Custer, South Dakota Trip
June 21st, 2023
Our next trip after the Utah and Colorado Trip was a quick one week stay at Custer, South Dakota where we went on 3 hikes and went to 5 NPS sites (all of the NPS sites in the state of South Dakota).
Here is a list of hikes we did on this trip:
Here is a list of NPS sites we visited:
- Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (no section for this post)
- Mt. Rushmore National Monument
- Wind Cave National Park
- Jewel Cave National Monument
- Badlands National Park (no section for this post)
Cathedral Spires Trail
Our first hike on this trip was Cathedral Spires Trail and it was wonderful! It was a short, easy hike in Custer State Park starting off of the Needles Highway. Even the drive had amazing views!
The first half mile was rather boring, but the last half mile to the turn around point had amazing views, and we got to see two mountain goats (a mom and a baby), which was super cool. We have traveled pretty much everywhere in the US by this point, but we haven't seen one in the wild until this point!
Black Elk Peak Trail with Little Devil's Tower Trail
Our next hike here in Custer, was Black Elk Peak (formerly Harney Peak) with Little Devil's Tower Trail. This trail leads to the top of Black Elk Peak which is the tallest mountain east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Pyrenees in France/Spain. This trail was one of my favorites on this trip.
The reason that the fire tower at the top of Black Elk Peak is called Harney Peak Fire Tower is because when it was built, the mountain was named Harney Peak. Then, about 10 years ago, the state of South Dakota renamed this mountain to Black Elk Peak.
Near the summit of Black Elk Peak
Near the summit of Little Devil's Tower
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial
After our Black Elk Peak Peak hike, we visited Mt. Rushmore for the 3rd time (first time was in 2017, second in 2021, and third now). This time, we got to do the full loop for the Presidential Trail and walk down the Avenue of Flags. The last time we were here, the Avenue of Flags and some of the Presidential Trail was closed for construction.
On our way from Custer, we drove by the Crazy Horse Memorial. They are reportedly going to completely finish the arm before the end of the year and have been working on it for over 75 years and barely have even started on the arm.
Crazy Horse Memorial
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial
Sunday Gulch Trail
My absolute favorite hike after our last one (Black Elk Peak with Little Devil's Tower) was Sunday Gulch Trail. We actually hiked several sections of this trail twice. The first time we hiked it (in the morning) we did it as a "figure 8" with the Sylvan Lake Loop being the bottom half and the top half being Sunday Gulch Trail. The second time (in the afternoon of the same day) we hiked it as an "upside down lollipop" with Sylvan Lake being the bottom part and the "stick" being a section of Sunday Gulch Trail.
Wind Cave National Park
Our next NPS site that we visited was Wind Cave National Park. This was our first "cave" NPS site we have been to, but our second cave since 2020 (Luray Caverns in Virginia, back on the East Coast Trip). This was one of the first national parks (the 7th in the US) and the first cave National Park in the US as well. This cave is also estimated to be the 7th largest network of tunnels and passageways in the world! This cave also holds an estimated 95% of the world's boxwork as well. About 2% is in other places in the US and the last 3% is elsewhere in the world!
Wind Cave received its name when two western pioneers got hit by a strong wind coming out of the "Natural Entrance" which is the only known natural entrance into the cave. Shortly later, they dynamited out a hole that would allow people to more easily visit the cave. The natural entrance is only 10" wide! Today, there are four tours of the cave, Natural Entrance Tour (the one we did), The Garden of Eden Tour, Fairgrounds Tour, Candlelight Tour (No electric lights on this tour, all of the light comes from candles, allowing it to feel similar to how it was back in the day), and finally, the Wild Cave Tour (you have to be 16 and it has lots of crawling).
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