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.

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

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

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 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

8:30am MDT

History of Custer State Park

Limited spots

Monday August 3, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Join Custer State Park naturalist Aaron Douglass for an interpretive walk across the historic grounds of the State Lodge. Aaron will explore the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), presidential visitors and other notable guests who have passed through the Lodge, and the broader development of Custer State Park itself. Expect a mix of historical context, interpretive anecdotes, and opportunities to ask questions.

Faculty

Custer State Park Naturalist

Monday August 3, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy

1:00pm MDT

Ramble - Heddy Draw Ramble

Limited spots

Monday August 3, 2026 1:00pm - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Heddy Draw is a 15-minute drive from the State Game Lodge. The trail begins with a flat paved section that borders a section of the 2017 Legion Lake Fire, third-largest fire in South Dakota history. This trail is still heavily wooded and provides an opportunity to talk about fire ecology. A beautiful wooden shelter & platform give us a chance to take in the incredible view. We’ll continue on the level gravel path on this ridge, before turning around to complete the ramble. Total distance is approximately three quarters of a mile.

Faculty

Betty Trummel

Rambles, Faculty

Monday August 3, 2026 1:00pm - 3:30pm MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy

8:30am MDT

Ramble - Sylvan Lake Ramble

Limited spots

Tuesday August 4, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

This popular spot in Custer State Park gives us the chance to see awesome rock formations that line much of the shore of Sylvan Lake. 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. If time allows, we’ll explore the other side of the lake. We’ll return via Needles Highway with a couple of stops along the way.

Faculty

Betty Trummel

Rambles, Faculty

Tuesday August 4, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy

8:30am MDT

History of Custer State Park

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Faculty

Custer State Park Naturalist

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy

8:30am MDT

Ramble - Charles Badger Clark's Cabin Tour & Ramble

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm 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

Wednesday August 5, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy

1:00pm MDT

Ramble - Legion Lake Ramble

Limited spots

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:00pm - 3:30pm MDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Located in the heart of Custer State Park, Legion Lake offers a scenic retreat. Well ramble the trail that loops around the lake, about three quarters of a mile in length. The first part of the trail is level and easy. The middle section has a bit of incline and is more rocky, but is not dramatic and we’ll take it slow. The final stretch of the ramble is back to being level. Great views of the lake are possible all along the trail. A local naturalist will join us on the trail, enhancing the experience and providing more information.

Faculty

Betty Trummel

Rambles, Faculty

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 →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:00pm - 3:30pm MDT

Ramble, Difficulty- Easy