I woke up early here in the mountain time zone anticipating a bit of exercise. Boy did I get some exercise! I sent an earlier post while I was having my coffee about this wonderful hip camp site. Because I am staying another night, I did not have to break everything down and pack so I was able to get out and start my hike by 9 o’clock.

As I mentioned yesterday, Black Elk Peak is the highest point in South Dakota and west of the Rocky Mountain range all the way to the East Coast. Its topography is remarkable!

On the Black Elk Peak trail, there is an off shoot trail to what is called Little Devils Tower. This added about an hour to my hike and included some scrambling along rock face with some snow. It was invigorating. The views were spectacular and it was a little disheartening looking across a valley and see the tower on the top of black elk peak where I still had to hike!

The entire hike took me five hours, which is about three hours longer than I have been doing in New Hampshire. People were giving me strange looks as they passed by. Probably wondering if I was about to pass out! Lol.

Speaking of people, just happened to talk to two people, both hiking separately from one another, who used to live in New Hampshire! One woman was walking her shelter dog and she had lived in Hampton and Amherst before moving to the Dakotas. The other was a gentleman who lived in Vermont and Concord and settled with his wife in Georgia after a stint in Scotland!

I would not call the trail busy, but it was a lot busier than I expected for mid-week before the Memorial Day weekend! Many of the people I’ve met were retired and retired before they were 60.

I travel further west tomorrow and I’m looking forward to some more visually stunning landscapes!

Enjoy the photos!

I am amazed at the number of campgrounds, lodges, mini cabins, tee pees, (you name it!) in the Black Hill area and Custer State Park. They are not yet full, but they are busy! See you tomorrow!