From wooded trails to rugged peaks, the Black Hills hiking trails have it all. The diverse terrain of the Black Hills can make deciding on the perfect trail a challenge. In my search for the best hiking trails in the area, I came across a tool that might just make your decision making a little easier.

EveryTrail.com is a free and useful resource that allows you to connect with others who share similar interests in travel and outdoor activities.  To view the most popular hiking in the Black Hills area we searched “Hiking in South Dakota.” Here we found a large list of hiking trails that were selected based on user reviews, votes and mobile downloads.

Our favorite feature of the site is the interactive trail map. The easy-to-read map provides you with slideshow images of the area and detailed descriptions of each hikes.  Clicking into statistic mode charts the trail’s elevation step by step.

For our tech savvy readers EveryTrail.com allows you to take the map with you. Just sign in and add each trail to your favorites and they will instantly appear in your smartphone app. The free app also makes sharing your trips even easier.

This is a timely discovery: The weather last weekend was amazingly warm. Mid-70s on Saturday and Sunday. It’s definitely time to lace up the hiking boots and get out into the Black Hills.

Wind Cave National Park recently grew by more than 5, 500 acres. Now it’s time to plan what to do with the addition.  The addition was arranged by The Conservation Fund, a non-profit dedicated to protecting important places across America, when they acquired the ranch land at auction from the Casey family.

The addition is to the park’s southeastern edge and includes a 1,000-year-old buffalo jump. Native Americans hunted buffalo on this land over a thousand years ago. In addition there are Native American teepee rings and other cultural sites.

Officials have begun planning how the public will access the acreage, and they would like public input.  They are also seeking advice on what type of visitor activities should take place and if and where a visitor facilities should be constructed.  The first meeting will be in Custer on Tuesday, March 13th at the Pine Room in the Custer County Courthouse.  The public is encouraged to attend and help determine the scope of the environmental issues and alternatives to be addressed in the plan.

If you have comments and ideas for the project and are unable to attend the meetings, please mail them to the park superintendent at Wind Cave National Park, 26611 U.S. Highway 385, Hot Springs, SD 57747 or CLICK HERE to leave your comments online.

If you think that the snow-covered granite spires and frozen waterfall would sideline Black Hill climbers for the cold winter months, think again! These winter conditions provide climbers with an exciting challenge for all experience levels. The easy access and virtually no risk of avalanches makes the Black Hills an ideal location for the sport of ice climbing.

We have the inside scoop on the best locations.  If you are looking for a warm-up rout, Bridal Veil Falls is the tallest of the Spearfish Canyon routes and is normally a less-than-vertical climb.  For more of a challenge, head farther down  Spearfish and find steep, free-standing columns of ice at Community Caves.

If you are heading to the Southern Hills, check out Honey Bear near Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. And just north of the park you will find the Black Hills’ tallest ice climb on the back side of Harney Peak, which is the highest peak east of the Rockies.

The right gear is important to making ice climbing safe and fun.  There are gear shops and businesses that cater to the sport of climbing. They can help you get started — before you hit the ice.

Researchers with the Forest Service and the School of Mines are keeping the location of the 770-year-old pine tree a mystery.  Rosa, as they call her, probably began her life in the year 1241.  After surviving wildfires, droughts and pine beetles, the tree is still alive. The Forest Service finds the tree so valuable that is it going above and beyond to protect her from the pine beetle.

Back in 1972, beetles killed the Giant of Herbert Draw, a 122-foot-tall ponderosa pine that was estimated to be 400 years old.  Modern-day chemical technology is going to give Rosa a different fate, we hope. Forest Service Public Affairs spokesman Frank Carroll said in December that the agency is using two chemicals to protect this Black Hills treasure.

Rosa is not just an old tree. She is a living storehouse of valuable information about the history of the Black Hills.  She holds information about climate, the frequency of fires, natural disasters, and most important frequency of bug invasions.  Her DNA along holds a wealth of information on how an organism can survive that long.

The pine beetle isn’t the only threat the Forest Service is protecting Rosa from. Forest Service officials worry that vandals could also put Rosa’s life at risk.  That’s why they agency won’t reveal the tree’s location.  From her secret location she will continue to generate valuable information for generations to come.

Here’s the most interesting part: As special as Rosa is, she’s likely not alone. There could be dozens of 700-year-old trees scattered around the Black Hills.

If you have plans to hit the open roads and motorized trails in the Black Hills this year, be sure to pick up your 2012 Motorized Trail Permit and Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM).  An annual permit is $25 per calendar year or $20 for 7 days. The 2012 permits must be displayed in order to ride legally on the motorized trail system. You can purchase you permit at Forest Service offices, outlets, and online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/blackhills.

It is important to know which Black Hills roads and trails are designated for motor vehicle use.  The MVUM for the Black HIlls National Forest is the official and legal document that displays the National Forest System (NFS) routes or areas designated as open to motorized travel. It also displays allowed uses by vehicle class, seasonal allowances, distance allowances, and provides information on other recall rules and regulations.

Built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Hardy Ranger Station has joined the long list of Black Hills landmarks to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Consisting of two log cabins an a log-maintenance barn, the station was used by the Forest Service for numerous tasks over the years, including fighting fires, managing timber sales, regulating grazing rights and improving forest access. It seems like it also served as a branch campus for Black Hills State University in the 1980s.

The station is located one and a half miles south on O’Neil Pass in the Black Hills National Forest. The structure is recognized by the National Register for its rustic-style architecture, which was a popular style in park setting in the 1930s.

During the Great Depression, the CCC was a New Deal program to put men to work, but the work they did in the Black Hills continues to benefit us today. If you’ve fished at Horsethief Lake near Hill City, stoody atop  the Harney Peak lookout tower near Custer or toured the Norbeck Visitor Center in Custer State Park, you’ve seen the benefits of their work.

Peggy Sanders, an area historian and writer, estimates that there were about 50 CCC camps in the Black Hills during the program’s nine years — 1933 to 1942. By the way, there is a great museum just outside Hill City that tells the story of life in the CCC camps.

The state historic preservation officer and director of the State Historical Society told Black Hills Fox News that properties listed on the register are important for the preservation of South Dakota’s culture, heritage and history. Buildings, sites, structures and objects at least 50 years old possessing historical significance may qualify for the National Register. Properties must also maintain their historic location, design, materials and association.

By the way, the South Dakota National Register of Historic Places has a flickr account with photos of some 300 South Dakota landmarks, including the Hardy Ranger Station.

This year’s Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo was truly a success.  With more than 333,000 attendees, the event numbers shattered the 2009 record.Rushmore Plaza Civice Center GM Brian Maliske credits the turnout to the top rodeo talent, solid organization and strong agriculture economy. Other say them most important factor is one we can’t control — the weather.  The mild temperatures made travel easy across the region and allowed ag people to leave their cattle.

If you’ve never been to the stock show, it’s worth a visit. For one thing, every nook and cranny of the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is filled with vendor booths. And it’s not all cattle chutes, saddles and hay balers. Some of the best Western artists in the world set up shop at the Black Hills Stock show. You can also find clothing, furniture, food and consumer goods. Also, you get to walk among the animals in Rushmore Hall. It’s fun, especially for kids, to see up close a massive bull getting his coat brushed out for the show ring. In the arena, you can watch some of the top rodeo competitors battling their four-legged foes.

It’s snowshoe season in the Black Hills. With thousands of acres to explore, the Black Hills National Forest is a great place to take part in this relatively inexpensive winter sport. The 60 miles of trails are designated for shared cross-country and snowshoe use, and if you are feeling extra adventurous there are endless numbers of new trails to breakthrough.

If designated snowshoe areas are more your style, “trek” out a section of the 109-mile Mickelson Trail. There are 15 trailheads with amenities, and this trek is sure to be family fun for all ages and experience levels. To sample the diverse landscapes of the area, we recommend the picking a section of the 111-mile Centennial Trail. Running from Bear Butte Lake to Wind Cave National Park, this scenic trek is full of wildlife.

Don’t have your own gear? Not a problem. The Mickelson Trail office, on the road to Terry Peak, has snowshoes you can borrow to give the sport a try. In addition, rental shoes are available in numerous locations through out the Black Hills. Sporting goods stores, ski resorts and lodges provide a variety of shoes from traditional type to smaller, newer models. Rental fees start around $15 making snowshoeing one of the most affordable ways to get out and enjoy the beauty of the Black Hills this winter.

If your new to the area or would just like an expert’s advice, many lodges and resorts offer guided trips. Several snowshoeing events are hosted throughout the Black Hills such as the Walk in the Park: Snowshoe on the Mickelson Trail this weekend in Lead.  No experience is needed, and shoes are provided. For a full list of snowshoeing events in the Black Hills visit travelsd.com/Events.

Happy trekking!

With our rich history the Black Hills area is sure to bring some true treasures to the table.

Rapid City is listed as a 2012 stop along with Boston, Cincinnati and Seattle, and it will air as part of the 2013 broadcast season.

The show will be taped at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center and will feature about 70 appraisers who cover more than 20 different categories. Keep in mind there are a few items they do not appraise, including coins, currency, stamps, vehicles, glass fire extinguishers, explosives or hazardous materials.

If you are seeking instruction on the value of your antiques or just want to see what all the hype is about, tickets are free but must be obtained in advance. Each ticket holder will receive free verbal appraisals of up to two items at the event so don’t show up empty handed. For more information about tickets and rules visit pbs.org or call 888-762-3749.

Fred and Suzi Dow, publishers of ForestCamping.com recently visited the Black Hills National Forest. They were captivated by the beauty that we are fortunate enough to witness every day.  ForestCamping.com is a comprehensive website for camping in national forests and grasslands. It provides detailed information to campers looking to experience the great outdoors.

Because of their experience, the Dows have featured Black Hills National Forest on their welcome page with detailed up-to-date campground information, photographs and things to do. The site provides viewers with a window into the Black Hills and all the beauty they hold. The Black Hills were among 155 national forests the Dows researched.

The information they provide on their makes it a perfect place to start planning a trip to the Black Hills. The Dows say a unique feature that visitors can take advantage of is the number of campgrounds located conveniently close to the area’s parks and monuments.