Pathfinders Trip 2024!
Black Hills and Badlands
Custer State Park, Black Elk Peak, and the Sage Creek Wilderness
Black Hills Camping/Hiking AND Badlands Backpacking!
August 2-4, 2024
Cost: $150/person.
$50 deposit due upon sign-up. $100 final payment due July 1st.
Trip length: 3 Days, 2 nights
What's included: Transportation, gear, park entrance and camping fees. (See below for more details)
What's available to borrow if needed: tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, backpacks, chairs/stools, pillows
Difficulty rating: Moderate (level 3) Rating System
Group size: 18 guests plus your guides, Sam and Anna.
Summary
Escape the hustle and bustle of city life and rejuvenate your spirit on this 3-day, 2-night trip to two of South Dakota’s most iconic landscapes!
Intro
Custer State Park, in the Black Hills of southwest South Dakota, covers 71,000 acres of pristine nature. At 7,242 ft, Black Elk Peak is the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and the Pyrenees Range in Europe! Summiting Black Elk Peak is not for the faint of heart, but this pristine getaway is perfect for anyone looking to truly get in touch with nature. Our loop hike is approximately 7 miles with almost 1,500 ft elevation gain.
Badlands National Park consistently exceeds visitors' expectations. The dramatic landscape is home to a wide variety of wildlife including bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, coyotes, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets. It's also a hotbed of fossils and rocks for amateur and professional paleontologists and geologists. Backpacking and camping in this rugged terrain is the best way to get up close and personal with this dramatic landscape.
Itinerary
Day 1 morning
Friday, August 2, 2024
7:30am meet at the Great Outdoor Store for gear check.
Stop at the Missouri River Rest Area near Chamberlain
Enjoy scenic views, Lewis and Clark exhibits, and the magnificent 50-foot-tall "Dignity" statue
Day 1 midday
Drive 2 more hours then enjoy a stop at Wall Drug. Feel free to get lunch or enjoy the packed lunch you brought.
Wall Drug consists of a collection of cowboy-themed stores, including a drug store, gift shop, several restaurants, and various other stores, as well as an art gallery and an 80-foot brontosaurus sculpture. Fun for all ages!
Day 1 afternoon/evening
Drive 2 more hours, including a portion of the Needles Highway, to beautiful Sylvan Lake within Custer State Park.
We'll camp in the Sylvan Lake Campground. Optional activities include a swim at the beach or a 1-mile hike around Sylvan lake.
We'll enjoy the fresh air, great friends, a nice campfire, and the beautiful night sky!
Dinner: Backpacking meals at the campground
Day 2
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Hiking day!
We can travel light since we won't be carrying any overnight gear.
We'll get an early start (5:00am wake-up!) and hike 3.5 miles on Trail #4 to the summit of Black Elk Peak. Estimated summit time of 8:30am. After enjoying the views, we'll hike down 3.5 miles on Trail #9 to return to Sylvan Lake, arriving around 11:00am.
After packing up, we'll enjoy lunch at the Sylvan Lake Store.
After lunch, we'll drive 2 hours to Badlands National Park. With fully loaded overnight packs, we'll hike 3 miles on the prairie from the Conata Picnic area trailhead to "Deer Haven" which is an alcove in the formations which includes a grove of Juniper trees. The hike is mostly flat until the moderate climb up into Deer Haven.
You are free to climb around wherever you'd like, but don't climb up anything you wouldn't be willing to fall back down!
Set up camp amidst the Juniper trees. After a backpacking meal dinner, we'll search for wildlife and fossils. Enjoy the fresh air, a beautiful sunset and the amazing night sky. Sleep in your tent or try “cowboy camping” out under the stars while viewing the Milky Way!
Plan B:
If the forecast for the Badlands is too hot or stormy, we might choose to camp in the Black Hills again tonight. The east side of the French Creek Natural area within Custer State Park is lovely and we can camp right along the creek after a short hike and a couple of creek crossings.
Day 3
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Enjoy a leisurely morning.
Pack up, making sure to Leave No Trace and hike 3 miles back to the van.
After a short drive, enjoy lunch at Wall Drug!
Head home to Sioux Falls, arriving early evening.
What Makes Black Elk Peak so Great
The things that make Black Elk Peak so challenging are also what make it so great. The trail is somewhat rugged, but easy to follow as you hike past granite rock formations and Ponderosa pine trees.
Keep an eye out for mountain goats and a variety of bird species in this breathtaking setting!
Who's Going to Love It
If you love a good backcountry adventure, put the Black Elk Wilderness on your list!
Helpful links:
Backpacking in the Black Elk Wilderness
Deer Haven - Badlands National Park
OutdoorProject.com - Deer Haven
Maps
What Makes the Badlands Great
Backpacking through the Badlands, you can’t help but feel in awe of the desolate and untouched wilderness. Far from civilization, it’s one of those places where you can truly feel like you have room to breathe while you take in a famous Badlands sunset.
On clear nights, you will be able to experience the Milky Way Galaxy arching over the southern skies. Until electricity became widespread over 100 years ago, every human enjoyed unspoiled views of the night sky. Today, because of the negligible light pollution near the Badlands, you too can witness this glorious sight.
#Vanlife
What’s Included and provided:
Instruction and guiding throughout the entire trip. 3 days, 2 nights
Campsite and park entrance fees
Round-trip transportation in a large rental van.
Gear:
Tents (2-person tents unless otherwise noted)
Sleeping Bags
Backpacks
Sleeping pads
Cooking gear (stove and fuel)
Group first-aid kit
Water filter
Instead of a 5-star hotel, you get a 5-million star view!
Requirements
Sense of adventure!
Cheerful and flexible attitude :-)
Able to hike up to 10 miles per day through rough, uneven terrain.
Guest packing list:
Bring a packed lunch for the first day, snacks for the road trip and the trail, breakfast of your choice for two days (oatmeal, granola bars, etc.), 2 freeze-dried backpacking meals and money for 2-3 meals
"Pathfinders" Bandana
Small backpack to carry water, snacks, and a jacket for the Black Elk Peak hike. This can be the same bag as you use for personal items in the van.
Hiking shoes/boots
Merino wool socks
Spare socks
Hat to protect from the sun
Clothing
Clothes to hike in
Clean clothes to sleep in
Clean clothes for the ride home
Sunscreen (small container)
Toiletries, personal items, medications (could include sleeping aids, painkillers, allergy meds, etc.)
Portable cell phone charger
Optional items:
Small pillow (I have some you can borrow if needed)
Headlamp or small flashlight (I have some you can borrow if needed)
Lightweight camp shoes/sandals
Lightweight chair or stool (I have some you can borrow)
Lightweight mug (I have some you can borrow)
Sunglasses
Insect repellant
Lightweight rain jacket
Hiking stick or trekking poles
Phone charger
Camera
Hammock
Swimsuit
What NOT to bring:
Negative attitude
Speaker (allow those around you to enjoy the sounds of nature)
Not Included
Transportation to our group meeting point: Great Outdoor Store, Sioux Falls, SD
Insurance of any kind
Items of a personal nature
Payments:
Payment link here: Deposit link
Questions? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions.
More questions? Email Sam Anderson sam@605adventure.com or Anna Gette events@greatoutdoorstoreonline.com