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Wind Cave Buffalo Jump Tour

Courtesy Wind Cave National Park

 

 

Wind Cave National Park is opening access to a recently excavated archeological site on Saturday.

Rangers at Wind Cave are offering a three-hour tour of an ancient buffalo jump on land acquired by the National Park Service in 2011.

 

Wind Cave spokesperson Tom Farrell says an archeological investigation of the area in the summer of 2012 offered substantial insight into what the land was used for.

 

“After three weeks they determined it was used potentially as long as 4000 years ago, over a variety of times,” says Farrell.  And the uses were hunting, food processing, tool manufacture, habitation and ceremonial activities. You know, the buffalo jump is an area where the American Indians used to drive bison off a cliff in order to kill the bison so they could use the meat, the hides and other body parts for their survival.” 

 

Farrell says until a visitor use plan is developed by the park, sponsored hikes such as this are the best opportunities for the general public to see the area.

 

Farrell adds that the historic Carl Sanson Homestead is also part of the day’s tour.