I was starting to panic. It's September and, although days are still warm, summer is ending. Probably sooner than later, and I haven't done enough summer stuff. Last summer I hiked up to Devil's Bathtub and went for a swim. It was the highlight of the season. See my post from 6/8/2021 "The Early Bird Gets...Wet (Back to Devils Bathtub)." I haven't had that kind of a highlight yet this year so I decided I'd better get busy and do what I had intended to do all summer but never got around to it - go for a long hike into the Black Elk Wilderness area of the Black Hills National Forest. Last Saturday was the perfect day for it with a forecast of mid 60s for the high temperature and mostly cloudy. I got up early, stopped by a garage sale to pick up some records, and arrived at the trailhead shortly after 10 a.m.
I had never hiked this part of the Black Hills before and was pretty excited about the possibilities. I wasn't disappointed. The trail guides you through dense forest and steep rock formations with an elevation gain of about 600 feet at the highest point. The first mile is almost completely uphill with some uneven rocky sections and the entire trail is almost 6 miles roundtrip so it's not easy. Bring plenty of water, snacks, and wear good shoes. You'll enjoy great views and impressive rock formations.
You'll come across many good areas to rest. Several offer good cover from the hot sun if you decide to make the trek on one of those uncomfortably hot days like we've experienced this summer.
There are some interesting sights along the way, in addition to some amazing views. I believe this was the beginnings of an old mica mine which apparently didn't pan out.
I saw the remains of several lightning-struck trees. At least I assume that's what they were. I don't believe they were remnants of a fire that covered any significant ground as there were no others in the same vicinity showing signs of charring. I thought this one was cool because it looked to me like a hand with one finger pointing to the sky.
Another highlight for me was encountering several groups of Boy Scouts (with a few young girls also mixed in, which I was happy to see and found encouraging) on a hike to Mt. Rushmore. I had a chance to talk to some of the scout leaders who said they were camped at Medicine Mountain Scout Camp a few miles away. One of the activities during the annual campout is a "pilgrimage" hike. This year it was to Mt. Rushmore. It brought back some wonderful memories of when my wife and I were scout leaders and attended the annual Medicine Mountain event with our son and other members of our local troop.
I will now tell you about another encounter along the trail. When hiking in the Black Hills there is always a chance you will encounter wildlife at some point. Most likely deer, possibly elk and very rarely a mountain lion. It is also quite possible to come across a snake or two on or off the trail. Perhaps like this one -
I'm not sure how I spotted it. It was completely still and silent. But I do try to be very aware of my surroundings when alone in nature and it caught my eye as I passed by. It looks a lot like a rattlesnake but could possibly be a harmless bull snake. The picture isn't great due to using the manual zoom on my camera so I wouldn't have to get too close, and then snapping the picture with an unsteady hand. I'm leaning toward it being a rattler. To quote Indiana Jones, "I HATE SNAKES, JOCK! I HATE 'EM!" Me too, Indy. Me too.
Roger O'Dea 9/11/2022
