Earlier this summer we wrote about the Black Hills Forest Service MoonWalks with, Black Hills National Forest Moon Walks; no dance experience necessary…

Well, we just want to give you a quick update and highlight one of the most unique MoonWalks of the season, on Saturday, July 16 south of Hot Springs the Forest Service will host a MoonWalk at the Nature Conservancy’s Whitney Preserve. The walk, with an educational twist, is made even more unique because it will feature the changes that have been made to the Whitney Preserve since the Alabaugh Fire. The Alabaugh Fire occurred in 2007 burning 10,324 acres, as it destroyed 33 homes, killed one resident, and forced two firefighters to take refuge in a fire shelter.  The 2 mile roundtrip hike climbs 400 feet in 1 mile uphill over uneven terrain to the top of the ridge providing beautiful views of the land once devastated by the fires.

Speakers  for the evening will include May Goulet, author of Cascade of Flames and one of the residence who’s house was lost in the fire; and Al Stover of Wind Cave National Park, formerly of the SD Division of Forestry who worked first hand with Alabaugh Fire in 2007.

Walkers should meet at 7:00 p.m., to reach the Moon Walk site travel south of Hot Springs on Highway 71 for 8.2 miles. You will pass Cascade Springs Picnic Area at 7.9 miles.  Turn right just past the main house parking area and travel 0.4 miles to the guest house parking area. Signs will be posted at major intersections to direct visitors to the site.

This is a one of a kind experience to gain a first hand and first account view at one of nature’s most destructive powers and how she reinvents herself, and how those effected recover after a disaster of this magnitude, definitely a Black Hills experience you don’t want to miss!

The Southern Black Hills are full of nervous excitement, anticipation, and a slight hairspray haze; this week as 14 outstanding young women from across the state; as well as hundreds of fans and supporters converge on Hot Springs to find out who will be crowned the next Miss South Dakota America.

This will be the 65^th year the pageant has been held in Hot Springs; the longest running pageant site in Miss America organization history. “There is no other place in the country that treats their contestants with such kindness, hospitality and graciousness. From welcoming homes hosting the contestants to local business support, the whole community makes being part of the Miss South Dakota Pageant a pleasure and a truly one of a kind experience” Said Callee Bauman Wachter, Miss South Dakota 2006.

Not only will contestants gain the experience of vying for this coveted title, they will also have the opportunity to experience all that the Hot Springs community has to offer; with tours of the Mammoth Site, a trip to Evan’s Plunge, and a chance to visit with the residents of the South Dakota Veterans’ Home—contestants and visitors alike will have the opportunity to enjoy all the welcoming hospitality that Hot Springs has to offer. The Miss South Dakota pageant has become a mainstay event within Hot Springs with virtually the entire community playing some roll in the week’s festivities; and who could ask for a more beautiful backdrop, than that of Hot Springs.

“When I drove into Hot Springs for the first time as a rookie competitor, I saw photos of all the contestants in virtually every business window in town; the sight gave me goose bumps. I am amazed at how much support this small town shows to the Miss South Dakota contestants year after year. Their hospitality, kindness, and support made my Miss South Dakota experience unforgettable,” says Alexandra Hoffman, Miss South Dakota 2008.

Miss South Dakota 2011 will be crowned Saturday Night June 25^th at the Muller Civic Center in Hot Springs with preliminary competitions held Thursday the 23^rd and Friday the 24^th, all competitions are open to the public and we look forward to finding out who will spend the next year representing our great state as Miss South Dakota and go on to compete for the title of Miss America.

Good luck to all the contestants. And congratulations to both the Miss South Dakota Organization and the Hot Springs community on 65 years of successful Miss South Dakota pageants; here’s to many years of continuing this cherished tradition.

Imagine my surprise this weekend, when one of my college friends from Iowa sent me a picture message of a beautiful Black Hills landscape and a caption that read “…Saw this IN IOWA, made me miss you and the beautiful Black Hills, when can I come visit again?…”
She wasn’t in the neighborhood—not even close, In fact she was at LeMars Ice Cream Days in LeMars, IA; but she was standing next to the  Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes Road Trip Road Show rig that had traveled to LeMars Ice Cream days to participate in the festivities.

The custom wrapped jeep and trailer display a few the Black Hills adventure  possibilities in the pictures on the rig; but it also packs big fun, travel information, and some great prizes (from what I hear) for people in the cities it travels to, encouraging all to take the great American road trip to the Black Hills.

The rig and crew spent this past weekend between LeMars and Sioux City, Iowa participating in parades and events—they even got a taste of “home”, reminiscent of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, with the Awesome Biker Nites in Sioux City. The Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes Road Trip Road Show rig and crew have been busy traveling, everywhere from Colorado to Pennsylvania and everywhere in between; they bring the Black Hills to cities all around the country and in turn, hopefully make the residents of those cities travelers as they come to visit us in the Black Hills.

So be sure get your picture with the rig if you see them, and post it to their facebook page,  give them a “like” to keep up with all their travel adventures. And be sure to give Nort and the piloting crew a big high-five from us for a job well done and many miles logged!

See you on the road!

This weekend the city of Deadwood will commemorate the life and times of its most notorious resident, Wild Bill Hickok; with its annual Wild Bill Days.
The weekend-long celebration will take place in Deadwood June 17^th-19^th;  events include: a firearms and old west auction, cowboy fast draw competition, the Texaco & Dana Dental Arts Country Showdown, DockDogs Big Air Competition, and each night will cap off with free concerts right on Historic Main Street.

Friday night’s concert will feature Brock Finn starting at 6:30 and the Bellamy Brothers at 8:00. On Saturday Main Street will be rocked by Startz N Endz kicking things off at 5:00, Brock Finn at 6:30, and the “Pick-up Man” himself Joe Diffie will take the stage at 8:00. The events are open to all ages and chairs can be set up in advance on Main Street for the concerts; but do the Deadwood PD a favor and only set them up in the designated section. There is of course standing room as well and all seating is first-come-first-serve, so be sure to get to town early to stake out your spot!

Check out the full schedule of events and get more information here.

Great news for iPhone users: the Black Hills Mobile App is now available for free in the Apple App store. iPhone users can access information on Black Hills attractions and activities, each of the 6 national parks and 6 national monuments in the area, and find Black Hills accommodations and services, along with contact information for over 450 area businesses. Users can also get information on camping facilities and tips on hiking and trails around the area.

“It brings everything ‘Black Hills’ right to your fingertips, anytime, anywhere; this is an asset to Black Hills visitors and residents alike,” said iPhone user and Deadwood resident Danielle Osloond. “It’s a great weekend planning tool! I can check the deals going on at my favorite restaurant in Rapid City and plan my hike in Spearfish Canyon, all in one place.”

The new Black Hills app is a cooperative effort between the Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes Association and the American Park Network – publisher of Oh Ranger Park Guides. With the creation of the app the Black Hills join the modern technological movement with the likes of other iconic national parks such as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Both of which also use the Oh Ranger Gateway App program as their mobile platform.

The good news for the rest of us (cough…non-iPhone, Smartphone users…cough) is that word on the street is the Black Hills App might soon be available for the rest of the Smartphone universe. And I personally hope so, and SOON, because this app would be a great addition to my Blackberry!

Check out a the new Black Hills App at the iTunes store now!

If you’re around Ellsworth Air Force Base on Saturday (June 4) be sure to not only turn an eye to the sky but join our service men and women on base for the 2011 Dakota Thunder Airshow.

Dakota Thunder will feature more than 20 aerial and ground demonstrations of master pilots from across the nation.  The air show is a fun-filled, thrilling display for people of all ages; and the best part is that it is totally free to the public, not to mention a great way to spend the day outside with family and friends.

This year marks South Dakota’s 100^th year of aviation. Aerial and ground events are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Ellsworth officials offer a few basic tips to attendees:

– Air show visitors will need to use either the Liberty or Bismarck Gates to enter and exit the air show.
(See map)

– Sun protection, including hats, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants are recommended.
Wear comfortable footgear. The air show area is paved, and visitors may walk long distances.
Don’t forget to wear sunscreen.

–Pictures are encouraged; autograph time with performers will also be available.

–Children’s’ strollers and wagons will be hand-searched at the entrance to the air show. Plan to bring only necessary items in small diaper bags. Please note that everything is subject to search at the gate to the air show, due to security protocol.

– Food vendors will be available onsite.

–Visitors are encouraged to bring some form of hearing protection along; the same hearing protection you would use at any event that is extremely loud, aircrafts will be taking off, landing, and flying low in the area.

Get out and enjoy this early summer weather and the talents of some of the nation’s most skilled aviators. Visit the Dakota Thunder webpage for a list of the full events, as well as a more detailed outline of tips for first time air show attendee, as well as a list of security procedures.

To see the full 188 photos compilation, visit the Library of Congress website.

Check out the full story: Here

John C. H. Grabill, might not initially ring a bell to most; but chances are, if you have taken any interest at all in historic photos of the Black Hills area, you have experienced the work of this brilliantly mysterious man.

Little is known of the life John C. H. Grabill; most famous for his 188 photos of Black Hills area taken from 1886 to 1891, only kept on record because Grabill sent copies of the photographs  to the Library of Congress, in Washington, DC; to establish copyright. And even then, those photographs were not accounted for, for over 100 years; after being lost deep within our Nation’s largest library’s archives system.

Most of the content that historians have been able to put together on the life of Grabill has come from his iconic photos of the Black Hills. Pieces documenting everything from the settlement of Western Dakota Territory, to the gold rush, the introduction of the railroad, records of the pivotal leaders of the Lakota people, and the modern technologies of the era; Grabill not only documented the life of the Black Hills in that time, he also documented and provided what little is known of his own life through this collection.

Grabill first came to the Black Hills in 1886, opening a photography studio in Sturgis, through 1891. He added studios in Hot Springs, Lead and Deadwood. Grabill spent 5 years in the area documenting its people and culture, before closing his studios and returning to Chicago.  This is where his story becomes unclear; after his move back to Chicago in 1891, historians can tell that Grabill opened a photography studio in Chicago, but there is no existing record of John C.H. Grabill after 1894. No tax records, no sales records, no record of any published photographs, not even a certificate of death.

We don’t know what happened to John C. H. Grabill, but it is easy to find deep appreciation for his work. His photographs tell the stories of the men, women, and events that made the Black Hills what they are today. Grabill very literally gives us the closest thing to a firsthand look into a very formative time in the Black Hills, the locations and structural subjects of many of his photographs can still be found in the area today, and many of the people he photographed lived to be just as legendary as the pictures taken of them.

Although John C. H. Grabill seems to have faded into the strands of time, his photographs stand as a testament   to his accomplishments; and will burn brightly for generations to come.
Check out Grabill’s collection of Black Hills photography on the Library of Congress website.

Looking to get out and enjoy the great outdoors in the Black Hills this summer; maybe looking for a fun, unique experience with family and friends? Well has the Black Hills Forest Service has got a deal for you!

It’s time again for the Black Hills National Forest’s annual MoonWalks to begin; no dance experience necessary.  This isn’t Michael Jackson’s version of the moonwalk folks. These MoonWalks are a fun and interesting way to experience all the beauty of the Black Hills at twilight, and by moonlight. Park rangers take you through a guided hiking tour of fire lookout towers, lost mining towns, beaver dams, caves, and more for a one of a kind view of the Black Hills.

The Black Hills MoonWalk program began in 1996 as a way to introduce people to the distinctive ecosystems of the region, and cultivate an understanding and appreciation for the beauty and resources the Black Hills park system has to offer.

Over 12,000 people have enjoyed the MoonWalk program in its 15 year existence, averaging about 100 people per walk. And the best part about it: The Moon Walk program is a 100% free good time!

So, go check out the Black Hills National Forest’s informational website. Single, white sequin gloves: optional.

2011 MoonWalk Dates—

Black-backed Woodpeckers: May 21, 2011
Forest Wildflowers: Jun 18, 2011
The Nature Conservancy’s Whitney Preserve: Jul 16, 2011
USFS Mule Pack String: Aug 13, 2011
Gold Mountain Mine: Sep 10, 2011

Although these bikes can’t be heard with revving engines throughout the Black Hills, there’s no lack of a soundtrack to this good time.

Speaking of course, of the annual Black Hills Fat Tire Festival; a four-day extravaganza right here in a mountain biker’s paradise: The Black Hills of South Dakota. From May 27 to 30 mountain bike enthusiasts from across the country will flock to Rapid City to take in all the picturesque beauty and adrenaline-spiking trails the Black Hills have to offer.

This year’s festival will feature four different types of mountain biking excursions, a host of several different race types, music and a film festival, along with great food. And of course who could forget the BEER? (With a name like the FAT TIRE Festival: not this girl!)

The festival seems to have excitement around every turn. With bands like Somewhat Slim and The Lonely Rangers featuring Kenny Putnam playing, it’s almost a good-time guarantee!

So secure your cycling shoes, get your registration filled out, and get ready for a good time; the Black Hills Fat Tire Festival is coming to us Memorial Day weekend. For details on times and places and races and such, check out the Black Hills Fat Tire Festival website.