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.

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

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

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

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 1:00pm - 4:30pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

8:00am MDT

Hike - Cathedral Spires / Sunday Gulch - all day (strenuous minus)

Limited spots

Monday August 3, 2026 8:00am - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

6.3 mile, 1300 foot total climb "strenuous minus"; one-way hike; 42 min. drive each way.

This gem of a route is simply the most lake and rock spire scenery one can pack into a hike. Not to be missed.** To make it more accessible & enjoyable, we will self-select into two groups. The group feeling a bit less fit will start from Cathedral Spires Trailhead, nicely providing an afternoon option for doing as little or as much of the Sylvan Lake & Sunday Gulch loops as desired. The other half will start on those loops and will have no options to skip anything in the afternoon. Your group may (or may not) switch leaders when you pass each other a bit before lunch.

**If not up for 1300 feet of climb(!), please choose, for some of the same scenery, the Cathedral Spires Hike, or one of the Summit rambles at the iconic, dramatic Sylvan Lake.

Faculty

Amy Hahn

Hike Leader, Faculty

Nigel Dabby

Hike Leader, Faculty

Monday August 3, 2026 8:00am - 3:30pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Strenuous

1:00pm MDT

Hike - Little Devils Tower (vigorous plus)

Limited spots

Monday August 3, 2026 1:00pm - 4:45pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

4.2 mile, 800-foot total climb "vigorous plus" out & back hike; 47 min. drive each way.

About ¾ of this hike overlaps with the Black Elk and Cathedral Spires/Sunday Gulch hikes. What's unique is a steep granite slab scramble to the top for the Black Hill's 2 nd best view, at 6,870 feet above sea level. It's as close to the "incredible rock spires" as possible, hiking through quaking aspen country on the way to and from. If you conclude that the rock formations & "look like huge pancakes turned on edge and stuck in the ground, " you'll get no argument.

At the top, after this Summit's steepest (but short) rock scramble, we'll be rewarded with panoramic views of the Cathedral Spires, Black Elk Peak, and much of the Black Hills.

Faculty

Matt Hays

Hiking & Photography, Faculty

Matt Hays is an avid hiker, backpacker, rock-climber, skier, and mountaineer. He has climbed all fifty-four fourteeners in Colorado numerous times, many in the winter. He has also climbed Mt. Whitney, CA and the Grand Teton in Wyoming via the Exum Ridge. He summited Mt. Rainier in... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 1:00pm - 4:45pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Vigorous

7:30am MDT

Hike - Mystery Hike (vigorous)

Limited spots

Tuesday August 4, 2026 7:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

2.5 mile, 700 foot total climb "vigorous" lollipop (mostly out & back) hike; 47 min. drive.

Same hike as the afternoon Mystery Hike. We'll almost certainly not see anyone else. It's the first Summit Mystery Hike since Dave Egan's one in the Redwoods in 2022, and the first with Dave L. since 2016 in New Mexico (like this one, historical sites are involved). Avoiding the thigh-high poison ivy along 20% of the trail is possible, but those with more susceptibility may want long pants. It's pleasantly shady 4/5 of the way.... Any more details, and it wouldn't be a mystery!

Faculty

Dave Linthicum

HikeDirector,Orienteering,AdventureRace, Faculty

Tuesday August 4, 2026 7:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Vigorous

8:00am MDT

Hike - Cathedral Spires / Sunday Gulch - all day (strenuous)

Limited spots

Tuesday August 4, 2026 8:00am - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

6.3 mile, 1300 foot total climb "strenuous"; one-way hike; 42 min. drive each way.

This gem of a route is simply the most lake and rock spire scenery one can pack into a hike. Not to be missed.** To make it more accessible & enjoyable, we will self-select into two groups. The group feeling a bit less fit will start from Cathedral Spires Trailhead, nicely providing an afternoon option for doing as little or as much of the Sylvan Lake & Sunday Gulch loops as desired. The other half will start on those loops and will have no options to skip anything in the afternoon. Your group may (or may not) switch leaders when you pass each other a bit before lunch.

**If not up for 1300 feet of climb(!), please choose, for some of the same scenery, the Cathedral Spires Hike, or one of the Summit rambles at the iconic, dramatic Sylvan Lake.

Faculty

Amy Hahn

Hike Leader, Faculty

Nigel Dabby

Hike Leader, Faculty

Tuesday August 4, 2026 8:00am - 3:30pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Strenuous

1:00pm MDT

Hike - Mystery Hike (vigorous, same as the morning mystery hike)

Limited spots

Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

2.5 mile, 700 foot total climb "vigorous" lollipop (mostly out & back) hike; 47 min. drive.

Both time slots above are the same hike, on which we'll almost certainly not see anyone else. It's th first Summit Mystery Hike since Dave Egan's one in the Redwoods in 2022, and the first with Dave L. since 2016 in New Mexico (like this one, historical sites are involved). Avoiding the thigh-high poison ivy along 20% of the trail is possible, but those with more susceptibility may want long pants. It's pleasantly shady 4/5 of the way.... Any more details, and it wouldn't be a mystery!

Faculty

Dave Linthicum

HikeDirector,Orienteering,AdventureRace, Faculty

Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Vigorous

7:30am MDT

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

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 7:30am - 3:45pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

7.5 mile, 1500 foot total climb "strenuous" 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

Nigel Dabby

Hike Leader, Faculty

Danny Gagliano

Transportation Coordinator, Faculty

My love of nature started early, first with the National Wildlife Summit and now with Family Nature Summits. My connection with nature blossomed as I explored it throughout my teenage years, even living in the woods for part of my high school career. I have done multiple weeklong... Read More →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 7:30am - 3:45pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Strenuous

8:00am MDT

Hike & Photography - A Morning Hike with Merlin (moderate minus)

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

This is a 'moderate minus', no climb, one-way 3.0 mile hike, with a 26 min. drive to the start, 5-minute drive from the end.

Looking for something different? How about an easy, quiet morning photography (or time to sketch or just slow down and take in your surroundings) hike with Merlin? Merlin the wizard, you say? Nope, Merlin the bird ID app. We will walk slowly down the Grace Coolidge trail (an easy trail), which winds through a cool Ponderosa Pine forest along Grace Coolidge Creek, crossing the creek multiple times on easily navigated foot bridges. The intent here is not to cover distance but to slow down, observe, enjoy, and, when possible, identify and photograph (or sketch) species of both flora and fauna.

How does a bird ID app come into play? Well, first thing we will do, if you don’t already have the free app, is to help you download the app onto your phone and show you what it can do for bird identification. Then we walk…. slowly…. quietly…. trying to let all our senses show us what is alive. From there, it is up to you. Your guide(s) will always be available to give you one-on-one suggestions on how to compose the macro shot of the lupines next to the stream, or the broader landscape photo of the cattails swaying in the breeze, or identifying and then patiently waiting for that small bird you identified using the app, to stop just long enough for you to capture the perfect shot. Subjects to photograph may be as large as a bison or deer or as small as a dragonfly, frog, bird, or water strider. We will also scan the dead trees (snags) for cavity nesting birds. Hopefully, summer flowers will be in bloom. Bring your camera (or phone), your binoculars, your tripod if you have one, your journal, and join us for a diverse and magical morning along the creek.

Caution: Bison are beautiful animals and appear docile. They are beautiful, they are not docile. If you encounter one, give them a very wide berth (50 yards or more). Photograph them from a large distance away. Immediately let your guide know if you see one.

Faculty

Matt Hays

Hiking & Photography, Faculty

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

8:00am MDT

Hike - Coolidge Ponds to Center Lake (uphill, moderate)

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

3.0 mile, 375 foot total climb "moderate" one-way hike; 5 min. drive out, 26 min. back.

The park's #1 oasis, we'll hit all six ponds dammed in the 1930s by the CCC. Midway, we'll briefly meet Matt Hays' Photo Hike. Our hike will be at a more brisk pace through this beautiful shaded valley named not after President Coolidge but for his wife Grace. One crossing requires a bit of rock hopping. We'll have time to relax at Center Lake at the hike's end. Poison ivy is rampant, but presents no threat as this popular trail is wide enough. The entire hike is in one of Custer State Park's two designated natural areas (horses prohibited).

Faculty

Dave Linthicum

HikeDirector,Orienteering,AdventureRace, Faculty

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

8:00am MDT

Hike- Cathedral Spires (moderate)

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

2 miles, 50 feet climb, moderate, out and back, 44 min drive each way

This trail, designated by a (functioning) US Congress in 1977 as a National Landmark, is the shortest, gentlest hike for getting as close as possible to these "huge fantastic formations of granite". We'll also hike through an isolated botanical mystery: the only limber pine grove (trees hundreds of years old) to be found anywhere within 200 miles.

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 →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

1:00pm MDT

Hike - Lovers' Leap (moderate plus)

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:00pm - 3:45pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

4.0 mile, 600 foot total climb "moderate plus' loop hike; no drive.

A usually verdant (drought-dependent) stream-side stroll over a dozen footbridges and nice views across the Black Hills, both in the same hike! With no vans to boot! This is "the" hike at our Summit lodging site. The version on the last afternoon with Matt will be at a more brisk pace.

The trail is particularly known for bison, big horn sheep, and wildflowers; thus, with Danny, we have the perfect hike leader (the wildflower part, at least!) An otherwise nice ridge walk on top provides stark evidence of the furthest reach, almost to the buildings near here, of the huge 2017 Legion Lake Fire, and "bomb-like" devastation from the Dec. 2025 wind storm. Easily avoiding the thigh-high poison ivy along the trail is possible 90% of the way; only those with more susceptibility may want long pants. Avoiding late afternoon thunderstorms requires a clockwise direction (which provides cover and actual shelter on the last 1/3 of the hike).

Faculty

Danny McMurphy

Hike Leader & Cave Expert, Faculty

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:00pm - 3:45pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

1:00pm MDT

Hike w/ Geology - Empire Mine Ruins (moderate)

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:00pm - 4:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

Faculty

Dave Egan

Geology Leader, Faculty

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:00pm - 4:30pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

9:00am MDT

Hike - Lovers' Leap (moderate plus)

Limited spots

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

4.0 mile, 600 foot total climb "moderate plus' loop hike; no drive.

A usually verdant (drought-dependent) stream-side stroll over a dozen footbridges and nice views across the Black Hills, both in the same hike! With no vans to boot! This is "the" hike at our Summit lodging site. The version on the last afternoon with Matt will be at a more brisk pace. The trail is particularly known for bison, big horn sheep, and wildflowers; thus with Danny we have the perfect hike leader (the wildflower part, at least!) An otherwise nice ridge walk on top provides stark evidence of the furthest reach, almost to the buildings near here, of the huge 2017 Legion Lake Fire, and
"bomb-like" devastation from the Dec. 2025 wind storm.

Easily avoiding the thigh-high poison ivy along the trail is possible 90% of the way; only those with more susceptibility may want long pants. Avoiding late afternoon thunderstorms requires a clockwise direction (which provides cover and actual shelter on the last 1/3 of the hike.)

Faculty

Danny McMurphy

Hike Leader & Cave Expert, Faculty

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Moderate

1:00pm MDT

Hike - Lovers' Leap (vigorous pace)

Limited spots

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Hike Guide

4.0 mile, 600 foot total climb "vigorous pace" loop hike; no drive.

A usually verdant (drought-dependent) stream-side stroll over a dozen footbridges and nice views across the Black Hills, both in the same hike! With no vans to boot! This is "the" hike at our Summit lodging site. This version with Matt will be at a more brisk pace. The trail is particularly known for bison, big horn sheep, and wildflowers. An otherwise nice ridge walk on top provides stark evidence of the furthest reach, almost to the buildings near here, of the huge 2017 Legion Lake Fire, and "bomb-like" devastation from the Dec. 2025 wind storm.

Easily avoiding the thigh-high poison ivy along the trail is possible 90% of the way; only those with more susceptibility may want long pants. Avoiding late afternoon thunderstorms requires a clockwise direction (which provides cover and actual shelter on the last 1/3 of the hike).

Faculty

Matt Hays

Hiking & Photography, Faculty

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 3:30pm MDT

Hike, Difficulty- Vigorous

7:30am MDT

7:30am MDT

1:00pm MDT

1:00pm MDT

8:00am MDT

1:00pm MDT

7:30am MDT

8:00am MDT

1:00pm MDT

7:30am MDT

8:00am MDT

8:00am MDT

8:00am MDT

1:00pm MDT

1:00pm MDT

9:00am MDT

1:00pm MDT

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