dominated by buffalo and various Indian tribes, the area consisted of native tallgrass prairie with grasses averaging five to six feet in height. Some reached as tall as eight or nine feet. The area was also home to forbs, flowers, some trees, and diverse wildlife.
It was the Homestead Act of 1862 which brought almost six million settlers by 1890 to the area. First, they lived along the rivers. Then they used land that was submarginal for farming. They tried to replace the grasslands with crops by using eastern and European farming methods. By 1928, they had cultivated more than 20 million acres of the Great Plains.
The land proved productive during wet years. However, this success was not sustainable in times of drought and harsh winters. The removal of grasses led to topsoil erosion and clouds of dust, known as the Dust Bowl, rising more than 20,000 feet over parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Ten-foot drifts of fine soil particles buried fences and closed roads.
On lands where buffalo once roamed, overgrazing by sheep and cattle also led to destruction of these lands. During the late 1800s, sheep owners competed with cattlemen for the open range causing range wars. The cattlemen wanted the grass for grazing while the sheep owners preferred cropped grass.
By the early 1930s, the area was in financial trouble due to these Dust Bowls and a deep Depression. Approximately 70 percent of the homesteaders were delinquent with paying taxes. An estimated 2.5 million people abandoned their farms and ranches due to the depleted lands.
The government enacted emergency measures in the form of legislation. The National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 and the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 allowed the federal government to purchase and restore damaged submarginal lands and resettle destitute families.
These lands were assigned to the Secretary of Agriculture and administered by the Soil Conservation Service, now known as the USDA National Resources Conservation Service. Occupying more than 3.8 million acres of public land, they were transferred to the Forest Service on June 23, 1960, and the National Grasslands was born. All these lands are remnants of short, mixed, and tall grass prairie ecosystems.
The tallgrass prairie requires more moisture than the other two and is dominated by grasses more than four feet high. Shortgrass prairie, less than two feet tall, requires the least moisture. The mixedgrass prairie is a combination with tallgrass growing in patches in rich, wet soils while the shortgrass covers dry, rocky soils.
These grasslands have certain characteristics in common. They mainly exist on flat or rolling terrain. They receive an annual precipitation of between ten and forty inches. Moisture varies between peak periods and times of drought which fluctuate from year to year. Wind also affects the grasslands. It evaporates water from the soil and plants making dry conditions more difficult.
Each grassland is managed to conserve the natural resources of grass, water, and wildlife habitat. Native grass species have been reintroduced. The soil is regaining its fertility. Water developments have proved beneficial for livestock grazing, wildlife, and recreation.
The restored habitats now provide homes for wildlife and plants that were declining, threatened, or endangered. This includes 13 threatened or endangered plants and 60 endangered wildlife species such as the swift fox. The most endangered is the black-footed ferret which was successfully reintroduced in 1994 after being thought extinct. Now a captive breeding program conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has proven successful with self-sustaining populations in South Dakota, Arizona, and Wyoming.
Few trees grow on grasslands. This is due to a lack of water, prevalence of wildfires, and a thin layer of soil that prevent trees from developing deep taproots. However, shrubs, wildflowers, and other plants have adapted to the harsh environment of hot dry summers, cold winters and blizzards, and a short growing season. These plants provide food, nesting, and shelter for wildlife and birds making the grassland ecosystems valuable natural resources.
More than a million acres of grasslands are leased for their rich oil and gas resources. Coal is also found on some properties. Paleontologists have discovered many fossils and prehistoric sites. These date from 10 to 130 million years ago. Dinosaur tracks, 150 million years old, and marine fossils from 65-90 million years ago have been discovered.
Grasslands are also known for their recreational uses. More than one million people annually enjoy using this land for mountain biking, hiking, camping, fishing, birding, hunting, rockhounding, and enjoying scenic vistas.
NATIONAL GRASSLANDS VISITOR CENTER
The National Grassland Visitor Center is the only one in our country relating the story of the 20 National Grasslands in our country. Seventeen are on the Great Plains from North Dakota and Wyoming south to Texas and New Mexico. The other three are located in California, Oregon, and Idaho. The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is located in Illinois. The Midewin’s 20,000 acres were once the site of the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant.
The Center’s exhibits are on Great Plains cultural history including the Native Americans and homesteading, prairie plants and animals, recreation, and management of the National Grasslands and Tallgrass Prairie. A 25-minute film, America’s Grasslands, is shown on request. This is also the place to ask rangers questions and have youngsters participate in a Junior Ranger program.
During the summer, rangers conduct programs and events. Since times and topics vary, it’s best to stop by or call the National Grasslands Visitor Center for more information. We were fortunate to hear a lecture on black-footed ferrets.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CENTER
You’ll want to take an hour to examine the Center’s displays. A fascinating exhibit was Taking Grass for Granted which relates facts about grass. Grasses are the principal breadstuffs of the world as well as comprising a large part of food for domestic and wild animals. Wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley and sorghum are considered forms of grasses.
Signs provide fascinating facts about grasses. They have several adaptations.Their narrow leaves are arranged vertically along the stem. This presents less surface area for water evaporation while providing the maximum efficiency for photosynthesis. Most of their mass is underground in their root system. This large root system is a defense against grazing, mowing, and fire. If a large part of the above ground grass is removed or destroyed, it depends on its energy in the roots.
Third, their growth takes place at the bases of their leaves, where it joins the stems, rather than the tips like other plants. When the leaf’s upper part is mowed or grazed, grass renews growth from its base. They grow as annuals, biennials, or perennials. Individual grass plants can live for several decades.
When you have finished reading about grasses, enjoy their interactive. It is one of the activities Junior Rangers need to qualify for their patch. A map shows that tallgrass prairie is in the East while shortgrass prairie dominates the West.
Several dioramas depict habitats in grasslands. The Upland Grassland ecosystem is the largest prairie component. This diorama displays specimens of a snowy owl, western meadowlark, sharptail grouse, and pronghorn.
The Prairie Dog Town is represented by a black-tailed prairie dog, burrowing owl, swift fox, black-footed ferret, prairie rattlesnake, and a badger. Burrowing is very widespread on the grasslands. More than 120 wildlife species are dependent on prairie dog towns. This includes the burrowing owl who uses the abandoned burrows and the black-footed ferret that preys on the ground hogs and uses their burrows as well.
We returned to the Center in the afternoon to hear a lecture on the black-footed ferret. Their diet consists 90% of prairie dogs. They eat one every three days. It is known as the vampire of the plains. They go into the burrow, catch the sleeping prairie dog, and go for the windpipe, drinking blood instead of water. They either eat their prey there or drag them out of the hole. If you shine a light on their face, it glows green.
The ferret populations are entirely managed. Their predators are hawks, eagles, badgers, and coyotes. Loss of their land has also endangered their species.
Prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets can get bubonic plague from fleas and eating affected flesh. In 2007, there were 20,000 acres of prairie dogs down to 10,000 acres by 2017. The USDA is trying to combat the plague by using Metherene flea powder on the prairie dogs. The prairie dog’s favorite flavor is peanut butter so the government gives them pellets of this plague vaccine.
Black-footed ferrets are caught and have blood and hair samples taken. They are microchipped and inoculated for the plague. Unfortunately, attempts have not been 100% successful.
Wetlands depicts how important water is to grasslands. It provides nesting and feeding grounds for birds, small mammals, and amphibians as well as habitats for fish. Residents shown in this diorama are the red-winged blackbird, bluegill, largemouth bass, sandhill crane, blue-winged teal, and mink.
The final ecology visitors see is the Woody Draw. Although it occupies less than 11% of the grasslands, it provides a vital wildlife habitat during migration, breeding, and the winter. You’ll see a raccoon, red fox, and red-headed woodpecker. Near these dioramas is a display of a coyote pelt and the guard hairs of a beaver and bison.
Learn about homesteading. Discover how the lack of timber led to settlers building sod houses. For their fires, buffalo or cow chips were used. Those who settled on homesteads brought few belongings with them - some furniture, a few tools, dishes, and clothes.
Read about the cattle empire which started in Texas and spread over the entire Great Plains by 1876. Ranching in the West, contrasted to stock farming in the East, required the use of the horse. Cowboys drove cattle over the trail to railheads for shipment to Eastern markets. You’ll find a large map of such trails as the Fremont Trail, Chisholm Trail, and the Santa Fe Trail.
Barbed wire was invented to keep livestock off of croplands. In 1874, only 10,000 pounds of barb wire were made. However, by 1980, more than 80 million pounds were manufactured.
The Center exhibits a variety of brands applied to cattle. The first branding was done by Cortès on the cattle he brought from Mexico. Cowboys learned from the vaqueros and developed their own brands. Brands became a legal symbol of ownership where they were registered with ranches often named after brands.
Another exhibit is titled Plains Indian Traditions and Lifestyles. Check out the arrowheads from Thunder Basin and Buffalo Gap. You’ll also find an eagle claw Indian pipe and a ceremonial painted deer hide.
In another area, you will find various rock specimens. Rock hounding is big in the Grasslands.The rock display has everything from jasper to rose quartz and a variety of agates. You will also see citrine crystal, calcedony, and metamorphic rocks. Fossils and casts such as the replica of a Titanothereum, which was like a rhinoceros, are also displayed. In the grasslands, while you can collect rocks, it is illegal to take fossils.
OUTSIDE THE CENTER
Outside, ranger Aaron Rasor escorted us through their Xeriscape garden with a variety of plants and flowers. This outdoor area represents a natural mixed-grass prairie landscape. It was started by Terry Harris, a female ranger, in 2006 when she planted the first bunch of blue gramma.
In addition to grasses, shrubs, and trees, visitors see such wildflowers as upright prairie coneflower, western yarrow, false boneset, annual sunflower, purple coneflower, heath aster, and soapweed. Some have been used as soaps and dyes. For example, the waxy buds of cottonwoods were boiled to make a yellow dye to color feathers for arrows. Lambsquarters were adopted by Native Americans to produce a green paint used on bows and arrows. Yucca roots were collected for use as shampoo.
Some plants are edible: black currents, Golden Prairie roses, gooseberries, and chokecherries. Night shades are related to tomatoes and peppers and are loved by grouses. But beware, when they are green, they can cause diarrhea.
Crested wheat grass was heavily used after the Dust Bowl to stop erosion. It is palatable for cattle and wildlife. Side oats, blue gramma, and buffalo grass are also native to the area. You will also see prairie cordgrass, the tallest grass in the National Grasslands. It grows up to 8 feet. It reproduces by seed and underground stems.
Rubber rabbitbrush, a drought resistant perennial, produces abundant yellow flowers in the fall. American Indians used portions of the plant as chewing gum, to produce a yellow dye, and for tea to treat colds, coughs, and chest pains. It was also used to make waterproof baskets. This plant was toxic to cattle in large quantities but provided cover for birds and small animals.
Other plants in this garden also had medicinal purposes. Gumwood Cactus is an expectorant. Its extract is used as a medicine for whooping cough, an asthma inhaler, and dye. The Prairie Cone Arrow flower is like a Mexican Hat flower. It was used to treat a tooth abscess. Its root was an antibiotic and analgesic.
What grabbed my attention were the immense Maximilian sunflowers. Prairie annual sunflowers are spiney. Aaron told me that butterflies and caterpillars love them.
BUFFALO GAP NATIONAL GRASSLAND
Buffalo Gap National Grassland (BGNG) has nearly 600,000 acres divided into two areas. It is the second largest National Grassland after Little Missouri National Grassland in North Dakota.
The Wall Range District Office, where the Center is found, administers the eastern part of BGNG. This section extends from the Cheyenne River east to Kadoka, South Dakota. It comprises part of the Badlands. Its southern border touches on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The western half goes south from the Cheyenne River and west to the Nebraska and Wyoming borders.
Approximately 2,000 species of prairie wildflowers are native or have been introduced to the Great Plains region. They bloom here between late spring and late summer. However, grass is the dominant vegetation. Forty-seven species of grasses are within the BGNG boundaries. To help identify these plants, you can pick up a field guide at the National Grasslands Visitors Center.
A variety of wildlife finds it home including more than 230 species of birds. Prairie birds such as the Western meadowlark and horned lark are predominant as are birds of prey. Stock ponds and cooperative Ducks Unlimited impoundments have created habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds.
More than 100 species of animals are found in the BGNG. In patches of tall grass, one might see the prairie vole, pale milk snake, and least shrew. Mixed grass prairie, the most predominant, is home to pronghorn, Ord’s kangaroo rat, black-tailed prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets. In fact, this area has achieved recognition for the most successful Black-footed ferret reintroduction program undertaken by the federal government. Coyotes, badgers, and many of the smaller rodents also live here.
Look for short grass prairie in the southwest part of BGNG. It’s the location of the black-tailed jackrabbit, Northern pocket gopher, and many lizards. During the winter months, sagebrush attracts pronghorns.
Though comprising the smallest portion of the Great Plains total area, woodlands are an important habitat for wildlife. In the BGNG, you find woody draws, Juniper breaks, and shrub patches. Woody draws exist along intermittent creeks where trees like cottonwoods can find enough moisture to survive on the Grassland. You are likely to find several animals here. This includes the white-footed mouse, porcupine, white-tailed deer, coyote, red fox, and migrating birds.
You’ll find Juniper breaks that have mostly evergreen trees like the Rocky Mountain juniper and the Eastern red cedar. They’re found on a north-facing slope along river drainages like the Cheyenne River. You’ll also find shrub patches as well.
BGNG is free and open to public for hiking, motorized use on designated trails, rock hounding, hunting, and horseback. French Creek Campground, east of Fairburn, South Dakota, has tent platforms, pit toilets, picnic tables, and grills. For details, call (308) 432-0300.
It is necessary to follow state regulations and obtain a license for fishing and hunting. People mostly fish for bluegill but also for bass, some northern crappie, and walleye. You can hunt deer, pronghorn, and prairie dogs but must obey the state’s specific seasons. You can obtain booklets concerning the regulations for these activities at the Center.
DETAILS
The National Grasslands Visitor Center is located at 708 Main Street, Wall, South Dakota, Its telephone number is (605) 279-2125. Admission is free. Memorial Day through Labor Day hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. The hours during the remainder of the year are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
After going to the Visitor Center, don’t forget to visit Wall Drug. You can check it out in my August 20, 2019 article on this site.
National Grasslands Visitor Center
Upland Grassland Exhibit
Prairie Dog Town Exhibit
Close Up of Prairie Dog
Close Up of Burrowing Owl
Wetlands Exhibit
Woody Draw Exhibit
Display of Pelts and Guard Hairs
Map of Transcontinental Trails the Pioneers Traveled
Arrowheads from Thunder Basin and Buffalo Gap
Ceremonial Painted Deer Hide
Traditional Buffalo Honoring Skull
Part of the Rock and Mineral Specimens on Display
Aaron Rasor Pointing Out Buffalo Berries in His Xeriscape Garden
Close Up of Buffalo Berries
Maximillian Sunflowers
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Prairie Cordgrass