OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
I have to jump in on this one. Yes, Custer is a beautiful park but they have another racket going on for money. I was traveling from Rushmore to Windcave and Google Maps took us through the edge of the park. Map shows road is a through route. First time we hit a gate/ranger station, we were charged $20. I said we were just driving to Wind Cave, not visiting Custer. He replied, "Yep, we need to send Google a thank you note. That will be $20." I asked if I could turn around and go another route and he said too late, I had already driven through the park.
Did not leave a good taste in my mouth to say the least. Who put's a gate on a through road and after you don't have a chance to turn around? Traveled 48 states and countless state and national parks and never saw that anywhere else.
Sad first impression because I read so many good things on here about Custer.
I can think of numerous places where this can occur. I have spent a day four wheeling in Moab, then had to pay the NP entrance fee to continue on the trail, and drive on Arches NP dirt, to the highway. Literally a couple of miles of unmaintained dirt track for $20. You can end up in the same situation in the Badlands NP, when you leave Rt 90 and decide to loop through the badlands on what look to be SD state highways. Smooth sailing on a secondary SD. highway until you hit the national park toll booth. It's not the park's fault, or issue, that you decided to use a secondary state park road to get where you are going. It is actually possible to drive straight thru Custer SP without a pass, on RT 16, as long as you do not stop to use any park facilities.
Oddly, Mapquest doesn't show the route you discuss, but google does, and boy did they blow that one. One of those roads they recommend, (playhouse) is gravel and nothing I would want to be on with anything bigger that a pickup truck. Bottom line is that you can be bitter till your last breath, but there is nobody to blame but Google for suggesting that route in the first place. The park volunteer was right, it's google leading you to the toll booth, and he can't let you pass for free.
Google just got me the other day. It told me of a Subway shop four blocks east of my location. I headed east, and appeared to be in a fairly tight residential area. What I didn't know is that I was on a toll bridge ramp, with no way to get off, and no warning before the last cross street. I literally drove four blocks and paid $8 for a bridge that was unmarked, with no "last exit before toll" signs anywhere. I wasn't happy, but it could of been worse, if I had the motorhome it would of been $24.
