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The Black Hills and Badlands, South Dakota (View Photos):
The Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota are steeped in history, legend, and scenic beauty. It is these qualities that have endeared the area to people from all over the world. Native Americans consider the Black Hills sacred, a spiritual epicenter where Lakota heroes like Crazy Horse once received visions from the Great Spirit. The spectacular sights in this region of the Great Plains are all too often overshadowed by Mount Rushmore. I personally prefer to skip past Mount Rushmore in favor of exploring the mountains, forests, badlands, and waterfalls of South Dakota's western countryside. Despite invasive and somewhat crass tourist development (the town of Keystone comes to mind), the Black Hills radiate a spiritual energy that transcends the short-sighted alteration of the landscape by Euro-Americans. Here are some of the places that deserve attention:
Wind Cave National Park:
Wind Cave National Park is a prairie gem that occupies the southern part of the Black Hills region. Ponderosa pine forests mingle with rolling prairie, creating an ideal environment for buffalo, elk, antelope, deer,
wild turkeys, and the irresisitbly cute prairie dog. Beneath the surface lies one of the longest caves in the
world where 104 miles of passages have been explored so far. Above ground, the hills, creeks, bluffs, pine forests, and open grasslands can be experienced along a network of superb hiking trails. Wildlife viewing opportunities are legion. Interestingly, most visitors seem inclined to ignore the hiking trails, preferring instead to drive the roads or tour the cave. For those interested in day-hikes, I would personally recommend the Sanctuary Trail, a quiet one-way hike that leads into a wide open valley teeming with wildlife.
Badlands National Park:
This wilderness of eroded pinnacles and buttes invokes wonder. Here, the land is not defined by lush forests or picturesque waterways, but by stark
formations resembling an alien moonscape. The park is divided up into 3 closely linked units of mixed grass prairie
and wind-and-water-sculpted badlands consisting of accumulations of sediment that have consolidated into bizarre
shapes. Often collectively referred to as "The Wall", these formations extend across the open horizon in a surreal maze of clay hills.
Big Badlands Overlook, Changing Scenes Overlook and views from the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail provide remarkable vistas. The Badlands stretch out in all directions across the wide open plains. The Sage Creek Wilderness area, in addition to being a hiker's dream, offers excellent habitat for bison and pronghorn. It's useful to recall that the Great Plains region was once a wildlife Shangra-La with millions of these noble beasts roaming around freely. The animals we see today, wonderful as they are, constitute a mere shadow of their former numbers.
To avoid the crowds - and get the best views in the park - drive a high clearance vehicle to the top of Sheep
Mountain Table (located in the South Unit) and enjoy the vistas from the top of a large plateau. A sprawling landscape of finely eroded pinnacles, spires and embankments opens up before you. The largest formations are visible in subtle shades of grey, light purple and brown. The Badlands are continuously reduced by erosion, losing an inch or more per year, which means they won't last very long from a geologic point of view.
Spearfish Canyon (part of the Black Hills National Forest):
Of all the places to visit in the Black Hills and Badlands region, Spearfish Canyon - especially during the changing
of the leaves in autumn - may be the prettiest. A scenic byway (U.S. 14A) travels along the bottom of this limestone
canyon whose copious stands of aspen and birch trees put on a memorable show of fall color in late September. The fall
foliage contrasts nicely with large stands of evergreen trees lining the upper levels of the canyon. Despite the
lush forests and majestic cliffs of Spearfish Canyon, the hiking trails are seldom busy and oftentimes you'll be
the only one around. Most trailheads start from the town of Savoy or off nearby route 212. A number of impressive waterfalls are located just a short distance off the main road, most notably Spearfish Falls and Roughlock
Falls. For those who have seen the film Dances With Wolves, the land will seem quite familiar; little
Spearfish Canyon (which route 212 follows) provided the setting for the film's conclusion.
Wounded Knee Massacre site:
The Wounded Knee Massacre is a site within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation that witnessed one of the most
disgraceful episodes in US history - the cold-blooded slaughter of over 300 mostly unarmed Lakota men women and
children by soldiers of the US 7th cavalry. This massacre was the final chapter in the series of armed conflicts
that raged between the United States and the Plains Indians during the latter half of the 19th century. Wounded
Knee was just one of many brutal incidents that underscored the expansionist policies of the United States, resulting
in the subjugation of the indigenous peoples by white settlers and the military. It also brought an end to the Ghost
Dance religion and forced all remaining free Lakota onto reservations. An information panel at the site explains what
happened here on that fateful day of Dec. 29th, 1890. The grounds also feature a gravesite at the top of a hill and
an interpretive museum.
Black Elk Wilderness (part of the Black Hills National Forest):
The 13,605 acre Black Elk Wilderness encompasses the scenic heart of the Black Hills region. Here lie the tallest
mountains in the lower 48 east of the Rockies, rising marvelously from the flat expanse of the Great Plains. There
are 2 primary ways to explore these mountains - scenic driving and hiking. In both cases, the traveler has the fortune of
being able to rely on convenient, well-established trails and roads. You can take in the stunning scenery with a drive
along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway which winds along pine-covered mountains with numerous scenic lookouts. Of these,
surely the most spectacular is the Norbeck Memorial Overlook which offers a dazzling Black Hills panorama.
These Pine covered peaks are studded with rocky outcroppings that poke out of the mountainsides like sharp-toothed spikes. Most
mesmerizing of all is Harney Peak, the tallest mountain in the Black Hills range at 7,242 ft. The trailhead to the
top of Harney Peak can be reached by taking the Needles Highway, a 14-mile scenic road that passes through a
remarkable world of rock pinnacles, fins and boulders scattered across forested mountains. For all the beautiful surroundings, it is important to keep in mind that these mountains are considered very sacred by
the Sioux who call them Paha Sapa. During the 19th century these sacred ancestral lands were stolen by the US government
after it broke a treaty it signed with the Sioux that promised the Black Hills to the Sioux for all time.
Devils Tower National Monument:
Devils Tower National Monument lies just outside the western edge of the Black Hills in Wyoming. This gigantic rock
monolith – basically a vertical pile of hardened igneous material – is one of the most instantly recognizable landmarks of the American West. The sheer vertical walls of this igneous intrusion, rising ominously above the
surrounding pine forests and grasslands, makes it an alluring natural feature. For the Plains tribes it is a sacred site which the Lakota refer to as Bear Lodge. Numerous religious ceremonies are performed here to this
day. The visitor center explains the many fascinating stories that have been assigned to this monolith
by American Indian tribes.
Recommended Day Hikes:
Little Devil's Tower/Harney Peak combination trail - Black Hills National Forest (Black Elk Wilderness area)
Round Trip Length: 6.5 miles
Trailhead location: Sylvan Lake Day Use Area at the end of the Needles Highway (route 87)
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: Incomparable 360 degree views of the Black Hills and Great Plains from the area's highest vantage
point. Little Devil's Tower is a spur trail that makes a steep ascent to a rocky outcropping where classic views
of the Black Hills and the Cathedral Spires rock formation await. Taken together, the Little Devil's Tower and Harney
Peak trails constitute perhaps the best day-hike in South Dakota but it also receives a lot of traffic
Grizzly Bear Creek/Centennial/Norbeck combination loop trail - Black Hills National Forest
Round Trip Length: approximately 13.0 miles
Trailhead location: There is a small trailhead located right off the Needles Highway, 3 or 4 miles north of its
starting point (the Needles Highway is a 14.5 mile scenic stretch of highway 87 located north of U.S. highway 16A).
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: This hike forms a loop by combining the Grizzly Bear Creek Trail with the Norbeck Trail and a small section
of the Centennial Trail. The trail leads directly into the Black Elk Wilderness. For much of the hike, there is
little in the way of open views because the trail is covered by a thick canopy of evergreens. But there are several
points along the trail where it opens up onto sweeping views of the granite-studded Black Hills.
'76 Trail - Black Hills National Forest (Spearfish Canyon)
Round Trip Length: 0.75 miles
Trailhead location: The little hamlet of Savoy, located directly off the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (U.S. 14A)
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: This short but steep hike travels through a forest of evergreens, birch, and aspen until it ascends to
the top of a cliff where hikers are rewarded with tremendous views of Spearfish Canyon
Rimrock Trail, Lower Loop - Black Hills National Forest (Spearfish Canyon)
Round Trip Length: 3.5 miles
Trailhead location: Rod and Gun Campground located off Forest Road 222 (FR 222 branches off the Spearfish Canyon
Scenic Byway, U.S. 14A)
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: Hikers will walk through a quiet forest of aspen, pine and spruce, finishing up under the gaze of
steep limestone cliffs
Spearfish Falls Trail - Black Hills National Forest (Spearfish Canyon)
Round Trip Length: 0.75 miles
Trailhead location: The little hamlet of Savoy, located directly off the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (U.S. 14A).
Enter the trailhead from the deck of the Latchstring Restaurant, following the rim of the canyon to your left.
A few feet later you will see the trailhead sign
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Rankin Ridge Nature Trail - Wind Cave National Park
Round Trip Length: 1.0 miles
Trailhead location: From highway 87, turn onto the Rankin Ridge fire tower road and the trailhead is at the end of the
parking lot
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: This interpretive nature trail culminates in panoramic views of the southern Black Hills from the top
of a fire tower. The southern hills have lower elevations and gentler outlines than the northern part of the Black Hills
Lookout Point/Highland Creek/Centennial combination loop trail - Wind Cave National Park
Round Trip Length: approximately 5.0 miles
Trailhead location: The trail starts on the east side of Hwy 87, one-half mile north of its junction with highway 385
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Attractions: Hikers will revel in a mixed prairie-pine environment featuring pine-covered bluffs, prairie dog towns
and open grasslands
Sanctuary Trail - Wind Cave National Park
Round Trip Length: 3.6 miles
Trailhead location: The trail begins just off highway 87, about one mile north of the Rankin Ridge fire tower road
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: Solitude; Prairie Dog towns; Bison, elk & pronghorn antelope viewing opportunities; idyllic valley
bordered by rolling hills
Cliff Shelf Trail - Badlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 0.5 miles
Trailhead location: One-half mile north of the Visitor Center at a small parking lot
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: Magnificent views of the White River Valley Badlands. People must walk on a boardwalk to protect
fragile areas
Sheep Mountain Table - Badlands National Park
Round Trip Length: up to you
Trailhead location: Drive to the town of Scenic which is located at the intersection of routes 44 & 589. Then
drive 5-6 miles south on 589. Turn right onto a dirt/gravel road which in a few miles climbs to the top of Sheep
Mountain Table. The hike begins anywhere on top of Sheep Mountain Table
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: Solitude; Spectacular panoramas of the wild Badlands as far as the eye can see
Stockade Lake Trail - Custer State Park
Round Trip Length: 1.5 miles
Trailhead location: The southeast side of Stockade Lake which is located .3 miles south of US Highway 16A on Stockade
Lake Drive
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Attractions: Beginning from beautiful Stockade Lake, this trail climbs through dense pine forest to a ridge with nice
views of the lake and the surrounding Black Hills
Sylvan Lake Shore Trail - Custer State Park
Round Trip Length: 1.0 miles
Trailhead location: Sylvan Lake, located at the end of the Needles Highway (route 87)
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: An easy hike around the perimeter of a small but picturesque lake encircled by large granite rocks
Cathedral Spires Trail - Custer State Park
Round Trip Length: 3.0 miles
Trailhead location: 2.5 miles east of Sylvan Lake on Needles Highway (route 87)
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: Not to be confused with the Little Devil's Tower trail and its famous view of the Cathedral Spires. This
one-way hike travels through thick Black Hills forest past large rock formations
Red Beds/South Side/Valley View/Connector/Joyner Ridge combination loop trail - Devils Tower National Monument
(located on the Wyoming side of the Black Hills)
Round Trip Length: approximately 7.0 miles
Trailhead location: Visitor Center
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Attractions: As it moves through prairie meadows and stands of pine, this combination loop trail offers ever
changing views of the iconic igneous rock intrusion known to most people as Devils Tower. The indigenous peoples,
who consider the formation sacred, refer to it as Bear Lodge. Along the way, hikers pass by the Belle Fourche River
and some iron-saturated bluffs called the Red Beds
Recommended Points of Interest:
Sheep Mountain Table in the Stronghold Unit of Badlands National Park; Iron Mountain Road (U.S. 16A), including the
spectacular Norbeck Memorial Overlook; Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (U.S. 14A); Needles Highway (a 14.5 mile section
of route 87 that begins just north of U.S. 16A); Wounded Knee Massacre Historic Site on the Pine Ridge Indian
Reservation; Crazy Horse Memorial (a gigantic mountainside sculpture in-progress of Lakota hero Crazy Horse)
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Centennial Trail - Black Hills National Forest, (September 2006)
Falls colors of Spearfish Canyon - Black Hills National Forest, (September 2004)
Spearfish Canyon near the Rod and Gun campground - Black Hills National Forest, (September 2004)
Falls colors of Spearfish Canyon - Black Hills National Forest, (September 2004)
Falls colors of Spearfish Canyon - Black Hills National Forest, (September 2004)
Falls colors of Spearfish Canyon - Black Hills National Forest, (September 2004)
White River Valley from the Cliff Shelf Trail, Badlands National Park, (September 2004)
Spearfish Falls, Spearfish Canyon - Black Hills National Forest, (September 2004)
More Photos: Page 1 > Page 2 > Page 3 > Page 4 > Page 5 > Page 6
