While in Salt Lake City back in July I also took a day to hike Red Butte Garden’s Natural Area. Beautiful hike in spite of daytime highs at 100+ degrees. Highly recommend checking it out if you’re ever in the area.
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And another better late than never photoblog. While in Minnesota we hiked one of my favorite trails as a kid, Schaar’s Bluff, located within Spring Lake Park Reserve in Hastings. Park of the hiking trail runs along a bluff with views of one of the widest points of the entire Mississippi River. Continue reading
Earlier this month we roadtripped to Minnesota, making a stop at Badlands National Park along the way. Continue reading
While in Deadwood last week I decided to check out Mount Roosevelt Memorial. To get to the trailhead take US highway 85 northbound out of Deadwood. In a couple miles you’ll take a left onto Mt Roosevelt Road, which is the same turn for The Lodge at Deadwood. About two and a half miles up this gravel road you’ll find the sign for Mount Roosevelt Memorial & Picnic Ground.
Hiked the 10k Crazy Horse Volksmarch this weekend! A Volksmarch is an organized hike typically 10k (6.2 miles) or 5k (3.1 miles) in length. At the Crazy Horse Volksmarch hikers follow dirt trails and gravel roads all the way up to the arm of Crazy Horse directly in front of his nine-story-high face. The elevation of Crazy Horse is 6,740 feet, just 500 feet lower than Harney Peak which is the highest point in South Dakota. The Crazy Horse Volksmarch is the most popular organized hike in the United States, with 15,000 walkers in a record year. Continue reading
Today I thought I’d share a little section of trail we discovered recently just off the beaten path of Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park. Typically used as an alternative route for a horseback riding trail to Mount Coolidge, this short jaunt begins on Fisherman Flats Road and brings you down to the shore of French Creek. While only 1.25 miles roundtrip, a rocky outcrop along the trail gives aerial views of the creek.
The Wind Cave Canyon Trail is an easy hike with minimal elevation gain. It follows along an old two track road east all the way to the park boundary fence. This out & back style trail is approximately 1.6 miles one way, making for a hike of about 2 hours.
The Centennial Trail #89 got its number from the year of South Dakota’s statehood, 1889. Construction of the 111 mile long trail began in 1989 in celebration of the state’s 100 year anniversary. The trail begins in the prairie grasslands near Bear Butte State Park and travels southward into the Black Hills forest until it reaches Wind Cave National Park near Hot Springs.
Yesterday we decided to make our first foray into the Black Elk Wilderness area. The Black Elk Wilderness and Norbeck Wildlife Preserve trail system has eighteen trails ranging in length from 0.6 miles to 8.9 miles. Many are situated so that one can form loops or use them to access peaks.
Lover’s Leap is a massive granite outcropping above the Galena Creek canyon, nearly 500 feet above the stream below. Because the rock juts out from the canyon ridge, it offers fantastic views of this area of the Black Hills.
