Roubaix Lake Black Hills National Forest Write a Review
The Near Magical Natural Wonder in All of America – Behold the Black Hills.
Of all the magical natural places I've traveled to in America (and beyond), the Black Hills National Wood tops the listing.
Maybe it's just the dazzling stone formations, cute pine forests, incredible wildlife, mesmerizing magic hr, and insane amount of recreation opportunities that exist here. Or possibly it's more than but that…
There's something almost spiritual about this place (just ask the native tribes who've lived hither for virtually 10,000 years).
Sure the air is well-baked, the forests are vibrant, and the state is serene, but there'due south something intangible about the Blackness Hills that you just have to experience for yourself.
You tin can experience the magic of this place.
So, to properly capture the essence of the Black Hills, we partnered with S Dakota to create a breathtaking motion-picture show on the forest.
The results are, well, magical.
Near Our Travels to the Black Hills National Forest
My first trip to the Blackness Hills was about a decade ago during a road trip with my blood brother Jim (pictured to a higher place) and some friends across America. We stopped into the region, like many folks practice, for the sole purpose of seeing Mountain Rushmore.
RELATED: 15 HELPFUL Tips for Visiting Mount Rushmore (Things to Do + Photos)
Rushmore was interesting but the real star of the show was the Black Hills National Forest. We were hooked. Since that trip we've returned many times, culminating (finally) in a to certificate the forest in partnership with the state and the United states Forest Service.
We decided to feature the Black Hills during the fall season largely due to the scenic foliage displays that happen during this time of twelvemonth.
Black Hills National Wood Guide
Near the Black Hills National Forest
Situated in western Southward Dakota, the Black Hills National Forest comprises 1.ii million acres of unparalleled beauty. Rising far above the surrounding prairie, the Blackness Hills even contains the tallest peak e of the Rocky Mountains.
Boasting over 13,000 acres of wilderness, 1,300 miles of streams, 450 miles of hiking trails, and two national scenic byways, it's no wonder why then many consider the Black Hills a recreation paradise.
Recreational Opportunities
- Horseback Riding
- Mount Biking
- Climbing
- Fishing
- Hunting
- OHV Driving (ATVs, Clay bikes, etc)
- Hiking
- Camping
- Canoeing (kayaking, boating, motors, etc)
- and so much more than
Things to Know Before You Visit the Black Hills
Map: We utilize this ane.
Guide: We love this 1.
Downloadable Visitor Guide (courtesy USFS)
Entrance Fees: There are no entrance fees to get into the Black Hills National Forest. This is pretty typical for national forests. Some areas are designated fee areas simply generally no fees are required hither.
If yous'd like to exist on the safe side you tin purchase the America the Cute Pass (which can be constitute at the entrance gates to nigh national parks or online here). This laissez passer gets you into all National Parks, Forests, Monuments, and more including 2,000 sites for free after a one time $79 fee (almanac pass).
Sunscreen: For many of u.s. visiting national forests in the summer means lots of sun. Seriously, some of these parks can zap you if yous don't wear sunscreen. Nosotros happen to like this ane because it works AND it's not total of a bunch of chemicals.
Go out No Trace: We're big fans of Leave No Trace, hither at MTJP. Want to learn more? Read near the seven principals of Leave No Trace here.
Insect Repellent: Yous hope not to need information technology, but y'all want to have information technology. We typically bring an Eco-Friendly Insect Repellent with the states just in case.
Dogs are allowed on national forests including the Black Hills.
Details About the Black Hills National Forest
Location: Western South Dakota & Eastern Wyoming
Closest City: Spearfish, Rapid Metropolis (among others)
Established: February 22, 1897
Size: 1,253,308 acres
Native Country: Arapaho, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Kiowa-Apache, Lakota, Omaha,
Entrance Fees: Free
Blackness Hills National Forest Maps (4)
Bear Lodge Ranger Commune Map
Northern Hills Ranger Commune Map
Mystic Ranger District Map
Hell Canyon Ranger District Map
Where is the Blackness Hills National Wood?
The Black Hills National Forest is located in Western South Dakota over 4 different ranger districts featuring different topography.
Ranger Districts
- Bear Lodge Ranger District
- Northern Hills Ranger District
- Hell Canyon Ranger Districts
- Mystic Ranger District
Getting to the Black Hills – Directions & Location
The Black Hills National Forest is massive at over a one thousand thousand acres. Getting to the forest depends on which part you're trying to access.
Closest Aerodrome (Rapid City): RAP – Rapid City Regional Airport (distance – 20 miles from the Mystic Ranger District)
The best way to get to the Black Hills is typically flying into Rapid City (RAP) and driving to the wood.
Depending on which part of the forest you are trying to visit will determine the drive fourth dimension just typically somewhere from 30 minutes to the Mystic & Northern Hills Ranger Districts and about to xc minutes to the Comport Lodge Ranger Commune.
RELATED: xx (INCREDIBLE) Things to Exercise in Badlands National Park 2021
Watch Our Award-Winning Blackness Hills Video
Virtually the Black Hills Video
This film was created by the team at More Only Parks in partnership with Travel South Dakota in an effort to adequately capture the essence of the Blackness Hills National Forest.
In the making of this film nosotros hiked most every trail, traversed nearly of the roads, rode horses, collection ATVs, went line-fishing, filmed hunting, boated, camped, biked, and then much more.
The pic features the fall season because we experience similar that's the most impressive season in the forest.
RELATED: xiv Breathtaking National Park Videos to Inspire Your Next Trip
Seasons & Weather condition
The conditions on the Black Hills National Forest is pretty variable with 4 very distinct (and wonderful) seasons.
Spring is rainy but vibrant, summer is hot and dry with the occasional awe-inspiring thunderstorm, Fall is cool and colorful, and Winter is cold and snowy.
Best Time to Visit
The best fourth dimension to visit the Blackness Hills National Wood is during Fall when the park is cool just not cold, crowd sizes are down, and the foliage is shocking.
I recommend visiting between late September and mid-Oct for the all-time adventure at seeing peak autumn foliage.
Black Hills Seasons
Jump on the Blackness Hills National Forest
Spring is a pleasant and vibrant time to visit the Black Hills with all the deciduous copse slowly coming back to life.
As a rule of thumb, the after into Spring the better the weather condition volition be which means more attainable forest recreational opportunities.
Summer on the Blackness Hills National Forest
Summer is a not bad flavor to visit the Black Hills. Temperatures are warm but commonly not too hot given the acme. The total armory of recreational activities are available during Summer which makes information technology a dandy time to visit.
Summer is the nearly popular time to visit the forest and so crowds will be up simply still nowhere shut to what you will run into in the national parks.
Fall on the Black Hills National Woods
Fall is the best time of year to visit the Blackness Hills National Forest. The leaf here is unexpectedly (at least to me) hitting. The Spearfish Coulee region has especially beautiful colour.
Temperatures are down and so are crowds as kids render to school and vacation season winds downwards.
RELATED: x+ Must Run into National Parks This Fall (A Stunning Guide)
Winter on the Black Hills National Wood
Winter is common cold and snowy on the Blackness Hills National Forest. If yous love winter sports then you can find plenty of great wintertime recreation opportunities all over the wood.
All-time Things to Exercise On The Black Hills National Wood
1. Saddle Up & Become Horseback Riding
Ane of the almost popular and iconic activities in the Blackness Hills is horseback riding. Goose egg feels quite so right for the setting or the western landscapes as soaking in the beauty via horseback.
Our favorite horseback riding vendor is Elk Haven which y'all'll see featured here and in our Black Hills picture show.
2. Hike To the Highest Point In South Dakota, Black Elk Peak
Blackness Elk Summit (formerly Harney Peak) is the highest indicate in all of South Dakota at 7,244 feet elevation. Hiking to the elevation is a wonderful way to see the best views in the Blackness Hills.
Distance: vii.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,469 feet
Time Required: 4-5 hours
Exist sure to pack plenty of h2o and snacks for the trail. The trail starts off in coniferous forests crossing a small creek earlier ascending above the tree line upwardly a series of rocky stairs. The lookout tower is usually open and is a site to behold.
Notation: This trail is primarily on the Black Elk Wilderness which is the highest level of protection on federal lands. Tread lightly and practice Leave No Trace.
iii. Try Your Manus at Some World Class Fly Fishing
The Blackness Hills National Wood is home to some of the all-time pocket-sized stream fly fishing on the planet with over 500 miles of streams. Rainbow, beck, brown, and tiger trout are generally the types of fish y'all'll notice in these streams.
The setting amongst the epic canyons of the Black Hills makes for a magazine-esque experience.
A few of the best places to fly-fish are:
- Spearfish Creek
- Castle Creek
- Rapid Creek
- Box Elderberry Creek
- Sand Creek
For more line-fishing information visit Dakota Angler.
4. Soak in the Views (& History) at Mount Roosevelt Friendship Tower
For the history buffs and fans of the hit HBO show, Deadwood, the Mount Roosevelt Friendship Tower will have special significant for yous. This tower was built by the famous Deadwood Sheriff, Seth Bullock, as a tribute to his good friend Theodore Roosevelt.
The tower was built in 1919 and is still standing stiff today, albeit with a few structural improvements over the years.
5. Check Out The Aureate Mountain Gold Mine
The Gold Mountain Mine gives visitors a glance into what life might accept been like every bit a Black Hills prospector. This site is meaning as it is the merely remaining gold mining site in the Blackness Hills.
Visitors can drive right up to the mine which has a few interpretive signs describing its history in greater particular. Please do non attempt to climb the structure.
6. See the Stunning Spearfish Falls
Spearfish Falls is an 80 human foot waterfall located on the Spearfish Creek that is frequently overlooked past folks as signage is lacking and the falls are not visible from the main route.
To go to the falls, visitors should park at the Latchstring Restaurant and look at the end of the parking lot for the trailhead. The trail is simply about .8 miles long round trip and descends gently into the coulee leading to the falls.
7. Bulldoze the Incredibly Scenic Highway 16 Through the Black Hills
Highway 16 is an incredibly scenic drive that winds through the eye of the Blackness Hills National Forest. From the road you lot can see epic overlooks of the granite spires that rise out of the coniferous forests.
Several tunnels perfectly frame Mount Rushmore in the distance (past design). This is a lovely area to escape the Rushmore crowds and soak in the full dazzler of the forest.
Where to Stay – Camping & Lodging
Camping & Campgrounds
The Black Hills National Forest is home to 30 adult campgrounds with 682 individual campsites. The woods too has 1 rent-able cabin.
Central Hills / Rapid City
- Blackness Fox Campground
- Castle Acme Campground
- Deerfield Reservoir Complex
- Custer Trails Campground
- Dutchman Lake Campground
- Whitetail Campground
- Ditch Creek Campground
- Pactola Reservoir Circuitous
- Pactola Campground
- Sheridan Lake Circuitous
- Sheridan Lake Southward Shore Campground
Northern Hills / Spearfish
- Boxelder Forks Campground
- Dalton Lake Campground
- Hanna Campground
- Rod & Gun Campground
- Roubaix Lake Campground
- Steamboat Rock Picnic & Tent Camping ground Area
- Strawberry Picnic & Tent Camping Area
- Timon Campground
Northwestern Hills / Sundance
- Bearlodge Campground
- Cook Lake Recreation Area
- Reuter Campground
- Sundance Horse Camp
Southern Hills / Custer
- Beaver Creek Campground
- Bismarck Lake Campground
- Comanche Park Campground
- Grizzly Bear Campground
- Horsethief Lake Campground
- Iron Creek Horse Camp
- Oreville Campground
- Red Banking concern Springs Campground
- Willow Creek Horse Camp
For more than near camping ground on the Black Hills visit the USFS camping folio.
Lodging
Unlike many National Forests, there are no lodges located on the Black Hills National Forest. At that place is one rent-able cabin withal – for more than info on it visit the USFS cabin page.
If you're looking for a hotel, there are a plethora to choose from inside a stones throw from the forest. Rapid City, Deadwood, Keystone, and Spearfish are all groovy towns with lots of hotel beds.
Driving on the Black Hills
Some forests are designed for 4WD vehicles due to the sheer amount of roads they have to maintain and their relative remoteness. The Blackness Hills is more of an AWD or even 2WD national forest.
Don't get me wrong, if y'all have a 4WD vehicle in that location are *some* spots where it will come in handy. But, by in big the roads are great in the Black Hills.
Blackness Hills National Woods Photos
Photos of the Black Hills National Wood
Nearby Attractions
- Wind Cave National Park
- Badlands National Park
- Custer Country Park
- Jewel Cavern National Monument
- Buffalo Gap National Grassland
- Mount Rushmore
That'southward a wrap folks! Hopefully you feel like you've got a good handle on your next trip to the Black Hills National Forest. Please leave me a annotate below and let me know if you accept any questions or comments.
Promise to come across y'all on the trails sometime soon!
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Why Listen to Us About the Black Hills National Woods?
You should probably know that we don't just brand this stuff up out of thin air. Nosotros've spent our unabridged adult lives exploring and filming America's national parks and public lands.
We've worked with the National Park Service, the Section of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and bug.
Our piece of work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people exterior of our firsthand family phone call us national parks experts.
We're Jim Pattiz and Volition Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers.
Our goal here at More than Than Only Parks is to share the beauty of America's national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an try to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
If you'd like to follow along our journey nosotros'd be delighted to have you!
And a bonus! Tips for Visiting a National Forest
Allow Systems and Reservations
Check to see if the national forest y'all're visiting has a allow or reservation organisation in identify before visiting. Equally public lands become increasingly crowded more than has to exist done to safeguard them which means controlling the hundreds of millions of people who visit these places each twelvemonth.
Popular national parks & forests with reservation systems of some kind include Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, Rocky Mountain, Glacier, Arches, Acadia, Denali, and more than.
Desire Less Crowds? Try another National Woods!
Try visiting a national woods while you lot're on your trip to avoid the crowds. There are 155 national forests in America, many of which are equally as beautiful equally the national parks they neighbour and simply run across a fraction of the visitors.
For example, endeavor the Flathead National Forest next to Glacier National Park, the Bridger-Teton side by side to Chiliad Teton, and the Dixie which borders nearly all of the Utah National Parks.
Practice Safety, Seriously
National forests and parks are amazing only wild places so it is essential to exercise basic safety while visiting them. Every year people dice while vacationing in national parks. This is easily avoided past:
- Sticking to trails
- Checking the weather before going out on a hike
- Maintaining a safe distance betwixt wild animals which means at to the lowest degree 25 yards from most wild animals and 100 yards from predators
- Avoid ledges with steep drop offs
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Source: https://morethanjustparks.com/black-hills-national-forest/
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