Harney Peak, South Dakota

The drive from Nebraska to South Dakota was mainly on Route 85 through Wyoming.  The character of the land changed significantly from the areas of Kansas and Nebraska I had seen.  Here the land was more rolling, it felt western, buttes appeared now and then, horses and cattle had larger ranges filled with grass and sage brush, fewer fields of crops appeared than the days before.  I had a beautiful sunny day to drive and at sunset I saw antelope.  The antelope had spectacular eyesight.  I tried regularly to stop and take photos of them, but succeeded only once.  Whenever the antelope saw motion they were off in a run to hide, quite remarkable considering the fact that I was often nearly a mile from them.

It was nearly 8:00 pm when I reached the town of Custer.  I had considered setting up my tent in the National Forest, but it was too late considering my lack of local knowledge.  Consulting my trusty Trip Advisor, I quickly called about a room in the Chief Motel, sealed the deal and dropped my luggage before grabbing a bite to eat at the Dairy Queen.  Nothing like sound nutrition to prepare for a hike up a mountain.

The next day, I went looking for a good breakfast and stocked up on some snacks.  After days of just driving I was looking forward to a proper hike and was excited about seeing the Black Hills.  Harney Peak is 7242 feet.  From the Sylvan Lake Trailhead at 6200 feet it's a little over 3 miles and  about 1,100 feet to the top.  There were plenty of people in the parking area when I arrived at about 9:30 am.  I laced up my boots and decided to push my pace to the top.  I did not stop, save for a picture or two, before I reached the top one hour and fifteen minutes later, reaching the summit at just before 11:00 on August 15, 2013.

Harney Peak is where Black Elk, a Lakota Sioux holy man received his great vision, "I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world.  And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being".  Black Elk Speaks

Prayer Flags left by the Lakota

The Peak was named in honor of General William S Harney commander of the military in the Black Hills area in the late 1870s.  Ironically, the first europeans to summit Harney are believed to have been led by George Armstrong Custer in 1874 during the Black Hills Expedition.

On the summit/ fire tower of Harney Peak

I concluded my hike by making my way across the summit area to another isolated high point and had my lunch away from the groups of hikers who had gathered at the top.  It was early and I was within 20 miles of both Mt Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument.  Before leaving the area I visited first Crazy Horse then Rushmore.  I highly recommend them both!  I was quite surprised at how moved I was to see them.