Black Hills, South Dakota - Part 2

The history of the Needles Highway is intertwined with the former South Dakota Governor Peter Norbeck. In the early 1920s, Norbeck planned the route now known as Needles Highway by traversing the area on foot and horseback. The purpose was to bring visitors into close contact with the Black Hills' most spectacular scenery. 

Completed in 1922 and considered a feat of engineering genius, Needles Highway or SD Hwy 87 is a 14-mile road that winds through pine forests, passes by the beautiful Sylvan Lake, traverses narrow tunnels carved from solid rock, and displays a skyline of granite spires . The most notable granite spire is the Needle's Eye, a rock formation with a wind-carved opening.

Needles Eye Tunnel - I had to pull my truck mirrors in

Needles Eye

At the end of Needles Hwy lies beautiful Sylvan Lake, the crown jewel of South Dakota's Custer State Park. This man-made lake was intentionally created when Theodore Reder built a dam across Sunday Gulch Creek in 1881. Consequently, the dam created a 17 acre lake. Today the lake and surrounding area offers breathtaking views of its granite formations and Ponderosa pine forests. Popular for hiking, swimming, and picnicking, it serves as a major starting point for trails leading to Black Elk Peak formerly Harney Peak.

The dam

Nothing tops of the day but seeing Texas Longhorns in a pasture chowing down on sweet prairie grass. 

Black Hills, South Dakota - Part 1

Custer State Park is a premier natural treasure in South Dakota, celebrated for its vast landscapes, abundant wildlife, and rich history. Encompassing 71,000 acres of the Black Hills, the park showcases a stunning and diverse ecosystem, from rugged granite mountains and serene forests to rolling prairie grasslands. Custer State Park officially opened on July 1, 1919, transformed from the former Custer State Forest into South Dakota's first state park.  

I booked seven nights at Legion Lake Campground almost a year prior to arrival. It's a popular destination within Custer State Park offering a serene natural setting and a resort-style experience with cabins, a restaurant, a store, and of course a campground. The lake itself provided great opportunities for water activities and supports fishing. The trail around the lake was the go to hike each morning with the dogs. 

Our campsite with Legion Lake in the background

Legion Lake

Legion Lake Lodge

Our nightly visitor at our campsite

One of the favorites of the park is the Wildlife Loop Road, an 18-mile drive that traverses the park's prairie grasslands and forested hills, offering great opportunities for spotting free roaming bison. These massive animals are often seen grazing near the road causing a "Buffalo Jam" when they venture across the pavement. In addition to the bison I was fortunate enough to spot white tailed deer,  mule deer, pronghorns, burros, wild turkey and of course prairie dogs.

Begging Burros

Male Pronghorn

Mama & calf

Female Bighorn Sheep

Badlands National Park

Located 75 miles east of Rapid City, South Dakota the Badlands National Park was established on January 25, 1939 as a National Monument. It was redesignated as Badlands National Park on November 10, 1978. The park spans 379.3 square miles, covering 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and mixed prairie grasses.

Cedar Pass Campground-Electric only

The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is located 1/2 mile from the campground and is an excellent source for information about exploring the park including hiking trails and scenic drives.

How did the Badlands get there and why do they look the way they are?

The formations in Badlands National Park are the end-product of two simple processes: deposition and erosion. Deposition is the process of rocks gradually building up. The Badlands rock layers were slowly stacked on top of each other over millions of years. The rocks were deposited by a number of natural forces ranging from shallow inland seas, rivers, and wind. Deposition began 75 million years ago with the base and ended about 28 million years ago with the uppermost formations.

Erosion on the other hand is the process of rocks gradually being worn down. The Badlands began eroding about 500,000 years ago as the Cheyenne and White Rivers carved their way through the landscape. The Badlands erode at a rate of one inch per year

There are a number of different types of rocks found in the Badlands. The formations contain sandstone, siltstones, mudstone, claystone, limestone, volcanic ash, and shale.

Prairie Dogs come with the territory

There are a number of trails one can hike, it all depends on the length and difficulty level. The Notch Trail is considered a moderate to strenuous 2km round trip hike. The trail leads through a canyon then a climb up a rope ladder, then follows a narrow ledge, and finally the reward is a "Notch" with a dramatic view of the White River Valley.

The ladder

The view of White River Valley

After the hike the reward is more beauty on the drive back to the campsite and a much needed lunch.

A trip to Wall Drug in Wall South Dakota is a must when passing through the area, if just to see the jackalope. As the story goes in 1931 Dorothy and Ted Hustead bought the only drugstore in the small town of Wall. Dorothy was responsible for the free ice water idea which soon became a hit. There is also an endless supply of 5 cent coffee...even today.

On the way home from Wall we again took the scenic drive only because everything looks different in reverse. How appropriate that a bison would pose for us by the welcome sign. The bikers in the background were generally afraid to pass by this huge male bison and rightfully so. They waited until he crossed the road. Smart people.

We were treated to more beautiful scenery 

Another hike is the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail, a 1.38 km round trip hike that loops around juniper trees perched along the Badlands. This hike is considered moderate on the difficulty level with a boardwalk, stairs, and a path that climbs 200 feet.

The end has come to a wonderful 5 day adventure in the Badlands National Park.