Over the weekend, the weather was sunny, 60 degrees and peaceful. It was perfect for some Black Hills exploring. On weekends like that, my family tends to just get in the car and go. We don’t know where we’re going, but we’re on our way.

Early Saturday afternoon, we found ourselves on Calumet Road, a well-traveled gravel road northeast of Hill City. Now, I’ve explored a lot of different areas of the Black Hills, but every time I see a new turnout or trailhead, I still find myself saying, “Pull over! Let’s see where that one goes.” Out the window and up the hill, I saw a really unique rocky summit that I wanted to check out.

So, we pulled the car into a little roadside parking area and up we went. Straight up. We headed for the rocky area about a hundred yards up the hill. On our way to the top, we crossed over a well-worn path, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. After all, there are trails and paths scattered all over the Black Hills region.

The area was absolutely beautiful! The pines were dark green and were a striking contrast to the bright blue sky and the remaining snow that still covered parts of the ground.

There were large boulders scattered around, many of them covered in an almost florescent green moss that looked like it had been thriving all winter long. Black capped chickadees were flitting around and were surprisingly brave. They’d get within just a few feet of us as they chirped and chased each other around some of the fallen trees in the area.

The view from the top – incredible! You could see for miles and it was all natural. There was not a house, vehicle or town anywhere in sight. It was absolutely one of the most pristine, untouched areas of the hills that I had been in for quite a while.

We spent some time in this peaceful area and snapped a few pictures, then headed down and went on our way.

It wasn’t until later that evening, when we got back home, that curiosity got the best of me again. I started flipping through some Black Hills trail guides and maps and discovered that the “well-worn” path that we had crossed was actually part of the longest hiking trail in the hills – the Centennial Trail. The little parking area where we had left the car turned out to be the Centennial Trail’s Flume trailhead.

What had started out as just another random, roadside stop, turned out to be something much greater. We’ll definitely go back to that place and explore more of the Centennial Trail from there.

Here’s how I think of it. The Black Hills are one giant, outdoor playground and we are all the energetic kids at recess.

Be curious. Go off the beaten path. Explore constantly. The wonders of the Black Hills are out there – just waiting for you to go play.