Winter Challenge for Custer State Park

Custer State Park just started a Winter Challenge a couple of years ago where they give you a couple of hikes to do in the winter and once you complete the list you show them your selfies or photos that you completed the hikes and you will get a Custer State Park pin. This is a really fun way to get out in winter, complete a task, and then come home with a prize. This is the first time my husband and I did this challenge in the winter and it was really fun. We also got to spend a lot of time by ourselves in the park which is a lot different from the busy time in the summer.

Most of these hikes were anywhere form 1 mile to 4 miles depending on which way you went, and how long you decided to hike after you got the selfie you needed. Some of the trails were so pretty we kept hiking. Here are the 6 trails/challenges we did this year. Although it is too late to do this challenge now yourself this year, keep it in mind to do next year. It is definitely a fun way to spend your winter days.

Badger Clark Trail

The Badger Clark Historic Trail is a little loop trail in Custer State Park that is about 1 mile in length. The trailhead is 1 mile south of Highway 16 on Badger Clark Road near Legion Lake. Part of the trail was created by Badger Clark himself, a famous writer and poet. Badger Clark lived in the area for over 30 years in a small cabin on site named “The Badger Hole”. During summer, tours are available through the Badger Hole, where volunteer rangers are there to answer questions. The trail itself is pretty easy and a good place to get out, stretch, and smell the fresh air. If open, the cabin is really cool and full of tons of history. The Centennial Trail also runs along the cabin

Stockade Lake Trail

Stockade Lake is the largest lake in Custer State Park and is located on Highway 16A just east of the town of Custer. The lake has three campgrounds, and is the only lake in the park that allows all boats. The lake has a swimming beach, a playground, and is near some of the Black Hills Points of Interest such as the Gordon Stockade - the site of the first gold discovery in the Black Hills.

Needles Highway

This national scenic byway was considered impossible to construct by some before it was finished in 1922. It is named after the high granite "needles" it winds among. On the highway, you'll drive by the needles eye, around tight turns, through low tunnels and near the Cathedral Spires. One of the most famous parts of the drive is the Needle Eye Tunnel. This one-way tunnel is only  8′ 4″ wide by 12′ 0″ high so make sure your vehicle will fit through before starting up the highway because once you reach the tunnel, there isn't much room to turn around.

The Needles Highway starts near Sylvan Lake and ends up near Legion Lake, State Game Lodge, or Center Lake and full of adventure and beautiful scenery which ever way you choose to go.

When we did this hike, we kept walking after the selfie station because it was so beautiful and peaceful. There are also no cars allowed in the wintertime as the road is closed. There was also not enough snow for any snowmobiles, so we had the road to ourselves.

Barnes Canyon Trail

Yes we did this in the wintertime - no snow.

Barnes Canyon Trail is a newer trail in Custer State Park and it goes between Wildlife Loop Rd and Badger Clark Road. The hike follows an old logging road, and is a about 4.7 miles one way. The cool thing on this trail was we saw 3 elk ( hard to ever see ) and some buffalo near the trail. For the most part there is nothing special about the trail, and we saw very few people on it. This year (2021) the trail is part of the summer challenge hikes, and the medallion is halfway up the trail. When my husband and I hiked the trail we did 1/2 the trail at night and turned around and did the 2nd half the next day. If you are just doing the trail for the medallion, I recommend coming from Badger Clark Road side- the trail is easier, prettier, and has more lookouts. The other part of the trail starts off Airport Road off Wildlife Loop Road.

For the winter challenge - 2021-2022 - same thing. Start at the Badger Clark Road side. There are actually 2 selfie stations before you hit the 2 mile mark for some reason.

Snowshoe It

We were really lucky for this one. We decided to snowshoe to Mount Coolidge Fire Tower and there was actually snow. Most of the hikes we did in the winter had little to no snow, so make sure you plan accordingly if this is one of the challenges next year.

Mount Coolidge

Mount Coolidge is located on SD 87 between Blue Bell Campground and Legion Lake Campground. The tower is atop a 6,023 foot peak and has some amazing 360 degree views of the Black Hills. From the top with binoculars or a good zoom lens, you can see Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, the Needles, Black Elk Fire Tower, Ellsworth Airforce Base, and the Badlands.

The tower was built in the 1940's by the Civilian Conservation Corps and is now used to spot fires. The road up to the tower is a little steep and winds a lot. Large vehicles and motorhomes should not attempt the drive to the tower since it is narrow, curvy, and has a lot of sharp dropoffs with no guard rails. There is also limited car parking at the top and an outhouse. The tower is only open on good days and is closed in the winter due to the road that leads to the tower being slightly dangerous.

This was such a fun challenge because we had the whole road to ourselves, the views were amazing, and we had time to enjoy them.

Our Prize

Another pin for Dave’s hiking hat.

Mardi Gras In Deadwood

This last weekend my husband and I went to the Mardi Gras in Deadwood. This is the 3rd time we have gone and it is always a blast. We make sure we get a hotel room way in advance, and since it is an event’s weekend the hotels tend to be more expensive. We stayed in a cheaper motel for 82.00 a night. They have different events on Friday and Saturday. We usually hit the events on Saturday because I like to see the parade.

At the hotel ready to leave for a fun night.

On Saturday there were 6 different restaurants and bars that was giving out free food from 2 pm to 4 pm. You want to make sure you get there early, because on busy weekends sometimes the food runs out. The first stop was at the Six String Restaurant at the Deadwood Mountain Grand. This was very good and with the free drink we got from gambling, it was even better. This dish was Dave’s favorite.

The second place we stopped was at the Iron Horse Hotel - Three Cousins Pizza. They served a specialty pizza that was by far my favorite dish. I’m not sure what was all in it, but it was definitely different.

The third place we stopped was at the Gold Dust Casino - Mavericks Steaks and Cocktails. They had a bayou stew and cornbread. This was good, but we liked the other dishes we had better.

The fourth stop we went to was the Buffalo Bodega. The food was pretty good, and it was a quick stop.

The fifth stop was at the Deadwood Social Club - Old Saloon # 10. They had 3 different dishes to try. The funny thing was you could only try one dish at a time, and then had to get back in line. The line went fast though, the servers seemed to keep track of what you had and didn’t have, and all 3 dishes were delicious .

The sixth and last place we went was Tin Lizzie - Snitches. This dish was really good. The only problem was by this time we were pretty full.

We were able to get to all 6 places in less than 45 minutes. That gave us time before the parade to gamble, relax, and people watch. Some of the interesting people we met on the streets.

Certain beads seemed to be more popular this year.

Afterwards we saw the parade which was lasted only about 15 minutes - mostly due to the vehicles moving really slow. There were only a few floats, but it was still neat and they threw out beads and candy to the crowd.

Overall, we had a blast and this is one of the Deadwood events I try to hit every year. The free food, parade, and people watching make it a fun evening.

The Summer Challenge in Custer State Park

The Summer Hiking Trail Challenge at Custer State Park has begun. The trails on this summer's challenge are below. My husband and I did the 8 trails in 2 days and it would make for a really fun weekend in Custer State Park. Go to the visitor’s center to pick up the information and maps. A couple of things we noted.

1. You have to bring your own writing utensil. The park does not supply any.

2. We saw 2 medallions on the Creekside Trail. We were not sure which one was correct, so we copied both of them.

3. The park only gives you one piece of paper to copy the medallions. It is set up for only 6 medallions. You will need to ask for another piece of paper since there are 8 ( 9 ) medallions.

4. Check the maps before you begin so you know which group of hikes to do together so you are not driving back and forth through the park.

   Legion Lake Trail -

   Legion Lake Trail is an easy scenic trail that is about 1 mile long and circles Legion Lake. The trail starts at the lake and is an easy hike for the family.

Cairn Trail -

The Cairn Trail is the newest trail in Custer State Park and it takes you above the Coolidge General Store and gives you a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area. The trail is a shorter trail but it does go up for quite a bit until you get to the top. The trail is a good one for the kids if you want them to get exercise. When doing the trail we continued to the top to get a better view and then came back down to continue the trail.

Creekside Trail -

The Creekside Trail is a hard-surfaced trail that goes between the Grace Coolidge Campground and the Visitor’s Center. The trail is very simple, is about 2.5 miles one way, and passes the State Game Lodge, the Peter Norbeck Visitor’s Center, and the Coolidge General Store.

Barnes Canyon Trail -

Barnes Canyon Trail is a newer trail in Custer State Park and it goes between Wildlife Loop Rd and Badger Clark Road. The hike follows an old road trail, and is a little over 5 miles one way. The cool thing on this trail was we saw 3 elk ( hard to ever see ) and some buffalo near the trail. For the most part there is nothing special about the trail, and we saw very few people on it.

Centennial Trail (South from Iron Creek Trailhead located on HWY 87N)-

Part of the Centennial Trail that is 124 miles long.

Grace Coolidge Walk-in Fish Area Trail -

Grace Coolidge Trail is a 5.8 mile out and back pretty easy trail in Custer State Park. The trail is located right across the road from the Grace Coolidge Campground. The hike follows Grace Coolidge Creek and ends up at Center Lake/Campground. The trail is used for hiking, trail running, walking, and fishing. The trail is really cool and there are several lakes near the trail and lots of small bridges to cross over the creek. The trail is a favorite for kids since there are so many cool places to explore and get wet.

Cathedral Spires Trail -

Cathedral Spirals Trail is a short 3/4 mile one way trail in Custer State Park on the Needles Highway. You can do the trail out and back or meet up with the trail that leads to Black Elk. There is some scrambling to do on this hike and it can get wet and muddy when it rains. The trail goes through the needles and is pretty neat. The parking for this trail is small and around a curve and it can be hard to find a place to park if busy.

Prairie Trail -

Prairie Trail is a trail on the west side of Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park. It claims to be about 3 miles and goes in a loop. We actually tracked it around 2.1 miles. The trail goes through the prairie and the forest and although there wasn’t anything spectacular on this trail, some of the views were pretty and by the creek was nice. While we were there, the buffalo were far off, but there were buffalo chips everywhere. I would use extreme caution if buffalo are near the trail since you are exposed a couple of times in the prairie with no adequate means of cover if needed.

When you get done with the 8 trails be sure to go back to the visitor’s center at Custer State Park to get your free pin. They will want to keep all your sketches of your medallions and get your name and authorize that it had been done. Seemed pretty official when we did it.

Gravesites in Custer State Park

Long before Custer State Park was around, the land was used by homesteaders and farmers. Today there remains 3 gravesites in the park. Thousands of people drive by these gravesites without even knowing they are there. My husband and I checked them out and made it a mission to find each one since there is not much information on the internet about where and who they are.

Dr. Alvin Herbert

Dr Alvin Herbert lived in what use to be known as the Bakerville area before it became Custer State Park. He at one time was the postmaster and well respected.

To get to this gravesite you need to go about 1/2 mile east of the Prairie Trail trailhead on Wildllife Loop in Custer State Park. Right when you pass the fence, there is a small place you can park. You need to cross the creek to the south ( hard to find a place to do so and no trail ), and follow the fence line. The gravesite is in the field. Be cautious of the creek, and the buffalo who like to roam there. This was the hardest gravesite to find.

If on the Prairie Trail - once you see this sign you can hike down to the grave which is to the northeast of the sign down in the valley.

Looking at the gravesite from a tele-photo lens on the Prairie Trail.

Major James Whitehead’s Gravesite

This is the gravesite of Major James Whitehead who homesteaded in the French Creek area and died in 1899. The bronze marker was placed where the old homestead use to be.

The gravesite is located off Lame Johnny Road right where the Centennial Trail starts. If you look north of where you need to park, the gravesite is just to the northwest of the cabin in the woods. This area use to be called the Bakerville area, long before Custer State Park was established, and this is all that remains.

The cabin located near the gravesite is the original homestead of Whitehead’s. The original structure (middle section) was built in the late 1770’s or 1880’s and the original trusses are similar to what was built as homesteads, back then.

Baby Mann Gravesite

The Baby Mann Gravesite is the grave of a child that died at childbirth June 6, 1902 at the Pluer de Las Ranch. The grave is maintained by the park personal and located in Custer State Park.

The gravesite is located off Wildlife Loop Road/Oak Draw-Cap 3 Road/Lame Johnny-Cap 4 Road and is easy to find.

For more information and tracks on how to get to these locations, go to the website blackhillshikingbikingandmore.com and check it out under Regional Adventures/Cemeteries/gravesites in the hills and look under the 3 different gravesites.

6 Spearfish Canyon hikes you can do all in 1 day

Here are 6 short hikes that are right off the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Highway in Spearfish Canyon that you can do all in one day. The hikes are all under 2 1/2 miles, but they vary in difficulty.

We did these hikes in the fall when the colors were changing, but they could be done at anytime. I’ll list them as from north to south, so you can check them off as you drive through the canyon. All the trails are out and back trails and the distances listed are one way. You will need to double the distance for the total length.

Community Caves

Although this trail is only .3 miles long, there is a steep 230 ft climb/scramble up a hopefully dry creek bed that leads to a wide cave that offers some nice views of the canyon. During the winter there is a lot of ice buildup on the trail, and during the spring there can be a lot of water you have to walk through. There is pull out parking lot along the road that can be busy during the summer. This trail is hard and a good one to start with.

11th Hour Gulch

Another short but tricky hike. This one is only .2 miles long but it does require some tricky rock scrambling. There are several ladders and some ropes for assistance. It can be quite slippery and dangerous at times, especially in the winter or if there is a lot of water. There is a small pull out on the road that can park around 4 to 5 cars.

Iron Creek Trail

Iron Creek Trail is a gorgeous trail that is around 1 1/2 miles one way. The trail follows Iron Creek and is surrounded by tall cliffs and trees the whole way. This trail is an absolute must in the Fall if in the area. There is a small pull out parking lot near the beginning of the trail that can fit several cars.

Spearfish Falls

This is a .35 mile trail that is a must see during you journey through the Spearfish Canyon. The trail is well maintained, but there is a short section that is a little steep. There is parking at the Latchstring Restaurant for this hike.

Roughlock Falls

Another must see in the canyon is Roughlock falls. You can get close to the falls by driving there, but if you want a nice easy 1 mile scenic hike you can do that as well. There is parking up by the falls and at the Spearfish Lodge and trail parking lot.

The 76 Trail

The 76 trail is only 2/3 of a mile long but it starts out steep and then gets steeper. There is over 1000 feet of elevation gain in that 2/3 of a mile, but you are rewarded with some birds eye views of the canyon from Buzzards roost. There is parking at the Spearfish Lodge.

These are only 6 of several hikes in Spearfish Canyon. There are a whole lot more. Another popular hike is Devil’s Bathtub, but you may want to do that another day since people usually spend more time there.

When doing the hikes mentioned above I recommend doing Community Caves, 11th Hour Gulch, and Iron Creek Trail. Then have a picnic at one of the picnic spots near Spearfish Lodge or eat at the Latchstring Restaurant. When done finish the other 3 - Spearfish Falls, Roughlock Falls, and the 76th Trail. You will be tired by the end of the day, but go to bed knowing that you saw some of the prettiest trails in the gorgeous Black Hills of South Dakota.

If you are more adventurous, pretty active, and short on time in the hills, try to get Devil’s Bathtub in the mix. This trail is usually very busy in the summer though so keep that in mind. It will usually add another hour or so to your day depending on how long you stay.

For more information visit our page blackhillshikingbikingandmore.com and go to Regional Adventures/Spearfish Canyon Area to see all the wonderful things you can do while in the area.

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