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.
International Polar Bear Day is coming up on February 27th! Read on to learn more about these cold loving sea bears and how you can help them!
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.
photo by Paul Horsted / DakotaPhoto.com
This weekend was the second annual Burning Beetle festival in Custer, South Dakota, a celebration in dishonor of the ravenous mountain pine beetle, complete with the burning of a 28-foot wooden beetle ala Burning Man.
But what is a mountain pine beetle, and why is it so destructive?
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.
My favorite photos taken during the month of December. Click images for larger view.
Rangifer tarandus
Range: Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Northern Europe, Northern Asia
Height: 30–60 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 130–600 pounds
Lifespan: up to 20 years
Caribou inhabit the tundra and boreal forests in Canada, the northern United States, Europe, and Asia. In Europe and the Russian Far East caribou are kept in herds and used for meat, fur, and milk. Tame caribou pull sleighs and carry loads. In Europe caribou are called reindeer. In the United States a small domesticated type of caribou is called a reindeer.
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.
A selection of my favorite photos taken during the month of November. Active month of deer photography for me. I originally had an additional three deer photos included in the gallery, but decided that was a bit overkill lol
Graffiti Sky Photography 