SD · Great Plains
3 forest guides within driving distance
Complete guide to Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota. Black Elk Peak, Cathedral Spires, granite formations near Mount Rushmore, trail recommendations, campgrounds, and trip planning.
10 min read
116,000 acres of Nebraska Sandhills planted forest and native grassland in the heart of the Great Plains, the quietest and most remote national forest east of the Rockies.
7 min read
The largest hand-planted forest in the United States, covering 141,000 acres of the Nebraska Sandhills, with the Pine Ridge escarpment, Dismal River, and some of the wildest and emptiest country in the Great Plains.
7 min read
Guide to the Flume Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. A 12-mile point-to-point along a historic gold-era water flume route near Pactola Reservoir and Sheridan Lake, one of the best mountain bike trails in South Dakota.
5 min read
Guide to the Sylvan Lake Shore Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. A 1-mile loop around a scenic granite-boulder lake in Custer State Park, one of the most photographed spots in the Black Hills.
4 min read
Guide to the Cathedral Spires Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. A steep 2-mile out-and-back to the base of the granite spires that define the Needles Highway landscape near Custer.
4 min read
Guide to the Sunday Gulch Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. A 3.5-mile loop descending into a narrow granite canyon with log ladders and rock scrambling, one of the most unique trail experiences in the Black Hills.
4 min read
Guide to the Little Devils Tower Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. A 4-mile out-and-back to a granite spire summit scramble near Hill City with Harney Range views and rock climbing access.
4 min read
Guide to the Black Elk Peak Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. A 7-mile out-and-back to the highest point east of the Rockies at 7,242 feet, with a historic stone fire lookout and five-state views.
5 min read
Guide to the Iron Creek to Alkali Creek section of the Centennial Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. An 8-mile point-to-point through varied terrain near Pactola Reservoir.
4 min read
Guide to the Lover's Leap Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. A 3.5-mile loop near Hot Springs with ridgeline views toward Wind Cave National Park, ponderosa pine forest, and prairie transition zone wildflowers.
4 min read
A 7-mile out-and-back along the Pine Ridge escarpment in Nebraska National Forest's northern unit, through ponderosa pine and cedar canyon country with views of the White River valley.
3 min read
An 8.5-mile out-and-back National Recreation Trail in Nebraska National Forest's Pine Ridge unit, climbing through ponderosa pine and cedar canyon country to a historic fire lookout with expansive panhandle views.
3 min read
A 6-mile out-and-back through Soldier Creek canyon in Nebraska National Forest's Pine Ridge unit, following a perennial stream through cedar breaks and ponderosa pine near Fort Robinson.
3 min read