Sanctuary Trail
The Sanctuary Trail is in Wind Cave National Park and is located about 1 mile north of the Rankin Ridge Fire Tower turnoff. The trail is mostly prairie and can be extremely hot in the summer time. The trail passes a prairie dog town for about 1.5 miles so be prepared to be barked at a lot while walking through the town. After 3.5 miles you end up at the Highland Creek Trail and can continue on a different trail, do a long loop, or turn around and head back. On our hike we turned around making it a 7 mile hike. This trail is marked as moderate to strenuous on the Wind Cave website. I think is is easy to moderate. The only thing I find that may be hard is the heat, and possible buffalo and rattlesnake sightings. The hike itself goes through rolling hills and there is never a steep incline of any kind.
Beginning of the hike is by the road.
Lots of beautiful flowers.
Lots of these in the beginning of the trail in the bushes.
Can see buffalo have been here scratching.
Some places are hard to see - Look for these post signs with the number 5 on it.
Walk through a large prairie dog town for about 1.5 miles.
Constantly barking at us.
Make sure to take the middle trail and markers Trail #5.
See horse back riders in the distance - the only people we saw the whole time.
Lots of open prairie. Very happy the sun was not out that day.
We reached the end in a middle of the field. Can go on different trails and even do a long loop. We turned around.
The same horseback riders.
Saw this wall - looks too nice to be not man made?
Either way, nice place for a break.
Can see Rankin Ridge Fire Tower in the distance.
Pretty bluebird.
Found a killing ground.
Parking lot for the Sanctuary Trail off Highway 87 in Wind Cave National Park.