Hayride & Chuckwagon Cookout in Custer, South Dakota
Difficulty
easy
Duration
2–3 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for all fitness levels with minimal physical activity required apart from boarding and exiting the haywagon.
Overview
Enjoy a classic western evening with a scenic hayride followed by a chuckwagon cookout and live folk music in Custer, South Dakota. Bring your family and capture lasting memories at this fun, nature-filled experience.
Hayride & Chuckwagon Cookout
2 - 2.5 Hours • All ages!
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About This Adventure
Join a cherished Blue Bell tradition with a scenic 45-minute hayride through stunning wildlife landscapes, culminating in a delightful chuck wagon feast. Enjoy live folk music and a vibrant dinner show in a picturesque canyon. Each guest receives a souvenir cowboy hat and bandanna, making this experience truly memorable for all ages.
Come along for a hayride and a hoedown!
Duration
3 Hours, return back around dusk
About
Be part of a Blue Bell tradition. This old-fashioned hayride takes you on a 45-minute scenic wildlife tour on the park's beautiful backroad to a mountain meadow canyon for a chuck wagon feast. Live entertainment! On the way, you can sing along with your live folk music entertainer, and the full folk band joins up at the canyon for the dinner show. Each paying guest gets a souvenir cowboy hat and bandanna to help you play the part.
Where you'll go
- A 30-minute vehicle-drawn scenic wagon ride along the southern end of the Wildlife Loop (paved)
- The last 15-20 minutes of the wagon ride takes you on a private hilly gravel road to picturesque Parker Canyon
- An abbreviated route is taken on the way back to Blue Bell Lodge after the dinner show
What to expect
- Wagons seat approximately 25 guests each. Bench seating.
- Mild-to-Moderate terrain in a vehicle-drawn wagon. Road is mostly paved with some gravel at the end.
- Wagons will have hay and/or straw. Anyone with allergies, please be advised to book at your own risk.
- Live entertainer accompanies you on your hayride the whole way there and back
- Blankets available on request
- Anyone who has booked the Combination Tour (Jeep Safari + Chuckwagon Cookout) will meet up with this tour at Parker Canyon for the live dinner show.
- Return back to Blue Bell Lodge around dusk.
- Family friendly
- All ages welcome
Menu options Menu includes your choice of an 8 oz. choice sirloin steak or a 1/3 lb. hamburger with all the fixin’s, including cowboy beans, cornbread and honey, potato salad, coleslaw, watermelon, cookies, chuck wagon coffee and lemonade. A vegetarian option is also available. Please select your option when you make your reservation.
Requirements
Dress accordingly. It cools down in the evenings! Blankets available. No seatbelts provided. Guests must be physically able to take steps in and out of the wagon. No pets.
A note about weather
Tours will often still depart if raining. Lighting or heavy rains that cause dirt road closures will force the dinner show to be moved inside.
Adventure Tips
Dress for Changing Weather
Layers are recommended as temperatures can drop rapidly after sunset during the cookout.
Bring a Camera
The hayride offers excellent wildlife viewing opportunities—don’t miss the chance to capture bison or elk.
Wear Closed-Toe Shoes
Closed-toe footwear is advised for comfort and safety during the hayride and around the chuckwagon area.
Arrive Early to Explore
Arrive 15 minutes early to relax and browse local shops before the adventure begins.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- American bison
- Rocky Mountain elk
History
Custer State Park was established in 1912 and is known for preserving one of the largest publicly owned bison herds in the United States.
Conservation
The park emphasizes sustainable tourism practices to protect wildlife habitats and promote responsible outdoor recreation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
Layered Clothing
Allows you to adapt to fluctuating temperatures, especially after sunset.
all specific
Hat and Sunglasses
Protects from sun exposure during the afternoon hayride.
summer|spring|fall specific
Camera or Smartphone
Captures scenic wildlife and moments during the hayride and cookout.
Water Bottle
Stay hydrated throughout the adventure, especially during warmer months.