Day 5: The Black Hills

Spent the day visiting the Black Hills, north of Wind Cave NP. The highlight of the day was a hike to the summit of Black Elk Peak, the highest point in South Dakota, along with detours to the Cathedral Spires and Little Devil’s Tower, all in one big loop. The trail starts in Custer State Park, then transitions to the Black Hills National Forest, and provides expansive views of the surrounding Black Hills. After the hike I spent a while doing various scenic drives in the area - sections of the Needles Highway, the Iron Mountain Road and the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway - before returning to Wind Cave and ending the day with another sunset hike. At the trailhead a curious bison decided to check out my car, and I had to wait for it to move away before I could sneak out of the car to get on the trail.