![]() Spring and fall are generally the best time to go. The Black Hills generate strong thunderstorms in late spring and through the summer, so be alert for rapidly changing weather conditions. An old stone tower (Harney Lookout Tower) at the top, once used as a fire lookout, is still open to hikers. Most of the summit is bare granite and offers expansive views of the surrounding area. The trails are open in the winter, but may become slick with snow and ice. Black Elk Peak is the highest natural point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Seasonality: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter There are many different routes that you can take, but allow for an afternoon, an overnight, and a few hours in the morning to get in a summit, make camp, sleep, and then hike back the next day.īlack Elk Peak, the Black Hills' highest point, can be accessed from Willow Creek Trail 9 from the North, or Lost Cabin Trail 2 from the north. Many are not cleared of trees, and some rocks require a little scrambling at times, and some require water crossing, depending on the exact trail. There are a variety of trails in Black Elk Wilderness, of varying degrees of difficulty. If you have an athletic dog, these trails are especially fun, as pets are allowed off leash and the switchbacks and logs are practically a naturally made dog agility course. Black Elk Peaks rocky, tree-strewn paths lie within Custer State Park and the Black Hills National Forest, with the most frequently used trailheads at Sylvan. It lies in the Black Elk Wilderness area, in southern Pennington County. You will also have to carry lots of water, as there are few sources to filter along the higher trails. Black Elk Peak (formerly Harney Peak) is the highest natural point in South Dakota. Because of the mountain pine beetle epidemic, there are many downed trees that make these trails a bit of an obstacle course. Black Elk Peak elevation: 7242 Little Devils Tower elevation: 6960 Hiking time: 4-6 hours Black Elk Peak only: Distance roundtrip: 7 miles Total elevation gain: 1100 feet Hiking time: 3-5 hours Little Devils Tower only: Distance roundtrip: 3. This trip is for an experienced backpacker as there are few places with water, large obstacles to cross, and large elevation gains on the way to summiting Black Elk Peak. Because these trails are a bit more strenuous than the ones south of Black Elk Peak, you will easily find solitude amongst the giant ponderosas and granite rock formations. After summiting the highest point in the hills and the highest point east of the Rockies, take the five-mile long Lost Cabin Trail 2 back to the Willow Creek Trailhead. You will be able to spot the summit because of the stone fire tower at the top. After packing up camp the next day, push toward Black Elk Peak. Set up camp anywhere along the way as long as it’s at least one-fourth mile from the summit of Black Elk Peak and the trail. Large ponderosa pines, grassy meadows, and moss-covered rocks make up a majority of the terrain. This area makes up the core of the Black Hills. Starting your overnight trip from the Willow Creek Trailhead, you’ll traverse the foothills of Black Elk Peak before pushing past Elkhorn Mountain on Black Elk Peak Trail 9 (signs may be labeled for Harney Peak Trail 9).
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