Hiking in the South Dakota Black Hills

[nyushka42]

I did the GA portion of the AT this past May, and upon reaching NC, I tripped and pretty severely damaged my achilles tendon... Long story short, it's been 2 months, and now I want to hike again. However, my doctor told me the AT is a bit too much at the moment, especially as the trail is a lot rougher than most others. So here I am, looking for a hike that will take a week or more out west, but won't be too strenuous on my not-as-yet recovered ankle. I've found the Centennial Trail out in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I was wondering if anyone in this forum has hiked out there, if its worth it, and if they have any info on it. I've searched the net for a forum on that trail, but as yet found nothing... If anyone has any sugestions that they could pass along about it or any other long trails in the Midwest that they might recommend, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!
I hope to be back to hike the NC & VA sections of the AT early next year.

[erslyman]

Beautiful country. Sounds like you had a great experience.

[attroll]

The Centennial Trail is suppose to be an awesome hike.

[BlackCloud]

I've hiked several short pieces of the Centennial Trail. It's fairly boring. It is quaint, peaceful, and not all that busy however. I don't think there are any severe stretches at all.

The # 1 danger of the trail is buffalo. You'll hike within open ranges - and they don't like people AT ALL.

I can't give you a whole lot of info about it other then to say you could easily complete the trail within 10 days.

If you just HAVE to go bakpacking & are still semi-lame, it's not a bad choice.

Though I wouldn't do it.......

[nyushka42]

How 'bout the Superior Hiking Trail, between Deluth, MN & Canada, along Lake Superior? It's a bit closer to me (8 hours as opposed to 13 or 14) by car, and recommended to me just yesterday as absolutely spectacular. Anyone know anything about that trail?
Once again, any help greatly appreciated.

[Smile]

The Paha Sapa are sacred to the Lakota, I wonder how they feel about folks hiking there?

[eyewall]

I've hiked the southern 35 miles of it. Its not an entirely easy trial, moderate at times. It has some good climbs, although only two to four hundred feet. Water can be a problem if its dry. I would recommend late August into early October, depending how long the heat lasts, or doesn't. I hate hiking about 75 degrees

[Vi+]

Smile,

You advised (Post #6), “The Paha Sapa are sacred to the Lakota, I wonder how they feel about folks hiking there?”

My wife and I camped about for a few weeks one year through Canada, east to west, dropped down into Washington, then east including Yellowstone NP, and the Black Hills. The trip took us through gorgeous country.

I had read a bit about native Americans, their beliefs, our treaties with them and our violations thereof. Mount Rushmore was near our travel route so we stopped by. It seemed a violent blasphemy; our destruction of nature; a giant one-finger celebration-salute to the Lakota, and to our written promise to set aside in perpetuity the Black Hills, sacred to them.

We still haven’t adjusted to our own history, breaking our promise then carving up a mountainside to promote tourism.

Now, it’s so popular, someone is carving up a mountainside not far from Mount Rushmore for a statue of (I think) Crazy Horse. Geez.

We, not infrequently, drive west through the Black Hills but we’ve yet to take the Black Hills Circuit which is supposed to be very scenic.

[Smile]

a giant one-finger celebration-salute to the Lakota, and to our written promise to set aside in perpetuity the Black Hills, sacred to them.

Poignant, and well stated.



Thanks for sharing this observation you made in your travels through that sacred ground.

[lonehiker]

If I am not mistaken, the Lakota (Sioux) were the ones that proposed the carving of the Crazy Horse Memeorial.

[Smile]

Yes, it is near the Black Hills, the "Mt. Rushmore" monument is carved into the heart of their sacred place.....it is about time they got to put their own monument up, it is not finished yet.

[Vi+]

Lonehiker,

You advised (Post #10), “Engage brain before mouth. ... (And) ... If I am not mistaken, the Lakota (Sioux) were the ones that proposed the carving of the Crazy Horse Memeorial.”

I didn’t say they weren’t.

My post addressed our (non-native American) behavior.

Native Americans also drive motor vehicles and live in contemporary housing.

I’m reminded of a saying, “Security is like virginity, once compromised, never regained.”

A more appropriate question may be, had the land not been seized, had Mount Rushmore not been carved, how likely a probability would it be that the Lakota would propose or agree to carve a statue of anything there?

[Smile]

They can carve anything they want in their own land, and decide what is sacred to them. Not that it's means squat to the U.S. Govt., but they are still a sovreign nation.

As for the land they are putting this on - Chief Henry Standing Bear and the sculptor ( Who died in 1982) chose the mountain both because it was suitable rock and because it was on property that could be acquired. The land on which the Memorial is located is owned by the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation. It was pieced together from mining and homestead claims, land exchanges with the government and other sources.

The inquiry was: I wonder how the Lakota feel about hikers using a trail that traverses their Paha Sapa, sacred ground?

[map man]

nyushka42, you asked in the followup to your original question about the Superior Hiking Trail. It does, indeed, have many spectacular views, but most of those views come at the expense of some pretty rugged hiking. The vertical rise per mile is less severe than the AT, but definitely challenging in places, nonetheless. There are some flatter stretches, but they only come in sections that last a few miles, so if you are trying to take it easy on your ankle you would need to do a fair amount of skipping around seeking out easier portions to accomplish this. Also, there are a fair number of rocks and roots on this trail and those can be just as hard on the ankles as significant ups and downs.

I hate to hear myself saying anything discouraging to you, because I love this trail so much, but it might be a better trail for a more healed ankle. I'm sorry I don't have any experience with milder midwestern trails to offer as an alternative.