South Dakota Black Hills Summer Recreation Guide
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| The Black Hills Cathedral Spires1 |
Home to world famous attractions such as Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, the Black Hills also offer a prime setting for a multitude of recreational activities. The trails, lakes, rivers and rock faces in ten national and state parks beckon outdoor-lovers to ogle at Mother Nature's diversity and beauty, and engage in various open-air adventures, from rock climbing to horseback riding.
The Black Hills boast a strong recreational tourism industry and a wealth of tour companies, outfitters and accommodations cater to visitors in the area's easily-accessible cities and towns. Convenient cities in the Black Hills include: Rapid City, Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Deadwood, Keystone, Hill City, Custer, Hot Springs and Sturgis.
THE BLACK HILLS ROCK
The layers, colors and types of rock found in this region are evidence of a complex volcanic history that, as scientists tell us, started almost two billion years ago. With a heart of granite, the Black Hills give way to sandstone, limestone and various other sedimentary and igneous rocks that get rock climbers, cavers and geologists very excited.
Rock Climbing
Boasting such a palette of rock, the Black Hills' granite slopes, canyon walls and craggy cliffs crawl with climbers during the summer season, all fueled by the physical challenge and top-of-the-world views over the surrounding Badlands. The Black Hills are a world renowned rock climbing destination and there are endless opportunities here for doing so. Following, are some of the most popular areas with established climbing routes.
The expansive Black Hills National Forest unsurprisingly encompasses a fair few rocky havens worth a visit. The Norbeck Wildlife Preserve and Black Elk Wilderness Area, located next to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, offer plenty of challenging crags, while Spearfish Canyon gets people excited over its limestone canyon walls, which are perfect for sport-climbing and offer plenty of overhang.
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| Climbing the Needles of Custer State Park2 |
Scaling the famous faces of Mount Rushmore National Memorial will have to remain a climber's fantasy, but granite climbing routes have been established outside a marked perimeter around this monumental mountain carving. There are also hundreds of sport climbing routes located on other rocks throughout the park. Mount Rushmore climbing is extremely popular due to ease of access. Ask for a guidebook from the visitors' information center located at the park.
Sylvan Rocks Climbing School & Guide Service offers guided climbing trips suitable to all ages and abilities in Custer State Park, at Mount Rushmore and to the world-famous Devil's Tower located in Wyoming's section of the Black Hills.
Caving
For a truly unique view of the Black Hills, get an inside look at the rock by exploring the underground caverns and cave passageways that lead to a whole other world. The Black Hills boast the second-largest cave system on the planet and, tunneling through Paha Sapa limestone, these caves are world famous for their wealth of rare formations and sparkling crystal décor. There are eight Black Hills caves open to the public for regular tours which are suitable for the whole family.
Two of the most famous of these caves are located at the Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park. Jewel Cave is considered the second-longest cave in the world and is decorated with a wealth of enchanting crystals, while Wind Cave is one of the world's biggest and most complex maze caves, featuring an abundance of otherwise rare boxwork (honeycomb-like formations). These mysterious and wonderful caverns offer year-round guided scenic and lantern/candlelight tours that cater to different ages and abilities but generally require a reasonable level of fitness. Both Jewel and Wind Caves also offer summer spelunking tours allowing the adventurous to squeeze through nooks and crannies, discovering the caves' deepest secrets along the way. These strenuous trips are for those of at least 16 years of age, of good physical fitness and without fear of enclosed spaces and heights.
Other popular, accessible caves that demonstrate an impressive variety of formations are the Black Hills Caverns located 4 mi (6.4 km) west of Rapid City, Wonderland and Crystal Caves also just a short drive from Rapid City, and Rushmore Cave situated 5 mi (8 km) east of Keystone.
HAPPY TRAILS
The Black Hills offer unrivaled trails that wind through pristine natural areas, often affording glimpses of bison, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lions and prairie dogs in the grasslands and forests.
Hiking & Biking
The Black Hills National Forest and area parks together contain more than 450 mi (724 km) of marked hiking along a network of approximately 75 trails, and offer mountain bikers access to 6,000 mi (9,656 km) of fire trails and logging roads. Be aware of privately-owned land that often crosses the Black Hills National Forest borders. Bike rentals are available near most of the popular trails.
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| A Hiker Contemplates the Black Hills3 |
Custer State Park is another favorite for exploring trails. Diverse landscapes and wildlife are revealed around the bends in this 71,000-acre (28,732-ha) park along miles of hiking and mountain biking tracks. And for a surreal experience communing with the ancient earth, hit the numerous hiking and biking trails in Badlands National Park. Sculpted by water and wind, this 244,000-acre (98,743-ha) area features eerie hoodoos, rock formations and staggering canyons etched into the prairies.
Horseback Riding
There's nothing like horseback riding for getting into the spirit of South Dakota's Western heritage and culture, and it's a well-encouraged activity with riding allowed in most Black Hills parks and National Forest areas. Many of the trails in the various parks and National Forest are multi-use trails and users are required to show courtesy and follow the Yield system. Horseback riders will find that many parks and recreation areas feature horse camps, some run by the state, others privately. Camping is allowed almost everywhere in the Black Hills National Forest, however fires are not permitted and be sure to leave no trace upon departure.
Again, Custer State Park is a top choice, allowing horses in most areas of the park. A mix of multi-use and horse trails wind through pine forests and over prairie foothills, and off-trail riding is also permitted. Custer State Park's Blue Bell Lodge offers trail rides for those who forgot to bring a horse, and for those who have their own and want to stay the night, a horse camp is located nearby at French Creek. Trail maps are available from any of the park's visitor centers. Riding through the Badlands is also a popular and unforgettable experience and horses are permitted anywhere in the park. It is important to note that riders should bring plenty of water for both themselves and their trusty steed if venturing into this parched area.
MAKE A SPLASH
On first thought it may be a surprise that this land-locked area surrounded by prairies is a summer water sports mecca, that is until visitors discover that the Black Hills are in fact bejeweled with 18 sparkling reservoir lakes and numerous creeks and rivers that attract swimmers, boaters, fishers and wind surfers.
Canoeing & Kayaking
Canoeists have a whole world of water and backcountry open to them with access to most Black Hills' lakes and rivers. For a quiet paddle, the most popular spots are Angostura Recreation Area near Hot Springs, Bear Butte Lake near Sturgis, and of course the many lakes in Custer State Park. These pretty lakes and reservoirs offer easy access with boat ramps and or marinas, and nearby camping facilities. To ride a gentle current, launch out onto the scenic Bell Fourche River from one of the many access points, or go with the slow flow on Cheyenne River or on Little White River, which meander through the Badlands.
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| Go With the Flow through Spearfish Canyon4 |
Kayakers too can enjoy the
leisurely paddles mentioned above, but if something a little wilder is on the
itinerary, head for Rapid
Creek which gushes from the Black
Hills National Forest and flows east through Rapid
City. Rapid Creek offers the most popular stretches for kayaking in
the Black Hills with rapids ranging from Class 1 to Class 5. Spearfish
Creek is another stream that flows a little faster. The preferred section
is a 1.5 mi (2.4 km) Class 2 stretch from an access point near Spearfish,
however water levels are usually too low for boating in other areas.
Note that a lot of land banking rivers is privately owned so get permission
before disembarking to set up camp.
Fishing
Fishing
is a year round diversion in the Black Hills with rivers and lakes teeming with
walleye, northern pike and bluegill, however, what the fishers really come for
is the trout. Black Hills trout fishing is at its best from September to November
and although fishing is a possibility on most rivers and lakes in the area,
there are some special favorites.
Rapid
Creek offers excellent trout fishing opportunities and those staying
in Rapid City don't
have to venture very far to hit one of the creek's top spots, which is located
within the very city limits. Fishing is prime in the section just below Pactola
Lake too. Other worthwhile spots include Spring Creek, both above and
below Sheridan
Lake; Spearfish
Creek through Spearfish
Canyon; and French Creek in Custer
State Park, where trout can be hooked as the buffalo look on.
Something Different
The Black Hills boast some novel recreational opportunities on its beautiful
waterways that can't be found just anywhere. For pure fun, grab an inner tube
and head for popular tubing spots on these speedy but shallow streams: Rapid,
Spring and Spearfish
Creeks. Or, get a unique underwater perspective by diving down to the
abandoned town at the bottom of the Black Hills' largest reservoir, Pactola
Lake, located in Pennington County. Patient, persistent people will
enjoy trying to strike it rich by panning for gold in various streambeds throughout
the Black Hills. For a sure shot, visit the Big
Thunder Gold Mine in Keystone
or Hill City's
Wade's
Gold Mill. Yes, there's gold in them thar hills–a real treasure
trove of adventure and scenic beauty.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- South Dakota Tourism; Cathedral Spires; Black Hills & Badlands, South Dakota, USA
- South Dakota Tourism; Rock Climbing in Custer State Park; Custer, South Dakota, USA
- South Dakota Tourism; Hiking in the Black Hills; Black Hills & Badlands, South Dakota, USA
- South Dakota Tourism; Waterfall in Spearfish Canyon; Black Hills & Badlands, South Dakota, USA
