Highest point in South Dakota

How many of you can say you have been to the highest point in South Dakota? Thought so, no too many. During our trip to South Dakota we were able to get out and enjoy our first hike of the year. I like my walks in the woods to be challenging so I chose a hike up Harney Peak in South Dakota to make sure our hearts would at least pump a little.

The Black Hills of South Dakota are very scenic with interesting rock formations, beautiful pine trees, and a nice green plushness as compared to Colorado.

One of the neat things along the hike were the Cathedral Spires. Yes those are people on top of those rocks. Fools.

We started at about 6000 feet (we live at 5400 in Colorado) and hiked up to the peak at 7242 feet. With the ups downs on the trip though, my GPS says we gained almost 2000 feet of elevation overall. The view from the top was spectacular and supposedly you could see five states: South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Montana. On the day we were there though, someone forgot to turn on the dotted lines so you could pick out the state borders.

There is a lookout tower on the summit that the Forest Service manned until 1967 to keep watch for forest fires.

Here we are, the happy couple, on the peak. I must say that Erin hardly complained at all during the seven mile round trip. Yes, my shirt is a nice bright orange and doubles as a safety signal in an emergency.

We had a great time during our hike and I look forward to the thirteeners and fourteeners we’ll summit this summer.