Tag Archives: hiking

The Beaten Path, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (2018)

In 2009, while living Japan, I took a month long trip back home to visit family. During this trip my Dad and I did several day hikes in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. He had been living in Montana for several years and we had not hiked together since I was a little kid. On one ofContinue reading “The Beaten Path, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (2018)”

Little Devils Tower, Custer State Park, SD

My first time hiking to Little Devils Tower was by accident. I was 18 years old and on a hike with my family to Black Elk Peak. I had hiked to Black Elk Peak 10 years prior and since no one else in my family had ever done it I was in the lead. AsContinue reading “Little Devils Tower, Custer State Park, SD”

Poets’ Table, Custer State Park, South Dakota

Hidden among the granite peaks of Custer State Park, Poet’s Table is a local treasure that cannot be found on any trail maps. It is a unique spot that is meant for curious adventurers, those who don’t mind getting lost in the woods. Growing up in the Black Hills, Poet’s table was something I hadContinue reading “Poets’ Table, Custer State Park, South Dakota”

Friendship Tower, Deadwood, SD

On our last trip home we made a plan to hike the Friendship Tower with some of our family members. Nestled in the hills above Deadwood, SD the 1 mile balloon loop features panoramic views of the surrounding area. The tower was built in 1919 by the Society of the Black Hills Pioneers at theContinue reading “Friendship Tower, Deadwood, SD”

Spearfish Falls, South Dakota

Spearfish Canyon has been one of my favorite places since I was a little girl. As kids we spent countless hours exploring the streams and trails that run through this magnificent canyon. Spearfish Falls is one of the canyons hidden gems. This 47 foot waterfall was actually ‘turned off’ for 86 years as the waterContinue reading “Spearfish Falls, South Dakota”

Crow Peak, Spearfish SD

Topping out at 5,760 feet, Crow Peak is the English translation of the Sioux name for the peak, “Paha Karitukateyapi,” which means “the hill where the Crows were killed.” The name stems from a battle between Sioux and Crow American Indians in which the Sioux were victorious. Crow Peak is 6.5 mile out and backContinue reading “Crow Peak, Spearfish SD”

Mount Garfield, Palisade Colorado

Beginning near Palisade, Colorado the Book Cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs that extend over 200 miles west towards Utah. Named due to their resemblance to ‘books on a self’, the Book Cliffs are one of the main geological features of the Grand Valley. Mount Garfield, the highest point of the BookContinue reading “Mount Garfield, Palisade Colorado”

A Day Spent in the Colorado National Monument

Before our trip to Grand Junction I knew nothing about the Colorado National Monument. Spanning over 20,000 acres the monument was established in 1911 by President William H. Taft. The history of the monument is as impressive as the geological formations that encompass this area. We spent a day in late January following the historicContinue reading “A Day Spent in the Colorado National Monument”