St. Elmo Peak — Local services in South Dakota

This was such a challenging hike! Ive done many hikes in the black hills and this one pushed me hard. I went on a breezy day in mid June. Take north 385 just past orville campground. Look for the think safe drive safe sign on the right side dirt road. Pull in to the little dirt parking area. The trail starts at the barb wire gate. It gets very steep quickly. The first part is easy and then you hit a forest service road. Walk to the right a bit and find the 2nd part on the left where someone has stuck a large stick in the ground. From here its just straight up until you reach an overlook area and the start of the third part which is marked by cairn rocks. This final part is overgrown in parts and has lots of big boulders to climb so watch your step. The view at the very top is absolutely amazing and we'll worth the hike. By the time i made it back down my...

A fairly short but steep hike that gives good views of the surrounding area. Trail head is just off the main highway and starts on the other side of a fence. When I hiked it the trail was slightly overgrown but there are a few rock markers to help keep you on the path. Basically it’s a straight hike...

Trail was in good shape but pretty overgrown in places due to the amount of precipitation. Excellent payoff at the top. Gorgeous 360° view. Lots of wildflowers, butterflies and a few...