Bloggers Hike Harney Peak

The planets aligned big time during my annual family visit to South Dakota.  A long time blogging buddy, Pam from Nomadic Newfies, planned to vacation in the Black Hills the week before Labor Day.  Our trips just happened to coincide - how lucky was that?

Time to hike!

Pam lives in Wisconsin, and blogs about hiking, travel, and photography - basically the same stuff as me (minus the skiing).

So of course we had to get together for a hiking, photography extravaganza!

Havin' fun with Pam at the first overlook

After meeting up in Rapid City at the Chubby Chipmunk (our love of their fabulous truffles yet another common interest) Pam and I decided to tackle the trek up Harney Peak. 

Granite spires of the Black Hills

Hands-down my favorite Black Hills hike, this 3.5-mile trail takes one to the very top of 7,242 foot high Harney Peak - the highest point in South Dakota.  An iconic fire lookout tower, built with native rock by the CCC, graces this scenic summit.

Lovely forest path

Early morning light is best for photography, so I convinced Pam to meet me in the nearby town of Custer at sunrise.  After waiting for the coffee shop to open, we made the short drive to Custer State Park's Sylvan Lake trailhead, and were hiking by 8 am.

Pam admires the scenery

Although the trail starts out fairly mellow, it soon begins climbing through grassy clearings and Ponderosa woods.  A few straggler aster blooms lined our path.  The low level morning light filtered through the forest, making for some great photography conditions.

Little Devils Tower

That's the great thing about hiking with other photographers - they understand the frequent need to stop and capture something interesting! 

Wild raspberries!

After a half mile or so, we arrived at the first overlook, atop a granite outcrop.  The views were marvelous - forested vistas spreading out below punctuated by granite spires.  A wall of granite towers rose before us, Harney Peak's stone lookout a tiny bump atop the tallest one.

Raspberry plant

A perfect place for a few group photos!  After setting up my tripod, Pam and I mugged for the camera.

Berry picking time

Beyond the overlook, we wound through the forest, passing frequent clearings where more views awaited.

"Are we there yet?"

An unexpected surprise - Pam discovered a few wild raspberry bushes with still-ripe berries.  Ummm.....delicious!

View through the Ponderosa Pines

We were by no means alone on the trail.  First were were passed by a couple of men planning to do repairs on the lookout tower, and later we met up with a group of Forest Service workers on their way to do trail maintenance.

Women at work

We came upon the Forest Service staff again, just a mile from the summit, as they were clearing downed trees from the trail.  Pam and I were proud to watch the all female crew making short work of a fallen log.  Women power!

One of the many photo breaks

Now the real climbing began.  The trail gets steep here, on the way up to Harney Peak's very summit.  But the frequent panoramic views provide some instant rewards (not to mention photo opportunities).

A little floral color

Although Pam later admitted in her blog post she was dying about then, I had no idea.  Pam was a trooper and followed me up the final steep climb.

The lookout tower is in sight!

A first glimpse of the lookout tower was a great motivator!

The views are getting even better

Winding through a set of stairs (with more fabulous views) we finally rounded a corner, and there was the famous stone tower!

Another photo break!

As many times as I've climbed Harney Peak over the years, it's still a breathtaking sight.

Harney Peak lookout

Completed in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), this tower replaced an older structure.  All the building materials, stone, cement, and sand, had to be hauled up the mountain by 2-wheeled carts pulled by horses and mules.  The tower served as a fire lookout until 1967.  Now it's only used by hikers as a shelter and viewpoint.

Love the tower's stonework

Pam and I ducked inside the tower, only to be met by a volunteer crew hard at work on a restoration project.

The sign gives all the stats

Years of harsh weather and abuse from clueless hikers have resulted in lots of reconstructive efforts over the years.  I'm glad there's people who are taking care of this historic treasure.

Granite peaks as far as the eye can see

Pam and I walked out onto the observation area and soaked in the spectacular views.  The Black Hills stretched out before us in all directions.  I'm told you can see four states on a clear day, but not knowing landmarks, I remarked to Pam there's no way to know which state you're looking at.

We made it!

A rocky plateau stretched out below the lookout tower, and we could see people walking around it.  Pam wanted to explore further, so we climbed down another staircase to check it out.

Checking out the rocky plateau

More grand panoramas awaited!  Cameras clicked, and oohs and aahs were uttered.

Views are incredible

Pam noticed tiny colorful fabric strips tied to some nearby trees.  We discovered they were prayer ties left behind by local Native Americans.  The peak is sacred to many Native tribes, and they often hold religious ceremonies here.

Prayer ties left by Native Americans

Although Pam and I did take photographs, we were careful not to disturb these colorful ribbons.

Back to the tower

After wandering around the rocky outcrop for the better part of half an hour, Pam and I decided it was time to head back down.  As we passed back through the lookout tower, it was swarming with workers, and we exited just as they were closing it to the public.  Lucky us! 

Heading down

Our high point of the trip down, we encountered a mule train bringing construction supplies to the tower, which was exciting to see.

Mule train

Otherwise, our trip back to the car was a mostly uneventful trudge back through the woods (the trail seemed so much longer this time around!)   We met lots of people heading up the mountain, and I was thankful for our early start. 

Girls just wanna have fun!

So much fun to finally meet Pam and share a hike to one of my favorite places!  From reading her blog I suspected Pam and I would hit it off, and we did.  Too bad we live so far apart.....guess it's time to scheme a plan to meet up again (wink, wink!).

Check out Pam's blog, Nomadic Newfies.



(A side note.....About a month before my trip home, the U.S.Board of Geographic names officially changed the name of Harney Peak to Black Elk Peak.  However, as an ex-South Dakotan with many fond memories, I choose to continue calling it Harney Peak)

Hiking Harney Peak

While visiting my family back in South Dakota, one item stood high on my "must do" list - climbing Harney Peak.


Size matters!  Click on any photo to enjoy a larger version.

Summit this way!

Located in the beautiful Black Hills, Harney Peak, at 7,242 feet, is the highest point in South Dakota.  Not only that, it's also the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains.  The summit provides an amazing panorama including the granite cliffs and forests of the Black Hills, and also the distant plains of Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana.

Trailhead family photo

My growing up years in the Black Hills included numerous treks to the top of this mountain.  I have fond memories of hikes taken on the Harney Peak Trail.  (I'm sure that's one of the reasons I love hiking so much!)

My mom found a piece of mica

But it's been awhile since I've been up Harney Peak.  So during this year's visit, I made it a priority to go there.

 

The forested trail was lovely

My parents, always up for a hike, agreed to come along.  Then three of my brothers and two nephews decided to join the party!  It was gonna be a family hiking extravaganza.

Late summer wildflowers

The trailhead is located at Sylvan Lake, in Custer State Park.  Sylvan Lake itself is a lovely mountain lake, rimmed by huge granite spires.  There's a nice trail that encircles it's shoreline, one of the many wonderful hikes in this area.  But that trail would have to wait.  Today we had summit fever.  To the top of Harney Peak - or bust!

My nephews at the first viewpoint

 

The trailhead began in a green meadow, encircled by ponderosa pines.  It was 3.5 miles and 1100 feet of climbing to our destination.  Our group followed the wide, well-graded path as it wound through the forest.  After a mile or so, the trees opened up to a rocky outcrop.  The views here were outstanding.  The lumpy granite cliffs of the Black Hills spread out before us, with a glimpse of our destination - Harney Peak's lookout tower - on the horizon.    

 

My folks resting with their grandkids

This area of the Black Hills has an interesting geologic past.  The mountains were formed by magma welling up underneath the earth's crust, causing the adjacent land to uplift.  The magma cooled slowly, causing many unusual minerals to form.  Around Harney Peak, along with abundant granite, visitors will find quartz, feldspar and mica.  These sparkly minerals, welded into the rock, stand out from the gray granite. Small fragments even find their way into the dusty trail, creating a glittering path.

Bark beetle trees

My nephews loved all the funny rocks.  They grabbed many, lining their pockets with the sparkly stones.  The most unusual mineral found here is mica.  It's made of thin sheets of silica. You can actually peel layers of the stuff off the rock face.  It reflects light, and sparkles in the sun.  Sadly, the only photo I got all day was a small slab in my mom's hand (see third photo from top).

Closer to the top, we wind through the rocks

One thing that's changed from last time I've visited - the adjacent forest has been infested with the Pine Bark Beetle.   It's become epidemic in the forests here.  From vantage points, I could see vast swaths of ugly brown dead trees.

Nice viewpoint before the big summit push

The trail wound through an area of forest that had been infested with the bugs.  To combat the beetles, a large number of trees were taken down, and the trunks cut into chunks.  The "chunking" of the wood is supposed to make the beetles inside die.  Although it was sad to see a once forested area so barren, it did open up more views.

Final stairs to the top

My family and I traversed through a lush meadow, with a small creek running though.  It was nice to take a break in the cool shade before our final push to the top.  By now it was nearing noon, and temps were climbing.

Amazing rock lookout tower on top

About a mile before the top, the trail began to wind through boulders of blocky granite.  The forest opened up for one last viewpoint before hikers encountered the steep path to the summit.

The grand staircase

And it's a tough climb!  Especially since that day much of it was in the sun.  The switchbacks began in earnest, and we all puffed along, wiping sweat from our brows.  But the sparkly, rock-lined trail is beautiful.  And I knew the reward awaiting us on top was great.

Doorway to the tower

Finally we could see the lookout tower's roof barely visible over the granite cliffs.  Ascending several sets of stairs, some cast into the rocks, we finally arrived at the foot of the amazing rock tower that marks the summit of Harney Peak.

 

Photo op with my parents and one brother

This stone fire tower was built  by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938 and 1939.  It was used as a fire lookout until 1967.  The rockwork on this structure is truly a work of art.  The walls are a mosaic of colorful local rock.  Not only does the tower have a multi-tiered balcony, the CCC also built a sweeping stone staircase that leads visitors right to it's doorway.

The amazing view from on high

The view on top is breathtaking.  The entire Black Hills spreads out before you in all directions.  The granite spires of the Needles and Mt. Rushmore rise up from the dark forests.  On a clear day, you can see the plains of eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming far into the distance.  Luckily, we hiked on a sunny day and was able to take full advantage of such a fantastic panorama.

Perched on the wall

Two of my brothers and both nephews ventured out onto the wide granite ridgetop below the tower.  Standing on the balcony, I was content to watch the other people explore this area.

  

Four-state view from the tower

Even though we hiked on a weekday, there was still plenty of people on and around the summit.  The Harney Peak Trail is extremely popular.  It's a moderate enough hike for most healthy people to complete.  We even saw a group on horseback - the Forest Service provides hitching posts at the tower's base.

Rock wall close-up

 

After refueling with a snack, and taking copious shots of the tower and it's grand views, I climbed to the lookout's upper story.  Peering out through spacious windows, I tried to imagine what it must've been like to be a forest ranger living here.  Not a bad job!

 

Group photo to prove we all made it

After spending well over an hour admiring the views, my family and I decided it was time to head back down.  Although gravity was now on our side, descending can sometimes be more difficult than climbing.  

Window views from the tower's upper story

But everyone made it down just fine - even my 75-year old father.   My parents are amazing!  Both in their 70s, they had no trouble with this 7-mile round trip, 1000 feet plus hike.  My dad slowed down a bit on the descent, but with my camera, I hike slow too.  So I had a companion all the way back.  (And when my parents finished this hike, they had to rush into town as they were scheduled to play a round of golf with their couples league!)

Looking back to where I'd been

So nice to visit a favorite hike from my childhood!  It was a wonderful day spent on the trail with my family.  The Black Hills will always be a special place to me.  I'm glad I got a chance to visit again.

 

If you ever find yourself in the Black Hills of South Dakota, this hike is not to be missed!

Linking to:  This or That Thursday and Share Your Cup Thursday.