Rapid City: Harney Peak
Backpack under tall Ponderosa pines to the highest peak east of the Rockies then continue to a landscape littered with needle-nose spires on this isolated 6.8-mile loop.
| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
South Dakota featured hikes / reader trips
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Badlands National Park: Pinnacles OverlookAlthough short, this popular 0.2-mile trail to Pinnacles Overlook offers big views of Badlands National Park's iconic rock formations. Custer State Park, SD: Little Devils TowerScramble up Little Devils Tower on this 3-mile out-and-back that climbs 600 feet to otherworldly views of the Cathedral Spires and South Dakota’s highest peak.
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Trip Finder: Indian Summer HikesFall camping season seems to go on forever with these fair-weather weekend trips. 
Top 3 CCC TrailsThe Civilian Conservation Corps is turning 75—so celebrate right by hiking its classics. |
Quick Fix: South Dakota's Black HillsLearn where to bag peaks, visit hidden cold water lakes, and trek through the eroded wonder of Badlands National Park in our Black Hills primer. Backpack, Bike, and Climb in the DakotasYou'll never confused Plains with plain after exploring these hard-changing hiking, biking, and climbing routes. 3 Ways to See: The DakotasThink the Dakotas are just endless prairie? Get ready for climbing, backpacking, and biking of the highest order. |
Share your tales of travel & adventure with our step-by-step guide. Upload trail descriptions, photos, video, and more.
Photos + Videos
Gear Lab: Boots Torture TestCan any hiking boot survive 15 minutes in a cement mixer filled with rocks, sticks, dirt, and bricks? Gear Lab aims to find out. |
Gear Lab: Tents Torture TestWho wants a mountain tent that buckles under pressure? Not us--so we blasted four top tents with a carwash pressure washer to see which one comes out on top. |
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Adventure Weekends: Luxury Hiking and Camping
We've got a selection of cozy shelters and trail-side restaurants from Washington to Maine. Check out these hikes in the Rockies, the Northeast, and the Northwest.
Hiking The Annapurna Circuit: Q&A With Shannon Davis
Associate editor Shannon Davis tells us more about the highs and lows of his honeymoon trek (featured in March 2009's "The Perfect Circle") on the sky-scraping Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.
American Classic: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
In this ultimate guide to the country's favorite footpath, you'll find our picks for the best hiking and camping, and a complete plan for thru-hikers. Plus, meet a man who has made it his job to help AT hikers.
Mt. Adams: Solitude On Ice
Test your self-arrest skills on Mt. Adams's 12,276-foot fractured glacier.
Hiking Hip Deep in Florida's Swamps
Get your feet (and more) wet on the Florida Trail's best section.
South Dakota
Courtesy of South Dakota Tourism
| Most Popular |
Badlands National Park: Castle-Medicine Root Loop Rapid City: Harney Peak Badlands National Park: Sage Creek Wilderness Area |
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