Freedom and Fresh Air

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Freedom and Fresh Air

By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
September 25, 2026

There are many reasons to visit the Black Hills. The towering pillars of granite would be plenty enough on their own, and that's before you factor in the amazing monuments of Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. But one of my favorite reasons to head for the hills happens once a year in late September: the Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park.

Every year, a few dozen parks staff lead brave volunteers as we chase roughly 1,500 buffalo through the hills of Custer State Park. The thundering hooves, cracking whips, and the wild spirit of the American buffalo makes the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

The spectacle is truly one-of-a-kind, and word has gotten out. Every year, 20,000 visitors join us to watch the display. We round up the herd so that we can tend to their health, brand the new calves, and auction off a portion to maintain the herd's stability. And the visitors come from across the country and around the world. This brings South Dakota's two biggest industries, agriculture and tourism, together.

Every year when I'm breathing in the crisp morning air at Custer State Park, I stop to think about what makes this event so special. I go back to our state's western heritage. Most of us are descended from the homesteaders - or at least the tough few who were able to eke out a living on the untamed South Dakota prairie. Our state still reflects the American Wild West in many regards. Tourists come to Deadwood to get a glimpse into Wild Bill's life, hike through the wilderness trails in the Black Hills, and swing through 1880 Town along the way.

I think there's something about all those experiences that is so attractive to the 21^st Century traveler. In a world that is increasingly online, it's nice to get our faces out of our phones for a few days and get back to our roots. And that's why they keep coming back to South Dakota. My wife, Sandy, has made it her mission to get South Dakotans of all ages off their phones - and I know the phone-free fellowship that happened at the Buffalo Roundup this year made her proud.

Our state is the freest state in a nation founded on the principle of freedom. And those Wild West experiences hearken back to a day when our nation was just a bit freer.

The late September Buffalo Roundup marks somewhat of a conclusion to the annual tourism season - though the orange jacketed pheasant hunters will be here in just a few short weeks. But it does not mark the conclusion of what makes South Dakota special. Our freedom and fresh air remain a tremendous draw year round.

Moments like the Buffalo Roundup are both a great opportunity to take a break from the daily grind and remember why I do what I do: to keep South Dakota the greatest, freest state in America - and to keep our future strong, safe, and free.

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