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Vale, South Dakota

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  • Vale, South Dakota

    Hike the Sacred Steps of Bear Mountain

    4.2
    3.5 mi / 1200 ft gain
    Bear Mountain or Mathó Pahá as it's called by the Lakota peoples, is the leftover remnants of an ancient volcanic plug. The mountain weathered away, to leave the harder igneous formation, for which plains tribes have been coming to for sacred communication with their Creator for 10,000 years. Thi...
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  • Deadwood, South Dakota

    Bike the George S. Mickelson Trail

    5.0
    108.8 mi / 2300 ft gain
    Biking the George S. Mickelson Trail is a very popular activity for many people in the Black Hills, locals, visitors, and tourists all enjoy the Mickelson Trail.  Not only can you bike, but you can run, walk, or even ride horses, and you most definitely do not have to do the entire length of the ...
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  • Lead, South Dakota

    Hike to Mt. Roosevelt Tower

    0.8 mi / 160 ft gain
    To get to the trailhead for Mt. Roosevelt, you will need to travel about a mile north of Deadwood, on HWY 85, then you will see signs for it near the Lodge of Deadwood, from there you will eventually hit a gravel road and it is about 2.5 miles from the highway. The trailhead has picnic tables, an...
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  • Spearfish, South Dakota

    Hike around Lookout Mountain

    4.5
    2.4 mi / 860 ft gain
    To get to the trail for Lookout Mountain there are 2 trailheads. One trailhead is just a few blocks from downtown on Nevada St., the other trailhead is on the East side of town. This post is using the Nevada St. Trailhead as the starting point. From this trailhead to the top of Lookout Mountain i...
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  • Spearfish, South Dakota

    Explore the Frozen Waterfalls of Spearfish Canyon

    5.0
    There are a multitude of frozen waterfalls throughout Spearfish Canyon. Some require a short hike and others can be seen from the road. This adventure will describe how to access the three largest frozen falls.Take Spearfish Canyon Highway south out of the town of Spearfish SD. After roughly 6 mi...
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  • Spearfish Community Caves, South Dakota

    Hike to the Community Caves

    4.5
    1 mi / 300 ft gain
    Community Caves is located in the scenic Spearfish Canyon, on Highway 14A, about 2.7 miles from Spearfish (once you turn off of Colorado Blvd).  There is a large pull-off area on the right (west) side of the road and then the trail, which is not marked at all, is on the opposite side of the pull-...
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  • Black Hawk, South Dakota

    Hike Botany Canyon

    5 mi / 807 ft gain
    After reaching the trailhead, the first couple miles are forest service road. You'll want to follow the main FSR, do not branch off onto any of the smaller dirt roads. The turn off to go down into the canyon is very easy to miss. It will be on your right hand side after a small patch of trees, th...
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  • Lead, South Dakota

    Hike to Devil's Bathtub, Black Hills National Forest

    5.0
    1 mi
    Before you start this adventure, make sure you're wearing shoes that will not be ruined by crossing creeks. There are several stream crossings so wear waterproof boots or sturdy hiking sandals (I prefer my Original Universal Tevas or my KEEN Whisper Sandal).  The pull off to start the hike is abo...
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  • Spearfish, South Dakota

    Cross-Country Ski the Big Hill Trails

    13.6 mi / 300 ft gain
    From Spearfish, head south on Tinton Rd. for roughly 8 miles. There will be a large parking lot to your right with a pit toilet and an information kiosk. The actual trail head is across the road from the parking lot. There are four different loops in the system all of varying difficulty and lengt...
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  • Lead, South Dakota

    Camp at Hanna Campground

    0.25 mi / 0 ft gain
    The campground is located 7.5 miles south of Lead on Highway 85, then turn left on road 196, there will be a sign for Hanna CG, from there it is just over 2 miles to the campground. The campground has 13 total sites, the main area of the CG is closed during the fall winter and spring, but there a...
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  • North Lawrence, South Dakota

    Spearfish Falls

    1.6 mi / 60 ft gain
    This is a super short and very easy hike that has an incredible payoff. It is an out-and-back trail that is accessible for all skill levels. The trail slowly descends along a path that varies between paved sections and very well-groomed gravel leading to an observation deck of a super scenic wate...
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  • Lead, South Dakota

    76 Trail

    1.24 mi / 499 ft gain
    The '76 Trail is only 3/4 of a mile long but elevates 1,000 feet, making this hike difficult for many. Plan to take a couple breaks but admire the gorgeous surroundings! The hike is not a leisurely one but the views at the top are well worth the effort.
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  • Lead, South Dakota

    Hike the Roughlock Falls Trail

    4.0
    4.2 mi / 50 ft gain
    The trailhead to Roughlock Falls is in the town of Savoy, SD in the Black Hills. From Spearfish on I-90, head south on Route 14 for 15 miles into Savoy. There is only one road to make a right onto in town, Roughlock Falls Road. You can cheat and drive this all the way up to the falls for a quick ...
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  • Rapid City, South Dakota

    Hike the Deerfield Lake Trail to Slate Creek Convergence

    5 mi / 60 ft gain
    The Deerfield Lake trail is overall 23 miles long, but this post is just about the section of the trail that starts at Silver City where Rapid Creek flows into Pactola Reservoir, and follows the creek upstream to where Slate Creek converges, about 2.5 miles from the trailhead. You could follow th...
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  • Rapid City, South Dakota

    Fly Fish from the Rapid Creek Trailhead

    2 mi
    To get the the trailhead for Rapid Creek you must turn to the east onto Pactola Basin Road or FS road 164 when on Highway 385 crossing the Pactola Reservoir. The road down to the trailhead is steep and can be rough depending on the time of the year. Once at the trailhead there is a parking area, ...
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  • Rapid City, South Dakota

    M Hill

    1.56 mi / 381 ft gain
    M Hill is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Rapid City, South Dakota.
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Go Great Places in South Dakota

In the Mount Rushmore state, travels to South Dakota are full of one-of-a-kind adventure with wide-open spaces as endless as the horizons. Between legendary landscapes and scenic drives, you can always find space that shifts life into park. When you’re ready, go great places.

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Camping and Lodging in Vale

Deadwood / Black Hills KOA Holiday
Lead, South Dakota

Deadwood / Black Hills KOA Holiday

Spearfish / Black Hills KOA Holiday
Spearfish, South Dakota

Spearfish / Black Hills KOA Holiday

Rapid City / Black Hills KOA Holiday
Rapid City, South Dakota

Rapid City / Black Hills KOA Holiday

Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch
Hill City, South Dakota

Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch

Under Canvas Mount Rushmore
Keystone, South Dakota

Under Canvas Mount Rushmore

From $199 / night

Iron Creek Horse Camp
Custer, South Dakota

Iron Creek Horse Camp

Guides, Insights and Stories from Vale

3 Epic Days in Rapid City

3 Epic Days in Rapid City

CampCo

Tour De Granite

Tour De Granite

Isaac Parsons

Black Elk Peak-Nic

Black Elk Peak-Nic

Isaac Parsons