Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary |
Two Hour Guided Bus Tour What will we see on the tour? For Tour Reservations please call 1-800-252-6652 or 605-745-5955 from 8-6 MDST. Tour Times: 2- Hour Guided Tour Pricing In looking around at other sites on the internet we found these wonderful comments about visiting the Sanctuary. We thank you for your nice thoughts and are glad you had a wonderful time here!!!!! BLACK HILLS WILD HORSE SANCTUARY VISITOR FEEDBACK I have never been around horses in my life and I was very skeptical at $50 each. I scheduled the tour then I was actually going to cancel it because I read somewhere you can't really see a lot of horses, I emailed the Sanctuary and that explained to me it was likely at that time they had a Wild Fire and since these horses are WILD they may have been hiding they are scared of fire but it is a rare occasion, I decided I was going to give it a try regardless, I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY, THE HORSES WERE OUT BIG TIME, I could see some of them with my binoculars roaming way up in the mountain tops, way up there so how can they not be wild as others have suggested, even our guide Mark was hoping they would give us some good views as they are wild. The horses did not disappoint we saw hundreds of them everywhere one out of the bunch I have included a picture came within 2 feet of me and my husband out of all the guests on tour, which included a couple that came all the way from ENGLAND to see the horses. MARK WAS AN EXCELLENT TOUR GUIDE IT COST US $104 WITH TAX-It was worth every penny we spent, and I wish would have had more to give, if I had money I would have made a HUGE DONATION to the Sanctuary. OUR 2 HOUR TOUR TURNED INTO THREE, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL THEY DO ASK FOR SUPPORT AND OFFER SOME HORSES FOR SALE, I ASSUME FOR POPULATION CONTROL IT WAS NOT ANNOYING OR OVERWHELMING AT ALL, SEEING WILD HORSES ROAMING WAY UP ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE, BEAUTIFUL LANDS BEAUTIFUL HORSES, WE TOURED ON A SMALL SCHOOL BUS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAD AC IT WAS A COOL DAY, BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I LOVED THIS TOUR unfortunately one of the horses died and was lying right smack in the middle of the road where we were travelling Mark said it could have been from a rattlesnake bite he hadn't been dead too long, we had to go into the grass to get around him and Mark called someone to let them know. GO ON THIS TOUR. you owe it to yourselves. Everyone on our tour was very happy. We all took tons of pictures of horses and the beautiful scenery. By sweeday, 09/17/08 My husband and I are from Kansas City, Missouri, and were just at the sanctuary in August. It was an unbelieveable experience for us. The horses and the land was just beautiful. Our guide was very informative. He would drive in the middle of the heards of horses so we could get off the bus and take pictures. Because of that, we got excellent pictures of the horses and the sanctuary. Those who run and work at the sanctuary were so nice and friendly. We missed our tour time because we got lost, but when we finally arrived we were able to take the next tour with no problem at all. The gift shop was loaded with lots of souvenirs and we didn't have to wait to be waited on. A great bunch of people to meet. We HIGHLY recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys the aesthetics of nature and beauty. I visited in Aug 06 and loved it. Met stallion, Don Juan, who is really awesome. I supported him with my contribution and will continue to do so in order to get updates on him in particular. Some people have to realize that with a range this large it is the luck of the draw how many horses you will see. I'm just glad I got to get out and interact with the horses. The wild part is that they are not ridden and free to roam--what a gift considering what some have been through. Hope to be able to go and volunteer for a month in the next few years. We took our two children here on vacation to South Dakota (age 4 and 7) and they had a blast! From viewing the new foals and petting the kindergarten foals, to the scenery and views, to the dusty bus ride and tour across the terrain of the sanctuary. Tour guide was just great and told the kids stories (some were tall tales), educated on the plants in the sanctuary, chased prairie dogs cross country, saw a badger (a rarity for tours we were told) to seeing all the amazing horses on the sanctuary, to seeing where parts of Hidalgo and Crazy Horse were filmed, to seeing carvings in the rocks from 100's of years ago, to the old cave people lived in while building their homestead, this place had it all! My 7 year old daughter's highlights included being able to pee in the "desert" behind the bus where Hidalgo scenes were filmed (this was simply to avoid a really bad accident - I am sure that this is not something encouraged on the tour - haha). Our experience was one of the best and the tour guide gave us almost a 3 and 1/2 tour when we only paid for a 2 hour tour. I felt like I was riding the bus with my own aunt Debbie (complete with southern drawl and charm) Thank you Wild Mustang Sanctuary! This was my first visit, honest :-) I am not an EMPLOYEE but I LOVED THIS !!! This sanctuary is supported by the tours, gift shop and foal sales. It is not commerical, it is self relying. Sure, I could have wasted my money on something else in the Black Hills, but knowing my $$ help to save horses was worth every penny. The tour was interesting, old man had many stories to tell. It is VERY dry & hot (this part of SD is in a 7 yr drought), which makes it even harder to support wild horses. They depend on the staff for food and especially water. They run free, are not broken to ride, but they are used to people being around (not to pet), but definitely to get fantastic photos. Please consider this tour and help save more horses. I live in TN and will go back as many times as I can :-), use the gift shop for ordering online presents www.wildmustangs.com and buy a foal when I am able, because it all goes to save more mustangs :-) It was a memorable experience thanks to the lady tour guide, she made the information humourous and interesting. If you love horses you will be let in awe of the sight of hundreds of wild mustangs roaming freely over 11000 acres of open prairie. The sanctuary is a beautiful,safe, place to live for our wild horses. They were rescued and taken there. The foals are sold to keep the sanctuarys other horses cared for. They help other horses when needed.We purchased 3 foals and they are wonderful! Thank you Dayton Hyde! Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is a real refuge for wild horses that have been rescued from the Bureau of Land Mgmt and other situations. Well cared for property, horses and well informed staff. A great place for all: individuals and families alike, any horse lover! Loved the trip. 500 horses is a lot to see. The area was like a western. Many foals to warm the heart. The tour bus, the only way to get into their range, shows other points like petrogliphs. Bring a camera! We travelled from central Texas to see this sanctuary and the wild horses. We were not disappointed and have plans to return. The tour was fantastic and even my nonhorsey husband was out of the bus taking pictures of the mustangs. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us great opportunities to get one of a kind pictures. This is something you don't want to miss! The Wild Horse Sanctuary is a "must see" while in the Black Hills area. See wild horses, petroglyphs, movie set and info from the "Crazy Horse" movie and learn all about the area from a wonderful tour guide! Shirley was our tour guide and she was absolutely delightful! A great way to spend a couple hours learning about the area and the needs of wild horses from all over America. I LOVE horses and have always wanted to see wild ones roaming free, this was a most awesome experience. We are from Indiana and were picking up my son who was 17 at the time from working all summer at the KOA campground giving trail rides near Mt. Rushmore. My husband and I took the bus tour, saw a bobcat chasing a rabbit , a coyote, where the Sioux have ceremonies, and just the most beautiful scenery and land. And then.....the horses! They actually try to get you close to the herd so you can get out and take pics. The horses are used to seeing tourists so you get wonderful pictures, they just stay enough feet away so you can't touch them. I've never seen so many baby horses. You only see this in pictures. I could have sat there all day in the grass and just watched the horses, I can't even describe how it felt. There was a baby with a scar and we got to touch it because it had been injured enough that it had been taken in for stitches and was used to human contact. Our bus driver then told us they only sell the babies to help keep the older ones there forever free. I think I heard my husband silently telling our tour guide to be quiet, just stop talking. LOL. My childhood dream of owning a Wild Mustand has now come true. We spent the whole next day with Susan picking out our new babies. She and Dayton run this operation and are wonderful! We went back in November of 2005 and brought back 6 baby mustangs. I highly recommend that everyone visit the sanctuary. Maybe you'll adopt one or two also!!! This will be my third visit to the Sanctuary and I and my family absolutely love it. I have been blessed and honored to meet a man like Dayton O. Hyde, it has been one of the best things in my life. He is a wonderful kindhearted intelligent man whose passion dedication and commitment to preserving and caring for the land and the horses is beyond words. He has personally preserved a piece of our American Heritage, the land and the Wild Mustang along with bringing back the Sandhill Crane from near extinction. He is a wonderful example to all. The beauty of seeing the Wild Horses running free as they should is a breathtaking awe inspiring experience and something everyone should witness. I can't say enough about how beautiful they and the land are. My husband and I were visitors to the Sanctuary in the early part of June of this year. It is so awesome and breathtaking to see such beautiful animals, the scenery was awesome, and the woman guide was so very informative. Out of my whole South Dakota vacation, the Sanctuary was the BEST! When we retire, we will try to live close enough to the Sanctuary and the Badlands, so we can visit alot. One can never get tired of seeing the wild animals living wild. I have a jean jacket from the Sanctuary, and I wear it very proudly, and tell people they need to stop in to see the Sanctuary. My husband and I will definitely come to the Sanctuary and purchase our foals. Retirement can't come too soon!! Carole and Frank Biffar We arrived on a very hot day in July. The tour was over 2 hours long. Our guide and bus driver was very knowledgable about the area of the santuary. Including the fauna and flora of the land. The history of the ranch came alive as he introduced us to various landmarks. My oldest son and my 2 grand-daughters and I enjoyed this tour in spite of the hot temperature. The guide showed us local plants native to the area. We saw where the Souix had just had their Sundance. We saw sweat lodges, the cave where the original owners lived, possible Anastazi drawings as well as foals and their mothers. So many horses!!! So many foals!!! We were so delighted to see these horses. We did see one stallion. Oh and to see the way the Cheyenne river flows through the sancuary as if to protect it and nourish it ---well I could go on forever about the beauty of the scenery. It was the horses we came to see. But we got so much more. WE LOVED IT! To read a story about the sanctuary by Best Friends Magazine: http://network.bestfriends.org/southdakota/news/11760.html Here is a neat link ato a site prepared by Chad Coppess,the Senior Photographer for the South Dakota Department of Tourism http://www.dakotagraph.com/2008/05/black-hills-wild-horse-sanctuary.html |
