Family Nature Summits: Black Hills Summit: Full Schedule

Sign-ups will officially open on June 28th at 9 PDT/ 11 CDT/ 12 EDT. Activities without signup limits are available now. Need help? The Summit Handbook and our pick a hike guide are helpful resources! Email [email protected] with additional questions or message us in Sched!

Session availability is subject to change due to weather, availability, and interest. Classes with fewer than 5 participants are subject to cancellation.

arrow_back View All Dates

6:15am MDT

Morning Meditation

Sunday August 2, 2026 6:15am - 6:45am MDT

Join Heather Fenyk in a grounding morning meditation class designed to help you transition from sleep to waking life with clarity, intention, and peace. Before diving into the noise and demands of your Summit Schedule, step into a calm, supportive space where you can quiet the mind, connect with your breath, and cultivate a sense of inner steadying.
Whether you are looking to reduce morning anxiety, improve focus, or simply find a pocket of stillness in a busy week, this class offers the perfect energetic reset.

Faculty

Heather Fenyk

President, Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership

It's all about watersheds! I love talking about civic science, community stewardship of urban lands, environmental education, and getting city folk out and exploring the wilds of central New Jersey. Talk to me about Environmental Justice, community resilience, and using technology... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 6:15am - 6:45am MDT

Early Morning, Difficulty- Easy

6:45am MDT

$$ Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 6:45am - 9:00am MDT

Creekside Lodge

Limited Capacity seats available

Explore the famous Custer State Park Wildlife Loop in an open-air jeep with a Custer State Park guide. A 1.5 - 2 private, guided adventure deep into the park to see free-roaming bison, pronghorn, elk, deer, the truly adorable prairie dogs, and begging burros. A much more intimate experience than one can do on their own, with exclusive use of private trails, and guides not only locating the wildlife but also imparting historical and educational facts.

Sunday August 2, 2026 6:45am - 9:00am MDT
Creekside Lodge

Tour, Difficulty- Easy

7:30am MDT

Geology of the Black Hills

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 7:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Take a field trip around the area to view geologic features associated with the uplift of the Black Hills of South Dakota. You will learn about the regional geology and the importance of pegmatites as we tour. We will see a variety of rock types and geologic structures, and finish our trip at two former mines where you will have the opportunity to collect your own keepsake specimens. We will drive up to most locations. One location has a short walk along level terrain. The former mines are close to the road but will have short walks on uneven, wooded terrain.

Faculty

Dave Egan

Geology Leader, Faculty

Dave Egan has enjoyed exploring and teaching about geology at Summits throughout the U.S., and occasionally Canada, for the past 30+ years. For folks of all ages, he provides an interpretation of the geology and natural setting in an understandable way, with the purpose of providing... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 7:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Geology, Difficulty- Easy

7:30am MDT

Hike - French Creek Natural Area (moderate)

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 7:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

About 4.5 miles, 250 foot total climb "moderate" out & back hike; 37 min. drive each way.

This first hike of the week is a good intro to the region's granite-palisaded, wetland-bottom canyon ecology due to our local naturalist's expertise. Most of the hike is in one of Custer State Park's two designated natural areas (horses prohibited).

We'll want to take streamside stops, & must, to allow us to change from hiking shoes to the required sports (Teva) sandals. When scouted in Sept., elk, bison, rattlesnakes, & maybe bighorn sheep were expected but not spotted. It was dry enough so that all six crossings (if we get that far) were done with dry shoes using good to excellent rock-hopping skills, none of which we can count on! Due to thigh-high poison ivy in (not just adjacent, but in) the trail, long pants are highly recommended. The hike will be worth the trouble!

Faculty

Dave Linthicum

HikeDirector,Orienteering,AdventureRace, Faculty

Dave has put his MA in geography to use in over 65 nations while glacier-trekking up to 20,000 ft. (Pakistan, Kazakh/Kyrgyz-stan, Nepal, Andes, Caucasus, Alps, Atlas, & in 2022 a 105-mile trek to Bhutan's northern-most tip)... all with Peggy Brosnan. They've done kayak camping in... Read More →

Chris Estes

Faculty

Chris is Lakota from the Lower Brulé Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. He is known for his work as a traditional dancer, singer, and performer with Brulé. The Brulé Music Group, based in South Dakota, has traveled the world showcasing contemporary Native American culture, and with millions... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 7:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

7:30am MDT

Hike - Black Elk Peak / Cathedral Spires - all day (strenuous minus)

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 7:30am - 3:45pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

7.5 mile, 1500 foot total climb "strenuous minus" loop hike; 38 min. drive each way.

The Summit's toughest hike, you'll reach the historic lookout tower on top of the highest peak from here to the Canary Islands off Africa, at 7,242 feet. The four-state view includes "awe-inspiring rock spires". This popular but rocky hike is half-forested, helpful if a thunderstorm pops up. Our early start will beat the crowds & most likely the thunderstorms.

Your leaders will provide historical context, from the name change from Harney Peak to the attempt by Custer to summit this peak on horseback (unsuccessful, which, from West Point to Little Bighorn, was one of his specialties!)

Faculty

Amy Hahn

Hike Leader, Faculty

Nigel Dabby

Hike Leader, Faculty

Nigel Dabby lives in Martinez, CA, and has been hiking, biking, climbing, backpacking, and skiing for more decades than he cares to admit. His initial introduction to the mountains and the outdoors was in his mid-20s and it took place in the Himalayas, initially in the Darjeeling area in Indi... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 7:30am - 3:45pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Strenuous

8:00am MDT

$$ Arts & Crafts - Native American Beading (Session 1/2)

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Join our Featured Resident Faculty, Michelle Reed and Nikki Westerman, in a Native American Beading class. Michelle and Nikki will design a beading project that you will be able to complete and take home as a summit souvenir. This project will take six hours to complete and will take place over two sessions.

Cost: $35

Faculty

Michelle Reed

Faculty

A member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Ojibwe, Michelle is one of the founders of the Woodland Sky native American Dance Troupe, sharing the culture and dances of Wisconsin’s first peoples. Michelle is also one of the lead female dancers for Brulé, a renowned Native American contemporary... Read More →

Nagwaakwe (Nikki) Westerman

Daughter of Floyd Red Crow Westerman, a well-known Native American actor and musician, and Michelle Reed's sister. Nikki is an artist, a storyteller, teaches classes, and assists her sister Michelle on projects. Nikki has been recognized for creating designs, which include, but aren’t... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Arts & Crafts

Cost $35

8:00am MDT

Photography - Red Valley Backroads: Camera Eyes on NPS #5 & 6 Roads

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

The land in Wind Cave National Park is sacred land to the Cheyenne and Lakota. There is a story of how the Lakota emerged from the spirit world through a passageway called MAKA ONIYE, or “breathing earth”. This was Wind Cave. People were to wait in this spirit world until Earth was ready for them to be born.

As I scouted the land above the cave, I used my “camera eyes”, perpetually scouring the landscape for great photo opportunities. As I peered across the spacious, rolling hills, I began to view the top layer of the prairie as skin. When the skin is peeled back, what’s below emerges. This field trip has us traversing two above-ground backroads of Wind Cave National Park. The entry road into the southern boundary of the Park is aptly called Red Valley Road, and red it is!! As we progress along these roads, we are quite probably traversing above some remarkable land features that are hidden to us by the prairie skin. In a few places, the skin has been peeled back by the great powers of the Earth – water, wind, and fire, and we become privy to the beauty underneath the prairie skin.

The treasures that await us are deep red winding gullies, solitary sentinel trees, yucca, mullein, bison, prairie dogs, fantastic rock formations, and curious donkeys. You’ll develop your “camera eyes” and with plenty of help available from your (mostly) fearless leader, you can maximize gorgeous compositions to bring home.

I will be bringing my cell phone, of course, but also my DSLR and one zoom lens that will accommodate my personal aesthetic. I found the brightness of this environment to be challenging, due to my cell phone’s screen being quite hidden by the glare of the sun. Cell phones will still gather amazing images, but help yourself out by bringing a wide-brimmed hat. (If you don’t own one, before the Summit is the time to shop for one!) It will shade the brightness sufficiently to help you see the screen and take your compositions more seriously. A DSLR will be the key to slowing down and really painting your compositions on your image sensor. With today’s image stabilization built in to most DSLR bodies and lenses, you will be able to make camera settings that allow you to leave the tripod at home or in your cabin. Your (mostly) fearless leader will assist you in knowing those camera settings.

This is a road trip, not a hike, and will be offered twice. We’ll stop and shoot at places where my “camera eyes” detected great opportunities for images that define the land that hides Wind Cave under the prairie skin. I aim for you to develop your own interpretation of this remarkable landscape, and maybe you’ll adopt my sense that the prairie has many treasures hidden below its skin.

Comfort Notes:
1) There are no bathrooms, but halfway through the trip, I’ve identified a pretty good spot in some trees to pee discreetly. Bring a bit of tissue and a plastic sandwich bag to collect your tissue. I’ll have a larger plastic bag to contain your used supplies and we’ll toss everything when we get to a waste bin back in civilization.)

I strongly frown on sandals or open-toed shoes for this trip. Closed shoes help protect from ticks. I wear leg gaiters permeated with permethrin. From the van to where you’ll stand for best compositions, you need to walk “over there” (i.e., not far) through short prairie grass. Bring closed shoes, some kind of tick protection, and leave the sandals in your room.

Faculty

Annie Tiberio

Photography Leader, Faculty

In 1979, Annie began a decades-long journey teaching photography through many institutions. She’s been teaching at Summits since 1987 and, although she has lost count, the 2026 Black Hills Summit is somewhere around her 40th (Perhaps you recall that there used to be four Summits... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Photography, Difficulty- Easy

8:00am MDT

Ramble - Mount Rushmore and Horse Thief Lake

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

This is a winning combination if you like history and a lakeside ramble! We’ll start off by driving along Iron Mountain Road to Mt. Rushmore. You’ll get a true sense of how large Custer State Park is and start to get the feel of this landscape. Once at Mt. Rushmore, we’ll walk the Avenue of the Flags, see the monument from the terrace, and have time in the Visitor Center to see exhibits and to watch the movie that gives more background on this historic site. We’ll take a short (.2 mile each way) ramble on a paved pathway, which leads to a platform that provides a closer look at the monument. Be sure to bring some money to indulge in the Thomas Jefferson Ice Cream - handmade ice cream utilizing Thomas Jefferson’s original recipe, which has received rave reviews from everyone we have met!
On our loop back to the State Game Lodge, we’ll stop at lovely Horse Thief Lake and ramble the Forest trail on the lakefront. There are 35 stairs (wide, not steep, handrails on both sides) leading to the lake, and this ramble is level and easy, and will be about a half mile total.

Faculty

Betty Trummel

Rambles, Faculty

Betty Trummel is retired from a 35-year career of elementary teaching and 10 years as an adjunct professor at the university level. She's taught at over 40 Summits since 1983 and loves to reach out to learners of all ages to teach about the natural world and create a sense of wonder... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy

8:15am MDT

Architects of the Grassland: Explore the Prairie with American Prairie Naturalists

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:15am - 11:30am MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Step off the beaten path and into the complex, interconnected world of the American prairie. While the grasslands may look like an open expanse at first glance, they are actually a bustling, intricately woven ecosystem shaped by remarkable inhabitants. Join naturalists from American Prairie for an immersive walk in the prairie. On this casual walk, we will journey near a thriving prairie dog town and explore how three keystone species—bison, beavers, and prairie dogs—act as nature’s ultimate architects. You will discuss phenology and other seasonal observations, and the important role of disturbance ecology in shaping the plains. The walk will also discuss historic species loss on the plains, as well as and the work and research underway to help recover the populations and restore ecological processes of the prairie.
American Prairie is a nonprofit with a mission is to create one of the largest nature reserves in the United States, a refuge for people and wildlife preserved forever as part of America’s heritage. They work with organizations such as the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and National Geographic.

Faculty

American Prairie

Corrie Williamson is American Prairie's Director of Community Outreach. Corrie works to increase awareness, support, and collaboration for American Prairie's conservation mission, with focus areas including the Advisory Board, neighbor relations, American Prairie Field School, and... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:15am - 11:30am MDT

Ramble

8:30am MDT

$$ Tour - Mammoth Site and Wind Cave Tours - all day

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:30am - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

We will start our day at the Mammoth Site, a unique, active paleontological dig site and museum featuring the world’s largest concentration of mammoth remains, with a guided tour. From there, we will visit Wind Cave National Park for a cave tour. Wind Cave is known for its rare boxwork formations, cave popcorn, and flowstone. Our final stop will be the Wind Cave NP visitors center to learn about the unique geology and cultural significance of the area's Native American tribes.

Natural Entrance Cave Tour- ⅔ mile, moderate trail. Paths are uneven, and the 300 stairs can be slippery, steep, and dimly lit.

Cost: $28

Faculty

Danny McMurphy

Hike Leader & Cave Expert, Faculty

Danny McMurphy is a lifelong resident of Sullivan, Missouri, where he has raised 4 children, two sons and two daughters, and has 4 grandchildren. He and his wife, Linda, have been married for 56 years. He retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – St. Louis District in 2009... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 8:30am - 3:30pm MDT

Tour, Difficulty- Moderate

Cost $28

9:00am MDT

Ramble - Sylvan Lake Ramble

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Start your week at one of the most popular spots in Custer State Park. It’s a sunny and pleasant level path, which we’ll do as an out & back ramble (close to 1 mile) due to a difficult section at the far end of the lake, which would not be suitable for a ramble. The option to continue the loop on your own is available for those who don't mind traversing uneven ground. If time allows, for the out-and-back folks, we’ll explore the other side of the lake.

Faculty

Heather Fenyk

President, Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership

Sunday August 2, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy

1:00pm MDT

Ramble - Charles Badger Clark's Cabin Tour & Ramble

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Badger was the first poet laureate of South Dakota and spent his last 30 years living in his cabin in Custer State Park. His poetry focused on the life of cowpokes and what it was like to live in the West. His poems give us a great flavor of life here in the early to mid 1900’s. After a guided tour of his cabin, given by a local expert, we’ll ramble the 1-mile loop in the forest behind his home. It is a forest trail that’s not rocky, but sometimes has occasional tree roots, so care is needed while walking the trail. There are sections of incline and descent but nothing dramatic and well take it slow. Along the way interpretative signs give more background on Badger’s life, as well as share some of his stories and poetry.
Look for the combination of Heddy Draw Ramble & a tour of the Badger Clark cabin being offered as an alternative afternoon trip. This class does not do the ramble from Badger’s cabin.

Faculty

Betty Trummel

Rambles, Faculty

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 3:30pm MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy

1:00pm MDT

Hike - Clark Park (moderate)

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 3:45pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

4.0 mile, 450 foot total climb "moderate" loop hike; no drive.

What's special about this route is that nobody else will be there. That could improve our wildlife spotting chances, even in the heat of midday. Scouting this hike included a close encounter with elk & plenty of bison evidence. Instead of a peak, waterfall, lake, or rock spire, this hike gets to a "park". In this part of the country, a "park" is a high altitude meadow, a large open area, & relatively less steep.

We'll get some decent views and see up close the results of the Dec. 2025 Black Hills wind event of the century. We'll be off trail 1/4 of the time, in some rocky areas with awkward footing, but the poison ivy omnipresent elsewhere is absent here. This area has rebounded slowly but nicely from the big 1988 Galena Fire.

Faculty

Dave Linthicum

HikeDirector,Orienteering,AdventureRace, Faculty

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 3:45pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

1:00pm MDT

$$ Black Hills Playhouse- Come From Away

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 4:15pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Come From Away arrives as a music-driven stage story drawn from real events. Black Hills Playhouse presents the production at Theatre 605 in the Black Hills. You experience a shared human response during a global crisis, told through song, dialogue, and ensemble performance. The show focuses on connection, generosity, and the choices people make when strangers arrive without warning.

The performance moves at a steady pace and places you inside a town shaped by an unexpected arrival. Music carries the action, while multiple roles shift in clear view. The result feels communal, direct, and grounded in lived experience.
Ensemble storytelling that follows travelers and residents through intersecting moments.

The Black Hills Playhouse has been hosting summer productions on the site of a historic CCC camp since 1946.

Cost: $40

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 4:15pm MDT

Arts & Crafts, Difficulty- Easy

Cost $40

1:00pm MDT

Hike w/ Geology - Empire Mine Ruins (moderate)

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 4:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

This is a short out-and-back hike, 2.5 miles with a 200-foot total climb, to a former gold mine where structures and equipment associated with the mine are still present. The main structures are located near the top of a slope. This is a fun chance to poke around interesting old wooden and brick mining ruins & excavations from as early as the 1890s. The photogenic old structures and interpretation from veteran Summit geology expert Dave Egan set this hike apart as a unique opportunity. The gold, silver, and garnet mining here began in the 1890s. Collectors have reported finding specimens of garnet, pyrite, and disseminated gold flakes in the area -- collecting is allowed.

50-minute drive each way

Faculty

Dave Egan

Geology Leader, Faculty

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:00pm - 4:30pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

1:30pm MDT

$$ Hand-Sewn Drumstick Workshop: Stories and Songs with Chris Estes

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Make a full-size drumstick with Chris Estes. He is a powwow and hand drum singer. Hear stories of the drum and Chris’s experience growing up with the songs of his people. Hand sew a deer hide drumstick used for drumming. This will make a beautiful decorative conversation piece.

Faculty

Chris Estes

Faculty

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT

Arts & Crafts

Cost $12

1:30pm MDT

Arts & Crafts- The Art & History of the Dream Catcher

Limited spots

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Discover the deep cultural roots and crafting techniques behind one of the most iconic Indigenous traditions. Led by Michelle Reed, this hands-on workshop invites participants to explore the history, teachings, and stories surrounding the dream catcher.

You will learn the traditional meanings behind each element, from the hoop to the web and the feathers, while weaving your own custom piece. Using high-quality materials, you'll walk away with a beautiful, finished dream catcher and a profound respect for the storytelling tradition it represents.

Faculty

Michelle Reed

Faculty

Nagwaakwe (Nikki) Westerman

Sunday August 2, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT

Arts & Crafts

Cost $8

7:00pm MDT

Family Friendly- Exploring the grasslands with American Prairie

Sunday August 2, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm MDT

Event Barn

Join us for a captivating, two-part evening exploring one of the world's most vital yet endangered ecosystems: our grasslands. This interactive program kicks off with kid-friendly activities and education designed to connect younger audiences to nature, followed by an in-depth presentation and conversation tailored for adults and older youth. We will then discuss the global state of grassland ecosystems, the origins of American Prairie, their ecological restoration work (including bison), their partner programs such as science work with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, their Field School, and collaborations with Indigenous communities, and our Wild Sky program that works with neighbors to support conservation practices and habitat.

The kid portion of the evening program will last approximately 20 minutes. We will take a short break to allow families with young children to leave before continuing the presentation.

Sunday August 2, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm MDT
Event Barn

Evening Program

9:00pm MDT

Family Friendly- Modern Astronomy

Sunday August 2, 2026 9:00pm - 10:30pm MDT

Let's look up at the night sky together and learn about the exciting state of astronomical research. Dr. Arika Egan, an astrophysicist who studies exoplanets (planets that orbit other stars in the Milky Way galaxy), will connect what you can see with your naked eye (as well as what you can't) to the questions astronomers are asking themselves day to day. You'll learn about stars, exoplanets, and galaxies, and how the more we study these faraway objects, the more we can learn about our very own Sun and solar system planets.

Sunday August 2, 2026 9:00pm - 10:30pm MDT

Late Night

6:15am MDT

6:45am MDT

7:30am MDT

7:30am MDT

7:30am MDT

8:00am MDT

8:00am MDT

8:00am MDT

8:15am MDT

8:30am MDT

9:00am MDT

1:00pm MDT

1:00pm MDT

1:00pm MDT

1:00pm MDT

1:30pm MDT

1:30pm MDT

7:00pm MDT

9:00pm MDT

Get help with the event