Black Hills SD Traveling Morgans

Destination Dentistry in the Black Hills

Destination Dentistry is Recommended by the Traveling Morgans for any dental needs in the Black Hills. They treated us like family. It is truly a case of world class dentistry meeting small town values. After being their customer the previous summer, we actually traveled here to get dental service from someone we trusted when we left California the following summer.

Sylvan Lake

Needle's Eye on Needle's Highway

The scenery of the Black Hills is stunning.

It is easy to understand the Lakota Sioux attachment to their sacred Black Hills.

Natural stone carving is seen through out the Black Hills.
Above ground naturally carved stone formations are best seen in Spearfish Canyon (4 sections down),
in Custer State Park, especially the Sylvan Lake area (right) and Needles Highway,
and on Iron Mountain Road.

Underground carving is seen in several caves, notably Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park. Note that the above ground part of Wind Cave National Park is as wonderful as the underground, and the wildlife there is as great as anywhere in the Black Hills.
There are also several privately owned commercial caves.

Human story telling in stone on a monumental scale (below) is at its best in the Black Hills.

The Black Hills extend into Wyoming (below) and the area of Devil's Tower National Monument (coming).

A scenic drive that should not be missed is the Peter Norbeck Scenic Drive. This drive includes the Needles Highway (pictures right) and Iron Mountain Road (picture in next section). It will go to Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and through the town of Keystone and through parts of Custer State Park. Allow plenty of time to stop and enjoy. On Iron Mountain Road, you will see Mt Rushmore through every tunnel. If it is not in front of you, look the other way.

We will recommend also taking the Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park.

Story Telling in Stone

The Black Hills is known for human attempts to create stunning scenery. This is sometimes called Story Telling in Stone, and in the Black Hills, it is on a Grand Scale. Most people consider these attempts to be quite successful.

The impact on the mind of three tunnels framing Mt. Rushmore (left) when traveling the Iron Mountain Road is generally disbelief.

The largest completed sculpture in the United States is here, Mt Rushmore.

Mt. Rushmore is already dwarfed by the Crazy Horse Monument (right). All of Mt. Rushmore would fit in the head of Crazy Horse. A Night Blast is done twice a year at Crazy Horse, and is a sight you will not forget.

1880 Steam Train

An old steam train gives an introduction to the stunning scenery of the Black Hills. The 1880 Train (left) runs from Hill City to Keystone.

At times the engines are double-headed with a string of passenger cars. Most of the time there is one engine (left)

The compound articulated engine at right is really two steam engines in one.

Bicyclist passing view of Harney Peak about 5 miles south of Mystic trailhead going toward Hill City.

Phyllis with Roscoe and Harpo at old railroad tunnel about 1 mile south of the Mystic trailhead.

Michelson Trail

Another old railroad, eventually a part of the Burlington Northern, was important to the Black Hills during the mining hey-day.

The Michelson Trail follows this old historic railroad line for over 100 miles. With its limited grades, it is good for walking or a bicycle trip (left, with Harney Peak in the background). There is a fee that can be paid at the official trail heads or the Custer Chamber of Commerce. You will find interesting geology and fantastic scenery (below, Little Devil's Tower) and old railroad tunnels (right) plus get insights into the Black Hills, such as small scale mining that is still in operation(below).

Michelson Trail,view of Little Devil's Tower

All Michelson Trail pictures were taken within five miles of the Mystic trailhead going south. The ghost town of Mystic is 12 miles north of Hill City on Mystic Road.

See Sylvan Lake for the Little Devil's Tower Trail information.

The Centennial Trail is another good walking trail. You can download Black Hills Nation Forest trail maps.

Spearfish Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Little Spearfish Canyon

Roughlock Falls

Spearfish Canyon

Do you like waterfalls and rock formations in a deep canyon?

There is good hiking in this area, and very scenic driving on main and back roads.

Spearfish Falls (left top, movie here)

and Bridal Veil Falls (left second, movie here) are on or near the main road.

Little Spearfish Canyon is wonderful (third left).

Roughlock Falls (bottom left) is up a gravel road in Little Spearfish Canyon.

Wyoming Side of the Black Hills

The Black Hills extend into Wyoming.

Grand Canyon Road has a name that tends to make one think it is in Arizona. We were curious about the name and have driven the very interesting and poorly documented road and its connecting roads multiple times. Grand Canyon Road has many interesting sites, including an unpublicized natural bridge (left).

Devil's Tower National Monument, (right), the first US National Monument, is on the north west edge of the Black Hills. More on Devil's Tower at a later time when we create a Wyoming section.

Weather

The Black Hills have extremes of weather. From winter at 30 below zero and heavy snow even in May (left) to severe thunderstorms with hail (below) in summer. Where there are summer storms, there are also rainbows (right).

For the most part, spring, summer and fall in the Black Hills are wonderful. Summer temperatures are quite moderate. You should see the current weather forecast below.

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