The trails at Sylvan Lake provide some of the best views in all of South Dakota’s Black Hills. Hike the easy and flat 1.1 Lake Shore Loop around Sylvan Lake, and add in the 3.1 mile Sunday Gulch Loop for a fun but challenging hike past a creek with several small waterfalls and then up into the mountains of the Black Hills. Other trail options also include Little Devil’s Tower, my favorite viewpoint within the Black Hills, and Black Elk Peak (formerly known as Harney Peak) which is the highest point in elevation east of the Rocky Mountains. The trail to Black Elk Peak gains 1350ft, making it a tough trail. Little Devil’s Tower is shorter with less elevation, but involves a significant rock scramble at the end. There is also a spur trail to Cathedral Spires, a unique set of towering rocks.
Oberg Mountain is a 2.5-mile loop hike with a gradual elevation gain of 500ft. This is a relatively easy hike with amazing views around the entire loop of the surrounding hills, Lake Superior, and Oberg Lake.
Caribou Falls is an approximately 1-mile out-and-back hike, off of MN-61 between Tettegouche and Temperance State Parks. This is a subtly marked hike, meaning that although it is just a short distance away from the scenic highway that runs along Lake Superiors shore, you just might get to enjoy this waterfall by yourself. Enjoy the peacefulness of the Caribou River along your hike to the falls.
Vacation Ideas to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park - Plan a trip for your family.. This post includes favorite hikes, places to visit, and ideas on where to camp.
Hikes in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Bull Valley Gorge is a short (1 mile) but difficult slot canyon near Kodachrome Basin State Park in Grand Staircase-Escalante. This can be a loop hike out to the start of the canyon, through it, and scrambling back up, but there are some major obstacles to navigate through within the canyon. We explored about a third of the way through the canyon and returned the way we came in. Bull Valley Gorge is also the site of where a truck can be found wedged in the canyon walls from an accident in 1954.
The trail to Zebra Slot Canyon is a relatively easy 5.25 mile out-and-back hike through gorgeous desert backcountry. Hiking to Tunnel Slot Canyon adds 1.8 miles. Hike early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat, bring 4L of water per person, pre-download a GPS map, and be prepared to get wet inside Zebra. Water shoes are helpful inside the canyon.
The loop hike through Peekaboo and Spooky Gulch Slot Canyons in Escalante ranges between 4.2 and 4.6 miles (depending on which trailhead you start from). Brimstone Gulch can be added with up to another 3.6 miles.
The easiest option to hike is clockwise, tackling the 15ft scramble up into Peekaboo first. There may be some standing water in the canyon. Spooky Gulch adds some challenge with two dramatic drops (easier to go down than climb up - thus setting the clockwise direction recommendation) and some 10-inch squeezes. Bring extra water - a lot of this trail is exposed to heat and the sun.
