South Dakota: Centennial Trail Day 3
Mount Rushmore Overlook to Sheridan Lake
6/7/23 - 18.4 Miles
Setting up camp close to a trail is usually not ideal, but no one passed by us during the night. Nancy and I were up and out early the next morning because we’ve got big miles today, including…
Nancy opted to tote her full pack up the .8-mile side trail to see the big guys, but I hid mine behind trees at the junction so I could walk unencumbered both physically and mentally.
Did I mention that walk-ins are FREE?
So much to say about Mount Rushmore. The sheer size and execution of the sculpture is breathtaking. At the same time, it is disconcerting that this mountain that the Lakota people call Tunkasila Sakne Paha, or Six Grandfathers Mountain, was taken (many say stolen) to create a tourist attraction. Sounds harsh? Read more about the controversies here.
The National Park Service’s attempt to acknowledge and consult with associated tribal nations in the Black Hills can be found here.
If you just want some interesting “fun facts” read here.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is more than just the granite mountain carving. There is extensive infrastructure to support the crowds, from the massive parking lot to the impressive Visitor Center, souvenir shops and a dining hall – and don’t forget the ice cream station. Nancy and I were ahead of the crowds - in fact, the Carvers’ Cafe was not yet open. What, no breakfast? No coffee? But we walked all this way!
After oohing and aahing at the rock, we explored an exhibit at the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center depicting the planning and construction of the monument by American sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln, as they directed a team of over 400 men in the work. [The 14-minute film is well worth your time.]
We returned to the now-open dining hall for some sustenance and phone charging and spotty wifi to upload photos and check in at home. No time now for a full breakfast but we shared a decadent jumbo honeybun loaded with icing (remember, calories!)
Leaving Disney-Rushmore behind, we scampered back to the Centennial Trail, where I reshouldered my somehow-heavier-now backpack. The temperature was rising, as was the terrain, so I knew I would be slowing down. Nancy moved on ahead as we agreed to meet up at a trail junction. I wrangled my sun umbrella into position and was thankful once again for this piece of gear.
Lucky me for the opportunity to chat with this dayhiking group of awesome women,
We took the spur trail to Horsethief Lake and ate lunch at an unoccupied waterfront campsite. I can understand routing the main trail to bypass the lakes, but I’m glad there are options to get close to the shores. Something about a body of water flanked by trees and reflecting the sky calms my brain, even for a few minutes.
We needed water at this point, although Nancy was not a fan of filtering water from the lake. After we completed the process, we turned around and saw pit toilets and a water faucet. Duh.
From Horsethief Lake, we rejoined the CT as it crosses Hwy 244 at Big Pine Trailhead. From here it’s about 3.3 miles to Samelius Peak Trailhead. The guidebook describes this section as “an easy, quick hike to enjoy typical Black Hills scenery.” By now I was getting tired from carrying a loaded pack, but the terrain winding through open fields was pleasant.
Hill City and Keystone, SD
What are the chances that we would encounter the 1880 Train? Pretty good – it runs hourly during the summer season. Nancy loves trains, so we stopped and waved. The tourists loved seeing hikers “in the wild!”
We heard cars as we walked along a gravel road and Highway 16 appeared. The CT passes underneath the roadway via a tunnel – hoping no critters are in residence!
Near the end of the tunnel is Samelius Peak Trailhead. The CT does not go over the summit; instead, the trail winds around the mountain on the west and north sides. Then the arduous work begins.
Our guidebook casually mentions that we’ll pass over “the highest elevation point of the Centennial Trail” and hints that the level of difficulty is “demanding.” In reality, after going around Samelius Peak, the trail goes over the summit of Mount Warner at 5,889 feet (not named on the maps we were using). Hikers consider this the toughest part of the CT, as in “why the heck didn’t somebody tell me about this part?” [Only later did I study more closely and put together how this section works.]
I pushed hard to get up Mount Warner, expecting at every turn to reach a high point where I would take a break. When I reached the rocky summit, Nancy was sitting pretty and enjoying the view of Black Elk Peak. She’d been there a while, so she moved on while I sat down to contemplate this crazy hiking obsession and the 10,000 other things I could be doing with my life.
Our plan for tonight was to find a camping spot on the northeast side of Sheridan Lake, about 5 miles further to go. My energy was depleted and the hour was getting late.
As we descended towards the lake, the terrain was more moderate, but the mileage so far had gotten the best of me. Nancy listened to me sympathetically and posed a question: “Is it okay if I make some decisions for us right now?” Yes, ma’am.
She checked her maps for a closer camping alternative – maybe we could get a site at the campground on the south shore. We turned off the trail onto Calumet Road and began a l-o-n-g walk to the campground. Even on this gentle gravel road I was slow. When campsites appeared, Nancy told me to sit down at a picnic table, drink some water, and wait while she went to find the campground host.
Some minutes (hours? days?) later she returned with the good news that we had gotten the last available campsite – yay! Then the bad news – it’s a couple of miles away on the far side of the property – boo! Then more good news: the host offered to drive us to the site in the back of his pickup truck – double yay!
The sun was sinking as we set up tents after this 12-hour day. I was too tired to boil water for a hot supper. (My appetite was back somewhere around Horsethief Lake.) I ate a Clif bar and some crackers as we looked over maps, formulating a plan for tomorrow.
In the few minutes before I fell asleep in my tent, I thought over how this day began and how it was ending. My attitude and my confidence had slipped significantly when the going got tough. Was it the weight of my new backpack? Not overloaded, but the fit was different than my old pack. Was it the distance – 18.4 miles? My original plan called for roughly 14 miles a day, and we had exceeded that every day so far. For sure my failure to eat properly was a factor. Still, the beauty of the Black Hills was….good night…
"You pick ‘em up, Lord, and I’ll put ‘em down.”
Anonymous Tired Hiker
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