Black Hills National Forest – Southern Hills

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  • Hiking into Hell Canyon on National Trails Day | Black Hills NF

    Hell Canyon Trailhead US Highway 16, approximately 11 miles west of Custer, Custer, SD, United States

    Celebrate National Trails Day with a guided afternoon hike into Hell Canyon, one of the quieter limestone canyons in the southern Black Hills. A Black Hills National Forest guide leads the way with stops for geology, cultural history, and long canyon views.The route follows the Hell Canyon Trail, a roughly 5.3-mile loop rated easy to […]

    Free

  • Songbird of the Black Hills: Bismark Lake

    Bismark Lake Campground Custer, SD, United States

    Spend a Saturday evening singing by the water at Bismark Lake, a small lake tucked into the pines just east of Custer. Sally Svenson, the Songbird of the Black Hills, brings her music to the Bismark Lake Day-Use Area for a campfire sing-along of original songs and the Black Hills stories behind them. Music starts […]

  • Smokey Bear Birthday Party | Black Hills NF

    Black Hills National Forest Supervisors Office 1019 North 5th Street, Custer, SD, United States

    Smokey Bear turns 82, and the Black Hills National Forest is throwing him a party in Custer. Bikers rolling in for the start of the Sturgis Rally and local families alike are invited to stop by the Supervisor’s Office for some quick, friendly time with the Forest Service team.Expect Smokey Bear himself, hands-on activities, and […]

    Free

  • Songbird of the Black Hills: Horsethief Lake

    Horsethief Lake Campground Keystone, SD, United States

    Gather around the campfire at Horsethief Lake, a small lake under the pines just down the road from Mount Rushmore, for an evening with the Songbird of the Black Hills. Sally Svenson plays her original songs and the Black Hills stories behind them. Music starts at 7:30 p.m.Getting there: Horsethief Lake Campground is on Highway […]

  • Moon Walk: Meeker Ranch History

    Meeker Cabin and Historic Area Off Willow Creek Road (Hwy 16A), Custer, SD, United States

    Step into Black Hills history at Meeker Ranch, built in 1887 by former Pony Express rider Frank Cunningham Meeker and acquired by the Forest Service in 2004. Just outside Custer, the ranch is undergoing historic preservation and restoration, including work on the buildings and on nearby riparian and wetland areas. Forest Service recreation, heritage, and […]

  • Songbird of the Black Hills: Sheridan Lake

    Sheridan Lake South Campground Rapid City, SD, United States

    Close out the summer with a lakeside campfire sing-along at Sheridan Lake. Sally Svenson, the Songbird of the Black Hills, plays her original songs and the Black Hills stories behind them as the evenings turn cool. Music starts at 7:00 p.m.Getting there: Sheridan Lake South Campground is on Sheridan Lake along Highway 385 near Hill […]

  • Moon Walk: Forest Insects

    Willow Creek Trailhead Willow Creek Horse Camp, off Hwy 244, Hill City, SD, United States

    We usually hear about forest insects only when they cause trouble, but just 1 to 3 percent of known insect species are considered pests. Join USFS entomologist Megan Wilson for an autumn hike from the Willow Creek Trailhead to meet the beneficial and genuinely fascinating insects that call the Black Hills home, from fuzzy bumblebees […]