It’s an early morning in early May, with the promise of a warm day just beginning to waft in the breeze, as I start walking the trail to M Hill in Hanson-Larsen Memorial Park behind Founders Park in Rapid City. Up the hill I go, and in only a few minutes the promise of a [...]

I’m looking up at a somewhat moth-eaten buffalo, with a saddle to match perched behind his hump, and wishing Halley’s Store was open today.  Even saddled up, the buffalo looks somewhat alarming – despite being stuffed, dead and inexplicably positioned on the sagging front porch of Keystone’s oldest continuous business. And there are quite a [...]

It’s sunny and warm in beautiful downtown Sturgis. But I’m not walking downtown; I’m walking behind downtown on the bike path along Woodland Park. A few minutes earlier on this mid-March morning, my drive along Junction Avenue into Sturgis still whispered “motorcycle rally.” On one side is the refurbished Best Western, with its new restaurant, [...]

If you’re into the outdoors, but can’t decide between winter sports and summer fun, don’t worry. In the Black Hills at this time of year, you can do both. “We actually had some members who golfed on Wednesday and skied on Thursday,” said Rob Kortan, head professional at the Spearfish Canyon Country Club. The scenic [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

“OK, I get it.” That is the thought that runs through my mind as I drive Hwy. 85 along Spearfish Creek toward Trailshead Lodge. The road surface is clean and dry, but piled a minimum of three feet on each side is snow. Big, white swooping swathes slope up and away from the road. Fallen [...]

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 [...]

Some of the best Black Hills fishing is right after the ice is out, according to Dennis Cummings, manager at the Rooster Bait Shop in Rapid City. And, while there is probably six more weeks of ice fishing, for those ready to “think spring,” Cummings offers some tips that will improve your chances of reeling [...]

Although winter is still upon us — in fact, more snow is headed our way this week — it’s not too early to start thinking about summer. The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks announced that you can now reserve a campsite for Memorial Day Weekend, which starts May 25 this year year. [...]