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Guided Night Hikes in the Black Hills National Forest
Hiking is one of my favorite things to do in the Black Hills. It's easy to do almost any time of the year, you don't need any fancy equipment, the views are amazing and you never know what you're going to come across while you're walking. And then there's the bit about it being both exercise and fun - any combination like that rates pretty high in my book. But having lived in the Black Hills for many years, I'm always trying to find new hikes. I mean, you can't knock the classics (the hike up Harney Peak and along the Flume Trail are practically annual rituals), but it's always fun to discover something new. Enter the folks at the Black Hills National Forest. They've created a great program called Moon Walks.
Finding A Hotel in the Black Hills
Last week I got into a discussion with a colleague at work about some hotels and resorts around Rapid City. I mentioned some out-of-the-way places - I think my exact words were, "isolated mountain lodges." The response? "We don't really have any... do we?" After mentally smacking my forehead, I quickly ran through a list of them in my mind. I think I did a good job of getting through the conversation politely - and without any more head-smacking, mental or otherwise - but it did get me to thinking about the types of accommodations in the Black Hills. I've decided there are three types:
Blue Man Group in Rapid City on April 17
Blue men, red-haired clown, Black Hills. It's enough to make you green with envy. Yeah, I know: yuk yuk yuk. I'm not going to win any joke awards, but seriously, one morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas... Fortunately, the Blue Man Group is going to be in Rapid City in a few weeks, and I understand they're much funnier than I am. I considered seeing them in Las Vegas last year, but didn't get the chance. I'm glad for another opportunity - I've heard nothing but good things about their show.
Black Hills Road Construction Update
Spring is finally here, and the warmer temperatures bring with them all kinds of opportunities to play outside. They also bring opportunities to work outside, and road construction crews in the Black Hills are beginning to do exactly that. The good news is that there isn't any major road construction scheduled on the scenic drives in the Black Hills themselves. Most of the work is limited to Interstate 90, where it won't slow you down too much. The speed limit is down to 55 mph (from the normal 75 mph) in the construction zones, and you may be down to a two-lane road in a couple of spots. Overall, though, you shouldn't have any trouble finding your way around the Black Hills this summer. Here are the four major highway projects you may see during your vacation:
Norbeck Scenic Byway Goes Online
If you've been to Mount Rushmore, you've been on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway - even if you didn't know it. The 68-mile highway is a giant loop that extends south from everyone's favorite granite presidents, cutting through Custer State Park, the Needles, the Black Elk Wilderness Area and the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve. Of course, if you're in a hurry to get to Rushmore, snap the obligatory picture and move on, you can easily miss all of these places. Which is a pity, because they make up some of the most beautiful scenery along one of the best scenic drives in the Black Hills. Even the highway itself is attractive, having been carefully planned around the curves of the hills and forest. The lanes even split every now and then to make way for ancient pine groves, and elaborate pigtail bridges preserve the natural terrain. It was made intentionally winding to keep traffic slow. "To do the scenery half justice, people should drive 20 or under," said Peter Norbeck, the politician and conservationist who plotted the road from horseback. "To do it full justice they should get out and walk."
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