The trails at Sylvan Lake provide some of the best views in all of South Dakota’s Black Hills. Hike the easy and flat 1.1 Lake Shore Loop around Sylvan Lake, and add in the 3.1 mile Sunday Gulch Loop for a fun but challenging hike past a creek with several small waterfalls and then up into the mountains of the Black Hills. Other trail options also include Little Devil’s Tower, my favorite viewpoint within the Black Hills, and Black Elk Peak (formerly known as Harney Peak) which is the highest point in elevation east of the Rocky Mountains. The trail to Black Elk Peak gains 1350ft, making it a tough trail. Little Devil’s Tower is shorter with less elevation, but involves a significant rock scramble at the end. There is also a spur trail to Cathedral Spires, a unique set of towering rocks.
Oberg Mountain is a 2.5-mile loop hike with a gradual elevation gain of 500ft. This is a relatively easy hike with amazing views around the entire loop of the surrounding hills, Lake Superior, and Oberg Lake.
Caribou Falls is an approximately 1-mile out-and-back hike, off of MN-61 between Tettegouche and Temperance State Parks. This is a subtly marked hike, meaning that although it is just a short distance away from the scenic highway that runs along Lake Superiors shore, you just might get to enjoy this waterfall by yourself. Enjoy the peacefulness of the Caribou River along your hike to the falls.
Vacation Ideas to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park - Plan a trip for your family.. This post includes favorite hikes, places to visit, and ideas on where to camp.
Peekaboo is a short beautiful slot canyon near Kanab (not to be confused with the Peekaboo Slot Canyon in Escalante). This canyon does require an off-road vehicle to get to the trailhead, but Peekaboo is an easy 1-mile hike once you get there. For anyone without an off-road vehicle, consider renting an ATV/UTV from Kanab, or hire a guide, like All Ways Adventure to take your family out there.
Belly of the Dragon is an amazing manmade water culvert under US-89 that is being carved slowly into a slot canyon by the water moving through the sandstone. Although it’s just a water culvert under US-89, this is a cool, free place to stop and spend 20-30 minutes on the way to Zion National Park from Kanab.
I’m very much still a beginner, so this is an intro to an intro on what canyoneering is, who and how to book canyoneering experiences with guides, and how to book trainers to teach you the basics needed to canyoneer on your own. Obviously, this isn’t for everyone, but if you are looking to add a lot of adventure to hiking, canyoneering is the way to do it! My best advice is to hire people to take you out or to teach you before you go out on your own. I’m not sure how you would learn everything you need to by just reading or watching videos. We had some fantastic experiences with Forged Guides and All Ways Adventure.
Hiking up to the Moqui Caverns (Kanab Sand Caves) along US-89 requires a relatively short walk but a steep scramble up a sandstone cliff. These caverns are manmade from the 1930s and are remnants of a sand mining cave. The caverns are covered in graffiti, but still offer beautiful photos when the sunlight enters towards the late afternoon / early evening hours.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is a unique place to explore nearby Zion National Park with minimal crowds despite its beauty. Explore the sand dunes by foot, rent sand boards to sled down them, or schedule a UTV tour to drive over them. This is an awesome park to spend 1-2 hours at with young children.(in a non-summer month).
Yes, sledding down sand dunes is a thing, and it’s just as fun if not more than snow sledding. Check ahead to see if you can rent or buy a sled near the dunes. If not, buy both a plastic snow saucer sled and some snowboard wax. Cover the bottom of the sled with wax before each time down the sand dune. Easy peasy and a ton of fun!
Red Reef Trail is a stunning hike within the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, about 30 minutes northeast of St. George, UT. This hike is a relatively easy 1.7-ish mile out-and-back trail that includes pictographs and Moki steps for anyone with a bit of extra courage. There are also preserved three-toed dinosaur footprints accessible from the same trailhead.
Pioneer Park is a city park in St. George. Although it has no playground, swings, or ballfield, this is one of the coolest city parks we’ve ever been to with slot canyons, arches, Moki steps, and amazing rocks to explore through, under, over, and around. There aren’t trails at Pioneer Park - this is a full out rock scrambling adventure. Bring water to drink and plan to spend a few hours.
Anyone looking for a place to cool off during the summer months near St. George, UT, might consider swimming and / or cliff jumping at Sand Hollow State Park. This is a relatively quiet but stunning state park with crystal clear water. This might not be the place for younger families however, as reservoirs may have places to wade, but the rocks end abruptly with drop-offs into extremely deep water.
The Yant Flat Candy Cliffs are a relatively secret and secluded hike in the Mojave Desert near St. George, UT. This is a relatively easy hike, minus the sandy trail and desert heat extremes. To get here, take the road from Leeds, and pack plenty of extra water. Prepare to be amazed after the relatively boring and unassuming trail.
Kanarra Falls is a moderately easy out-and-back 3.6 mile hike to a slot canyon that features 4 waterfalls. The first mile is mostly along a jeep road, followed by a half mile with lots of creek crossings. The last third of a mile of the hike is in the slot canyon, and requires hiking through the water. Wear hiking boots or water shoes that can get wet, and bring at least one hiking pole to prevent falls due to unstable rocks in the moving water. Also wear sunscreen and bring extra water to drink as the first mile of the hike is quite exposed to the sun.
For a non-hiker, a day at South Dakota’s Custer State Park could include an early morning drive through the wildlife loop. Then drive along Needles Highway, stopping for pictures at each pullout. Enjoy the afternoon at Sylvan Lake - stroll around it and then rent canoes. Head to Mt. Rushmore before the sunsets and enjoy the lighting ceremony.
Hikers may want to start the morning at wandering around the Sunday Gulch Trail, then cool off at the beach in Sylvan Lake. Enjoy an evening drive around the Wildlife Loop. A second morning could be spent driving along Needles Highway, and parking at the Cathedral Spires trailhead. Scramble up to Little Devil’s Tower, and then hike up to Black Elk Peak. Enjoy the evening at Mt. Rushmore.
When planning a trip to the Black Hills, realize that some of the world’s longest and densest cave systems in the world are underfoot. Both Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park are phenomenal places to experience. Caves require tours, which fill up quickly, and require some pre-planning. Additionally, both caves within the Black Hills have been infected with White-Nose Syndrome, and our mosquito-eating friends need us to take special precautions of ensuring clothing and footwear are limited to only one cave entrance, ever. Please plan accordingly to care for our bats.
Hippie Hole is a fantastic swimming hole off the beaten path in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This short 0.6 mile out and back hike is moderately difficult just due to the rock scrambling needed on the return trip back up to the parking lot. There is a rope to use for anyone brave enough to try cliff jumping. Even in the middle of the summer, expect the water to be extremely cold.
Exit I90 at Spearfish, South Dakota and head down the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway for a day of waterfall hikes. Rock Scramble up to Community Cave to find a secret small cave and waterfall. Take pictures of Bridal Veil Waterfall from the road. Go swimming and slide down the rocks at Devil’s Bathtub. Enjoy short (less than a mile) hikes to Spearfish Falls and Roughlock Falls along well maintained wooden boardwalk trails.
After a day at Custer State Park, visit Mount Rushmore just before dusk. Take pictures in the daylight, watch the movie at the visitor center, and walk along the Presidential Trail. Attend the lighting ceremony (in the summer months), and enjoy the monument as the sky darkens. There is a café at the memorial, which is open until 6:30pm.
The trails at Sylvan Lake provide some of the best views in all of South Dakota’s Black Hills. Hike the easy and flat 1.1 Lake Shore Loop around Sylvan Lake, and add in the 3.1 mile Sunday Gulch Loop for a fun but challenging hike past a creek with several small waterfalls and then up into the mountains of the Black Hills. Other trail options also include Little Devil’s Tower, my favorite viewpoint within the Black Hills, and Black Elk Peak (formerly known as Harney Peak) which is the highest point in elevation east of the Rocky Mountains. The trail to Black Elk Peak gains 1350ft, making it a tough trail. Little Devil’s Tower is shorter with less elevation, but involves a significant rock scramble at the end. There is also a spur trail to Cathedral Spires, a unique set of towering rocks.
While Ely, MN, may be best known for its entry location into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA), there are also two nearby state parks, an International Wolf Center, and one of Minnesota’s prettiest waterfalls. Bear Head Lake State Park offers canoe, kayak, and paddleboard rentals in addition to hiking trails, while Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park offers tours of the state’s first and deepest iron mine. Tours include riding a cage down almost a half mile into the mine and then taking a train out to the last excavation site. For another option into BWCA closer to Lake Superior than Ely, enter near Tofte, along Sawbill Lake.
