Family Nature Summits: Black Hills Summit

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 Chris Estes' expertise.  Most of the hike is in one of Custer State Park's two designated natural areas (horses prohibited).

We'll want to take stream-side 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 (not likely we'll 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!

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....

We'll see up close the "bomb-like" downed tree devastation from the 90mph winds 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, stepping over many fallen trees.

Any more details, and it wouldn't be a mystery!

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....

We'll see up close the "bomb-like" downed tree devastation from the 90mph winds 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, stepping over many fallen trees.

Any more details, and it wouldn't be a mystery!

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).  

Especially with the ongoing (mid-June) extreme drought in this region, this hike (and Matt Hays' concurrent photography-themed hike) are the only ones to have 3 miles with this much water and this many ponds.  The local wildlife also knows this, and bison encounters have increased here in May-June 2026.  We'll keep an absolute minimum of 50 yards away from bison and we'll stay together as a group throughout.