NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



247 



schists, and slates to the igneous granite 

 core of the Black Hills uplift. Nearly 

 all parts of Forests are accessible by 

 auto from towns on the two railroads 

 and good accommodations may be had. 

 Rangers scattered throughout the Hills 



Western yellow pine constitutes 95% 

 of the forest. Has a habit of growth 

 resembling lodgepole pine in the char- 

 acter and density of stands. Forest 

 50% cut-over and 15% burned. Meeting 

 ground of eastern and western floral 

 and faunal species. 



Mt. Roosevelt State Game Refuge of 

 approximately 50,000 acres is easily 

 reached from Deadwood. Affords abun- 

 dant food for deer, elk, and game birds, 

 good cover and also open feeding 

 grounds. Contains the beautiful Spear- 

 fish Canyon summer resort, where the 

 game is seen by tourists. Beaver 

 colonies are numerous in Canyon and 

 other fur-bearing animals present (musk- 

 rat, mink, marten, skunk), are all 

 protected. 



Several small permanent sample plots 

 representing natural and thinned yellow 

 pine 25 to 200 years old, in vicinity of 

 Nemo, Merritt and Benchmark, furnish 

 examples of forestry practice. All 

 reached most quickly by auto from 

 Deadwood. 



The So. Dakota State Park represents 

 one of the best State Forest properties 

 and game preserves in the country. A 

 portion has been fenced as a game pre- 

 serve in which are herds of deer, elk, 

 buffalo and antelope; an attempt is 

 being made to stock it with moose. 

 Topography and forest cover similar 

 to rest of Black Hills region: a well 

 timbered and very picturesque locality 

 developed by the State for recreational 

 purposes as well as a game preserve. 

 An extension of its boundaries takes in 

 Harney Peak and the Sylvan Lake 

 region, the latter purchased by the 

 State and run as a summer resort. 

 Reached from C. & N. W. R. R. at 

 Fairburn, or C. B. & Q. R. R. at Custer. 

 Most accessible from Custer. Excel- 

 lent hotel facilities at State Park lodge 

 and at Sylvan Lake||. 



Custer Federal Game Sanctuary, an 

 area of 30,000 acres around Harney Peak 

 and Sylvan Lake. Practically entire 

 area covered by virgin forest. Most of 

 it inaccessible to lumber operations 

 owing to the roughness of the country. 



Wind Cave National Monument, ap- 

 proximately 11,000 acres, adjoins Harney 

 Forest on the southeast corner. Princi- 

 pal feature is Wind Cave, containing 

 over 100 mi. of cavern. The park con- 

 tains bison, elk, pronghorn antelope 

 and deer. Very little timber, most of 

 the area being prairie. Nearest town 

 Hot Springs, good hotel accommodation 

 (Branch lines of C. B. & and C. & N. 

 W. R. R., from Minnekahta and Buffalo 

 Gap, respectively). Auto roads to Cave 

 from Hot Springs, passenger bus twice 

 daily in the summer months. 



Jewel Cave National Monument. 

 Limestone caves of large extent; un- 

 developed. Forests of western yellow 

 pine and an occasional limber pine. 

 Reached (a) from Custer over passable 

 road. 



Nebraska National Forest (Nebraska} 



The two divisions are the Bessey and 

 the Niobrara. The Bessey Division is 

 in very rough sandhills with scant 

 vegetation. Niobrara Division more 

 rolling with better soil and vegetation. 



There are some native hardwoods, 

 also yellow pine and red cedar; largely 

 grassland. 10,000 acres have been artifi- 

 cially afforested, principally with jack 

 and western yellow pines. 



Small number of native deer on Bessey 

 Division. Prairie chickens, sharp-tailed 

 grouse, and quail. Entire Forest set 

 aside as a State Bird and Game refuge. 



The following reserves in Nebraska 

 have no connection with the National 

 Forest: 



Niobrara Game Preserve, 20,000 acres, 

 along scenic Niobrara River, 4 mi. 

 east of Valentine, a city of 2000 popula- 

 tion on C. & N. W. R. R. Preserve 

 formerly Fort Niobrara, U. S. Biological 

 Survey protecting native birds and 

 animals and breeding herds of elk and 

 bison numbering about fifty of each. 



