The Black Hills

The Black Hills of South Dakota

Rapid City, South Dakota, is a nice little city and has been our "base camp" for three days.  This is an excellent place from which to launch day trips.  We explored Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore, and more.

The Black Hills are a small and isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming. Black Elk Peak (formerly known as Harney Peak), which rises to 7,244 feet, is the range's highest summit. The Black Hills encompass the Black Hills National Forest. The name "Black Hills" is a translation of the Lakota Pahá Sápa. The hills are so called because of their dark appearance from a distance, as they are covered in evergreen trees.

Native Americans have a long history in the Black Hills. After conquering the Cheyenne in 1776, the Lakota took the territory of the Black Hills, which became central to their culture. In 1868, the U.S. government signed the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, establishing the Great Sioux Reservation west of the Missouri River, and exempting the Black Hills from all white settlement forever. However, when settlers discovered gold there in 1874, as a result of George Armstrong Custer's Black Hills Expedition, miners swept into the area in a gold rush. The US government took the Black Hills and forcibly relocated the Lakota, following the Great Sioux War of 1876, selling off 9 million acres of their former land.

The Lakota got their revenge on George Armstrong Custer near the Little Bighorn River, in a battle known as Custer's Last Stand:

By Charles Russell

The fight was an overwhelming victory for the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho, who were led by several major war leaders, including Crazy Horse and Chief Gall, and had been inspired by the visions of Sitting Bull. The U.S. 7th Cavalry, a force of 700 men, suffered a major defeat while commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (formerly a brevetted major general during the American Civil War). Five of the 7th Cavalry's twelve companies were annihilated and Custer was killed, as were two of his brothers, a nephew, and a brother-in-law. The total U.S. casualty count included 268 dead.

Today, in the park named after George Custer, the bull bison are in the rut and showing off for the bison cows.  As seen in this short video which I took, the bulls roll in the dirt.  This is called wallowing and displays their strength and vigor:

At nearby Mt. Rushmore, we got a good look at the monument visited by millions each year.

There I saw two of my heros, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln on full display.

Teddy Roosevelt was the great conservationist.  He camped out with John Muir for three days in March of 1903, allowing Muir to preach conservation to the President.  After that, Roosevelt dedicated 148 million acres to conserve National Forests, National Parks, etc.

Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir

I have hiked across the Grand Canyon twice, rim to rim.  It is a special place for me.  At the Grand Canyon, Roosevelt had this to say"

"I shall not attempt to describe it, because I cannot. I could not choose words that would convey or that could convey to any outsider what that canyon is. I want to ask you to do one thing in connection with it in your own interest and in the interest of the country: to keep this great wonder of nature as it now is."  Teddy Roosevelt

Abraham Lincoln worked to preserve our nation for ALL of its people.  He spoke briefly at the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg Battlefield.  He was certain that his speech would "not long be remembered", but he was wrong.  In part, he spoke these words:

"That we we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."  Abraham Lincoln

Other highlights of our visit to the Black Hills included:

Breakfast at Tally's, downtown Rapid City, where we sat with an area rancher and learned a great deal about making a living in the West.

We also ate ribs and chicken at the famed Firehouse Brewery.

In Custer park, we toured the Needles area, a must see portion of the park.

 

Hill City is at the center of the Black Hills.  It was a mining center and developed quickly when gold was discovered.  Trains ran between mines in the area to move ore.  Today, you can ride one of those 1880 era steam engine trains.  We did it.

Next, we drive to Cody, Wyoming.