Buffalo Gap Grasslands Hiking Medallion by L.W. Bristol Classics
$7.00
In stock
Shipping calculated in cart/checkout:Â Shipping rates for first items start at $7, calculated based on weight of total order.
Oval enameled metal hiking medallion for Buffalo Gap National Grassland in southwestern South Dakota. Features a grassland and wildlife design with the area name. Made by L.W. Bristol Classics. Nails to hiking sticks, walking staffs, or paddles.
- 1 1/2″ x 1 3/4″ oval, enameled metal with gold-tone raised design and brushed finish reverse
- Three metal nails included for attaching to a wooden hiking stick, staff, or paddle
- Gently shapeable to curve onto a round staff; can also be glued flat to a bike frame or display board
- Weight: 0.1 oz
- Proceeds support education, conservation, and visitor services at BHPFA partner parks and forests
- Collect with the matching Buffalo Gap Pin and Buffalo Gap Patch
In stock
60-day returns · Ships from South Dakota via USPS
Buffalo Gap Grasslands Hiking Medallion by L.W. Bristol Classics
$7.00
In stock
Shipping calculated in cart/checkout:Â Shipping rates for first items start at $7, calculated based on weight of total order.
Oval enameled metal hiking medallion for Buffalo Gap National Grassland in southwestern South Dakota. Features a grassland and wildlife design with the area name. Made by L.W. Bristol Classics. Nails to hiking sticks, walking staffs, or paddles.
- 1 1/2″ x 1 3/4″ oval, enameled metal with gold-tone raised design and brushed finish reverse
- Three metal nails included for attaching to a wooden hiking stick, staff, or paddle
- Gently shapeable to curve onto a round staff; can also be glued flat to a bike frame or display board
- Weight: 0.1 oz
- Proceeds support education, conservation, and visitor services at BHPFA partner parks and forests
- Collect with the matching Buffalo Gap Pin and Buffalo Gap Patch
In stock
60-day returns · Ships from South Dakota via USPS
Real USPS rates, no markup. The money we save funds trail crews and internships.
Join BHPFA for $30 a year -> get your code by email in seconds. -> Use it at checkout today. Show your card at hundreds of nonprofit park stores nationwide for 10% off.
Every item is selected or approved by rangers and staff. Your purchase keeps them on the front lines.
Real USPS rates, no markup. The money we save funds trail crews and internships.
Join BHPFA for $30 a year -> get your code by email in seconds. -> Use it at checkout today. Show your card at hundreds of nonprofit park stores nationwide for 10% off.
Every item is selected or approved by rangers and staff. Your purchase keeps them on the front lines.
Description
What is this hiking medallion?
An oval enameled metal medallion for Buffalo Gap National Grassland, made by L.W. Bristol Classics. The design features a grassland and wildlife scene with the area name around the border. Gold-tone raised lettering and a dark border give it depth against the colored enamel. The reverse has a brushed metal finish with three mounting holes for nailing to a wooden hiking staff.
L.W. Bristol Classics is a family-owned manufacturer in Bristol, Tennessee that has produced custom souvenir hiking medallions, pins, and patches for national parks and public lands across the country for decades. They make matching pins in the same artwork for most of their medallion designs. BHPFA sells the matching Buffalo Gap pin (SKU 2156) alongside this medallion.
What’s in the box
- One enameled metal hiking medallion, 1 1/2″ x 1 3/4″ oval
- Three metal nails for attaching to a wooden hiking stick, staff, or paddle
- Mounted on a display card
How to attach it
Pre-drill three small holes in your walking stick first, then press the nails through the medallion and into the holes. The medallion can be gently bent to follow the curve of a round staff. For flat surfaces like a bike frame, RV panel, or display board, flatten it out and use a strong adhesive instead of the nails.
About Buffalo Gap National Grassland
Buffalo Gap National Grassland covers about 591,000 acres across Fall River, Custer, Pennington, and Jackson counties in southwestern South Dakota. The U.S. Forest Service manages it as part of the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, one of BHPFA’s partner units.
The grassland sits just east of the Black Hills and shares a border with Badlands National Park to the north. The terrain is a mix of rolling mixed-grass prairie, badlands formations, creek drainages, and ponderosa pine draws. Pronghorn, mule deer, prairie dogs, and numerous grassland bird species are common. Bison graze the area seasonally.
The Conata Basin section of Buffalo Gap is one of the most significant black-footed ferret conservation sites in the country. Black-footed ferrets were declared extinct in 1979, then rediscovered in Wyoming in 1981. Wild reintroductions at Buffalo Gap’s Conata Basin began in 1994, and by the early 2000s the population had grown to more than 300 ferrets, the largest wild population in the world at the time.
The National Grasslands Visitor Center in Wall, SD, operated by the U.S. Forest Service in partnership with BHPFA, covers the history and ecology of all 20 national grasslands. It’s the main gateway for Buffalo Gap interpretation and the closest BHPFA retail location for this product.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 1 1/2″ x 1 3/4″ (oval)
- Weight: 0.1 oz
- Construction: Enameled metal with gold-tone raised details
- Reverse: Brushed metal finish
- Attachment: Three metal nails included
- Manufacturer: L.W. Bristol Classics (Bristol, TN)
Who is this for?
Hikers and walking stick collectors who have spent time on Buffalo Gap’s trails or at the National Grasslands Visitor Center. If you’ve driven through the Conata Basin looking for ferrets at dusk, or hiked the mixed-grass prairie sections along the White River, this medallion is a small, permanent record of that trip.
For people interested in grasslands ecology and Great Plains conservation, Buffalo Gap carries a specific story worth commemorating. The black-footed ferret recovery program is one of the more dramatic endangered species success stories in the region, and Buffalo Gap is central to it.
And 0.1 oz, it packs and mails easily. Works as a small add-on to any order, especially when paired with the matching Buffalo Gap pin or patch.
About the hiking medallion tradition
The hobby started in alpine Europe, where hikers hammered metal markers onto their walking staffs at mountain huts and summits. The US version is built around national parks and public lands rather than mountain tops. You pick one up wherever you go, nail it to your stick, and end up with a physical record of where you have been.
L.W. Bristol Classics has been making these for parks, trails, and historic sites since the 1980s. They produce matching pins in the same artwork for most of their medallion designs. BHPFA carries several in the catalog. Browse the Collectibles section for all available hiking medallions.
Frequently asked questions
What does the design show?
The medallion features a grassland and wildlife scene with the Buffalo Gap National Grassland name around the border. Gold-tone raised details and colored enamel fill.
How big is this medallion?
1 1/2 inches wide by 1 3/4 inches tall, oval format. This is the standard size for L.W. Bristol Classics hiking medallions in the BHPFA catalog.
Does it come with what I need to mount it?
Yes. Three metal nails are included. Pre-drill small holes in your wooden hiking stick first, then press the nails through the medallion and into the holes. For flat surfaces, use your own adhesive instead.
Can I put it somewhere other than a hiking stick?
Yes. These medallions attach to paddles, canes, and flat surfaces like RV panels and bike frames. You can also leave it mounted on the display card as a collectible.
Is Buffalo Gap National Grassland a national park?
No. Buffalo Gap is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands. It is not an NPS unit. BHPFA is the official cooperating association for the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, which includes Buffalo Gap, Oglala, and Fort Pierre National Grasslands.
Can I get a Passport to Your National Parks stamp at Buffalo Gap?
No. The Passport stamp program is NPS only. USFS sites do not have Passport cancellation stamps. The nearest BHPFA partner sites with Passport stamps are Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.
Is there a matching pin or patch?
Yes. BHPFA carries the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands Pin (SKU 2156) and the Buffalo Gap Grasslands Patch (SKU 2197), both $4.99.
Does buying this support the grasslands?
Yes. BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.
What other hiking medallions does BHPFA carry?
BHPFA carries hiking medallions for Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Agate Fossil Beds, Black Elk Peak, and more. Browse the Collectibles section for what’s currently in stock.
More Buffalo Gap products
Every Purchase Makes a Difference
When you shop with Black Hills Parks & Forests Association, you are directly funding:
- Education programs — nature workshops, Junior Ranger activities, and homeschool adventures for kids across the Black Hills
- Trail maintenance — keeping hiking trails safe and accessible at Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, and the Black Hills National Forest
- Visitor services — park store operations, interpretive programs, and the staff who help millions of visitors each year
- Conservation — supporting the long-term health of public lands in the Black Hills and Nebraska
BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service in the Black Hills region. We have supported these public lands since 1946.
Additional information
| Weight | 1 oz |
|---|---|
| Brand | L.W. Bristol Classics |
| Dimensions | 1 1/2" x 1 3/4" (oval) |
| Weight | 0.1 oz |
| Material | Enameled Metal |
Note on International Orders
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