South Dakota: Centennial Trail Northern Terminus at Bear Butte State Park

South Dakota: Centennial Trail Northern Terminus at Bear Butte State Park

8/12/23 – 2.9 Miles

On Saturday morning, Nancy shouldered her pack and continued her journey on the Centennial Trail. My new plan for the rest of my time in South Dakota included meeting her and her hiking buddy, Lynne, on Monday morning for the final push to the northern terminus - the summit at Bear Butte State Park. 

Again, what’s in a name?

The Lakota call this sacred mountain Mato Paha (Bear Mountain). Many Native Americans see Bear Butte as a place where the creator has chosen to communicate with them through visions and prayer. (Like many sites, there are sacred prayers cloths along the paths.) The geological term “butte” is an isolated hill with steep sides and a small, relatively flat top. So the white English settlers’ name that we all know is Bear Butte.

I hurried to get to the park ahead of our rendezvous time, but Nancy and Lynne had started walking at o’dark-thirty and entered the parking lot at the same time I did. They regaled me with stories of rain, mud, an early dawn patrol on maneuvers as the trail passed by Fort Meade, and cows that didn’t want to give the right-of-way. Those two hiked more than 50 miles in 2.5 days! An affirmation that we each made the right decisions for ourselves.

Lynne, me and Nancy – here we go!

Being aware of the weather forecast is essential – you don’t want to be on Bear Butte when thunderstorms and high winds come rushing across the plains. Being mindful of intense summer heat is also important. For a Centennial Trail thru-hiker, planning for a morning summit is the wisest choice. 

Lynne dumped some of her pack weight at the car and I carried a daypack,

but Nancy was fully loaded and on a mission

The Summit Trail curves around the east/north side of the mountain and then switchbacks steeply to the top on a narrow path of loose rock. I knew going down would be challenging, but the blue sky and puffy clouds and long views lifted my heart up.

Bear Butte Reservoir and campground below

Trail hugging the mountain

Sentinel tree

A wide flat platform at the top

We cruised triumphantly back to Rapid City, stopping for sodas and snacks, and dropped Lynne at her hotel. I had booked an Airbnb for the next two nights, so Nancy and I cleaned up and walked downtown for beer and food. We took the scenic route back and met some interesting fellows.

Do you know what Rapid City’s most popular attraction is? Presidential statues on every corner, created by different sculptors, each life sized and depicting some aspect of his life/service to our country. (Read all about them here and here.)

Nancy gives a high five to Barack Obama.
I'm so grateful for these adventures with my friend!

“If we can somehow keep alive a spark
 of adventure, then any expedition becomes
 more than a journey through wild country.
It becomes a shining challenge
 and an adventure of the spirit.”
 ~The Lonely Land by Sigurd F. Olsen

South Dakota: Centennial Trail - The Plan & Arrival Day

South Dakota: Centennial Trail - The Plan & Arrival Day – 6/4/23

Raise your hand if you’ve got a bookmarked list of long hiking trails, the stuff of yearning, sauntering off into the wild with a clear weather forecast, a loaded backpack and a light heart. Many of those adventures are in the “daydreaming-only” category, some are in the “maybe-someday” category, and probably two or three are in the “I-must-do-this” category. The rankings are very scientific: how does hearing the name of that trail make me feel?

The Centennial Trail in South Dakota caught my attention in 2022, in an area of the U.S. that I’ve never visited. It stretches 124 miles between Wind Cave National Park in the south and Bear Butte State Park in the north, traversing Black Hills National Forest, the Black Elk Wilderness, and Custer State Park. Fun fact: the trail passes within one mile of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

The varied terrain of prairie grasslands and Black Hills High Country intrigued me, and roaming buffalo and prairie dogs sounded pretty cool. As I read more about the history of indigenous peoples in the Black Hills, I felt the pull of the land beyond the CT. I began planning a thru-hike with extra days to explore the southwest corner of South Dakota.

I highly recommend the book Hiking Centennial Trail, 2nd Edition, and the Hiking SD Centennial Trail Facebook page as invaluable resources. *NOTE: There is also a Centennial Trail in Idaho/Washington State – if you want to go, make sure it’s the right one!

A 9-day solo backpacking trip was a stretch for me and I was determined to channel Eleanor Roosevelt to “do one thing every day that scares you.” BUT when my good friend Nancy East expressed interest in joining me, I thanked the universe for giving me an experienced, good-natured, certified search-and-rescue partner for the journey. My hubby Jim was glad too!

The night before our departure, Nancy and I spent a couple of hours making final decisions on gear – what can we do without? We’d each shipped a food resupply box ahead to the midpoint, but otherwise this was a hike with few options for second thoughts.

I carried more than the usual trail jitters with me to the airport. We checked our bags of hiking gear and listened to announcements as our direct flight to Rapid City was delayed (more time to stir up those jitters.)

Finally – here we go!

Well, we arrived in Rapid City but my backpack didn’t come through baggage claim – what? Texts came from the airline that my bag would be on a “future flight.” In fact, it was winging its way to Dallas, TX because who the heck knows why?

I became flustered, and Nancy was very helpful in calmly tracking the bag (new meaning for “search-and-rescue”). Its estimated arrival time to Rapid City: 9:00 pm.

We will not be starting our hike today.

Our shuttle driver, Jon, picked us up at the airport and quickly switched gears to help us out. He and his wife Bridget, owners of Roam'n Around Travel & Outdoor Gear, are the nicest trail angels of the hiking world I have ever met! They shuttle and support hikers all up and down the Centennial Trail. They invited us to stay at their house instead of a hotel (yes!) and took care of us in more amazing ways as we waited for my backpack to show up.

Nancy and I spent an unexpected but delightful day walking around Rapid City, checking out the splash park at Main Street Square and Prairie Edge, a combination art gallery and Native trading post. We found Silver Lining Creamery and Firehouse Brewing Company (did you doubt it?)

A pre-hike toast

Roam’n Around was closed on Sunday but we’ll be back!

Main Street Square in Rapid City

We hung out at Jon and Bridget’s house, learning about their love for their city and the trail, stories of hikers in seasons past, and what we were about to jump into. At 9:00 pm Jon drove me back to the airport and my pack arrived intact from Dallas – relief! Or is it?

We will begin our thru-hike of the Centennial Trail at the southern terminus in Wind Cave National Park tomorrow morning, but we’ve lost our 6-mile “head start” today. Tear up the game plan and begin again!

Looking back, losing my pack was an enormous blessing.  All my planning was derailed, upended, and altered to something better than I could have ever envisioned. 

“… and that has made all the difference.”

 ~Robert Frost