Description
What is the Custer State Park pin?
This enameled metal pin features a raised gold-tone bison over a blue enamel background with grass silhouette details. Below the bison, three colored bands read “CUSTER,” “STATE PARK,” and “BLACK HILLS SOUTH DAKOTA.”
It’s sold by BHPFA at park stores across the Black Hills and online. Like all BHPFA merchandise, the sale price goes back into public lands programs: trail maintenance, Junior Ranger activities, and visitor services at Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Scotts Bluff, and the Black Hills National Forest.
About Custer State Park
Custer State Park is South Dakota’s first and largest state park, covering 71,000 acres in the southern Black Hills. The park is home to about 1,400 free-roaming bison, one of the world’s largest publicly owned herds. The original 36 bison were purchased in 1914 from Scotty Philip’s herd near Pierre.
The park is probably best known for the annual Buffalo Roundup, held every fall, when riders on horseback drive the herd across the prairie for health checks and population management. It’s one of the most-attended events in South Dakota.
Three scenic drives cross the park: the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road (where you’re likely to see bison, pronghorn, and the park’s famous feral burros), Needles Highway with its one-lane granite tunnels, and Iron Mountain Road with its pigtail bridges and framed views of Mount Rushmore.
Custer State Park shares a border with Wind Cave National Park, one of BHPFA’s partner sites.
Specifications
- Material: Enameled metal with raised/embossed bison design
- Finish: Gold tone front, brushed metal back
- Size: Approximately 1″ wide
- Fastener: Butterfly clutch / tack pin
- Weight: 0.3 oz
Who is this for?
If you’ve driven the Wildlife Loop and watched bison graze ten feet from your car window, this pin is a way to carry that memory with you. It works on a jacket lapel, hat, backpack, or lanyard.
Pin collectors will find it fits into a larger set. BHPFA carries 35 pins covering Custer State Park, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Black Elk Peak, the Black Hills National Forest, and more. The annual Buffalo Roundup pins are dated, so collectors often pick up a new one each year.
It’s also a practical souvenir or small gift for someone who’s visited the Black Hills.
Frequently asked questions
Is Custer State Park a national park?
No. Custer State Park is a South Dakota state park managed by the state’s Game, Fish and Parks department. It borders Wind Cave National Park but is a separate entity. BHPFA sells Custer State Park merchandise alongside national park items because of the park’s proximity and shared visitor base in the Black Hills.
What’s the difference between this pin and the Buffalo Roundup pins?
This is a general Custer State Park pin available year-round. The Buffalo Roundup pins are dated (2024, 2025, etc.) and released as annual collectibles tied to the fall roundup event. Both cost $4.99.
What does the pin look like up close?
The bison is raised and three-dimensional, not flat printed. The background is blue enamel with grass details, and the text bands are red, white, and gold. The pin is contoured (shaped around the bison’s profile) rather than a standard circle.
Does buying this support the parks?
Yes. BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of the Black Hills National Forest, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Scotts Bluff National Monument. Every purchase funds ranger programs, trail maintenance, and conservation work across these public lands.
Can I wear this on a hat or backpack?
Yes. The butterfly clutch fastener works on hats, jackets, bags, lanyards, and most fabric or canvas surfaces.
What other pins does BHPFA carry?
BHPFA has 35 pins in the catalog, including Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Black Elk Peak, Black Hills National Forest, Smokey Bear, Scotts Bluff, Agate Fossil Beds, and annual Buffalo Roundup pins. All are $4.99.
Pin collection
BHPFA carries pins from across the Black Hills and Nebraska public lands. A few to pair with this one:
