South Dakota vs. Colorado?

Hi,

My husband and I usually do a vacation to Colorado in the summer for hiking, rafting and the like. Thought maybe SD would be closer for a quick trip this year. Anyone care to compare the two? We love hiking in the mountains, the amazing scenery.

What areas of South Dakota might be the best for a ';hiking'; vacation?

South Dakota vs. Colorado?

We too, vacation often in Colorado and South Dakota. I%26#39;m more familier with the Badlands area. Not to be missed are the Michelson Trail and Custer State Park for hiking. If you have not yet visited this area, please do take time to see Norbeck Scenic Byway and Mt. Rushmore. I was not disappointed! However, Colorado is by far prettier and my preference for ANY vacation!

South Dakota vs. Colorado?

Arguably, the best trails are in the northern part of Custer State Park and in the adjacent Black Elk Wilderness. Favorites include Harney Peak (via Little Devils Tower), Cathedral Spires and Sunday Gulch. These are moderately difficult trails that any able-bodied person in good health can handle.

Other good hiking is found throughout the Black Hills, especially in the Spearfish Canyon area, and in the Badlands.

Two good resources are ';Exploring the Black Hills and Badlands'; by Hiram Rogers and the National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps. The Black Hills Southeast Trails Illustrated map is the most useful as it has the Black Elk Wilderness and Custer State Park.

The Forest Service has a lot of information--it%26#39;s best to stop at one their offices when you get to the Black Hills and pick up trail information and maps. If you come into the Hills through Rapid City, the Forest Service office is on the south side of town on US16 (on the way to Mt. Rushmore). Here is a link to their maps--including the Black Elk Wilderness. fs.fed.us/r2/…recguide

The Mickelson Trail is a rails-to-trails project that runs from Deadwood to Edgemont. It%26#39;s a beautiful trail. It%26#39;s most popular for biking. Some people hike it but it%26#39;s really not too exciting for hiking. It%26#39;s sort of like walking a gravel road. Link: sdgfp.info/parks/…index.htm

Post more specific questions as you think of them. I enjoy helping people with this topic.

I think the scenery in Colorado probably suprasses SD, but I really enjoyed the attractions found in SD more. You don%26#39;t find the snow capped mountains in SD like you would in Colorado.

We are not heavy duty hikers, but I have to agree that the best hiking would be at Custer State Park. You will find some trails in the Badlands as well. The only downside of the Badlands is that if you are going in July or August, you are likely to experience some pretty warm days there. We happened to luck out with a cool, overcast day. Spearfish is also lovely, and you can also consider a side trip to Devil%26#39;s Tower. This doesn%26#39;t include lots of hiking, but the mile trail around the base is a lot of fun, along with watching the climbers.

Do you like ';indoor/underground'; exercise? If so, there are some cave tours that might interest you. There are ';wild cave'; tours where you can get down and dirty if you think that is a workout you would enjoy. The Black Hills region is known for some of the best caves in the US (Wind %26amp; Jewel).

My uncle is from Colorado, and I had the opportunity to visit him when I was a teen (A long time ago!!) Colorado is really what sparked my interest in nature. However, the nice thing about the Black Hills region of SD is the close proximity of attractions. There is much to see in a small area, so drive time is minimal, imo. They are two very different regions. As I remember, Colorado seemed to require more drive time between attractions, but I guess it depends on what you like. For example, if you base yourself in Estes Park because you want to focus on Rocky Mountain NP, it%26#39;s not like you are driving all over the state.

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful trip!

I grew up in Colorado, lived there most of my adult life. I love to go visit the Black Hills! Something different about it. Last time we were there, we did 2 different cave tours, Wind and Jewel Caves, and I wish we had been able to do some hiking.

Have fun!