Lower French Creek Custer South Dakota 3-12-15
French Creek Flood - Custer, SD
Created with the #GoPro App on my iPad.
French Creek horse camp Black Hills South Dakota
Riding the French Creek Trail and water crossing
French Creek Natural Area
French Creek is one of the most beautiful hikes in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is a 12 mile trail one way. Its western trailhead is located in Custer State Park three miles from Blue Bell Lodge on CSP 4. Its eastern trailhead is located four miles south of the Game Lodge on the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park.
This trail follows French Creek through meadows of wildflowers and lush vegetation, past sheer canyon walls, through pine and hardwood forests, and past beaver ponds. It crosses the creek several times so be prepared to have wet feet. Primitive overnight camping is allowed along the trail, but no open fires are permitted. Please watch for poison ivy and rattlesnakes.
South Dakota's Centennial Trail: Day One
#hikingsouthdakota #centennialtrail
Hiking from Norbeck TH to just 2 miles shy of French Creek Horse Camp.
Bison photo courtesy of TSagner Photography
My First Time Fishing the French Creek Fly Stretch
I've lived either right on or very nearby the French Creek my entire life. In all this time, I've fished every nook and cranny of the stream except for the delayed harvest fly fishing stretch.
With my new addiction to fly fishing, though... I couldn't wait to get to know these waters.
Join me as I experience some success and failure with a lot of fish on what was surprisingly a beautiful stretch of water. I don't know if trout hold over here because the stream is generally very warm in the summer.
At a minimum, it's a fun place to go after stockies.
Custer State Park French Creek Trail 3 8 17
What began as an ordinary hike at Custer State Park, turned into an exciting encounter with a bison who blocked our trail.
Birds on Lower French Creek Rd Custer South Dakota
Birds 3-6-2016
BLACK HILLS CONVOY INVADES CUSTER PARK
In June, 2013 the MVPA Black Hills Convoy traversed Custer State Park. After touring Hot Springs, SD the main body proceeded directly north to Blue Bell lodge for the evening while the more adventurous 2nd Squad made a flanking movement entering Wind Cave thru its little used back road. Both groups saw antelope, buffalo and prairie dogs.
Most participants stayed in the cabins while Fred & I stayed in a camping cabin (costs about 1/3 of a normal cabin) which we found quite agreeable although these have no running water, bathroom, linens & blankets. (I brought my bedroll.) Water, bathrooms were but a ball throw away! We had one camper in the group that had not made reservations and was forced to camp elsewhere. Also one jeep load opted for the State Game Lodge were we met up with them over coffee the next morning after driving the French Creek and Wildlife Loop Roads. Following our group coffee break we all headed north on the Iron Mountain Road for Mount Rushmore including the 2 1/2 ton 6X6 truck w/trailer. While the Wildlife Loop and Iron Mountain Roads are not to be missed the absolute highlight of the entire trip has to be the Needles Highway!
The song is BLUE SPANISH EYES from 'Live at the Circle B' as sung by Bert Kaemfert & Eddie Synder and is with the permission of the Circle B Chuckwagon Show located in Hill City, SD.
The trip was so well received by the convoy's MVPA members that a return convoy is planned for June 5-20, 2016. For further information visit the Military Vehicle Preservation Association's web site.
The French Creek Backpacking Trip - Preview Custer State Park
Hidden in a steep enclosed canyon in Custer State park is one of the most difficult backpacking experiences of my life...The French Creek Trail. Bring good hiking water shoes because you cross the water over 40 times.
This is just the Preview video. Stay tuned for the full video in a week or two.
This 11.6 mile excursion was the single most challenging things I've done since birth and I missed filming half of it because my camera equipment was inundated with water right as the most difficult part began on day 2 of my trip. I'm limited on how much I can write to tell this story so I've only included a description of day 2 since I wasn't able to film much of it...
Next morning I woke to a perfect summer day with no idea what I had gotten myself into. I called the wife and set a 2 p.m. pick up time, eat breakfast and broke camp. Shortly after hiking out east to finish my trip I ran across some campers who had pitched on the trail by the creek. They looked normal, clean and happy claiming to have come from the eastern trail head...yeah right. They asked about my trip and told me I had about 9 miles left to get to the eastern trail head pickup point.
Oh heck. I thought I better start booking it now so I'm on time at 2 p.m. Just previous I had called my wife again to say I'd be 1/2 hour early so now I'm gonna be late and I have no cell service at all.
Shortly after that encounter I fell in the water being stupid and filming crossing a log trying to be funny. My gear and cameras got wet of course and I stopped using my camcorder and switched to the ipod touch just in case. Lost a trekking pole on that one. No. I didn't get the footage of my falling in the water. I'm an idiot and had accidentally pushed stop on the camera app right before it happened.
I almost broke my hand and arm in the fall but got away with just some nasty bruising and scrapes. That was the beginning of my trip from hell.
The official horse trail stops at Fisherman Flats Junction which is where I should have climbed up and out of the canyon on and continued on a logging road toward the eastern trail head but I had no idea until I got back home because I was following the directions from the article in Backpacker Magazine page 29 October 2013 issue. That map makes it look easy to continue on and follow their directions.
Now I'm definitely not an Advanced hiker. I'm more of a weekend warrior. The next part of this trail I wouldn't even recommend to Bear Grylls. I literally had to hike in the middle of the white water rapids up to my nipples in water (after having just spotted a large snapping turtle sun basking) in the creek because there was either no land to cross or it was strewn with giant boulders and thick bush.
Next I came to the Narrows. This is when I went into survival mode and stopped filming. I put all my electronics in zip lock bags in the top half of my pack and put my GPS in a zip lock bag in my pocket. The Narrows is very aptly named because it is a narrow area of deep water enclosed in tall vertical rocky cliffs. You might be able to climb out but with my pack the water seemed to be the safer way to go. So a swimming I did go. Lost my knee braces on that one. It was at this point that I was starting to panic a little. The water was above my head and I swam with shoes on my feet and pack on my back along the cliff face and after a couple minutes I was through.
After the narrows I kept trying to hike on land but found it easier to hike knee deep in the white water creek. I tried and failed miserably to use my sleep pad to float...just too many large sharp rocks. It got shredded. I just had to keep telling myself to put one foot in front of the other because ain't no one gonna carry my ass out. I was extremely tired at this point and could barely lift my legs to step over the watery boulders so I stopped for a quick snack for some energy. After about a mile of that I was finally able to bushwhack through the dense bush and poison ivy. At each turn the bush gives way to steep cliffs and you are forced to cross the creek and bushwhack to the next turn repeating this for another couple miles before finally reaching a man made trail.
Stick close to this trail because it disappears under the brush and when you cross the creek, again and again. Finally, I saw a signpost for the Custer Volksmarch and I knew I was home free. By this time I was 5 hours late for my pickup and I finally got a signal to text my wife that I was ok. Now I just had to follow a 2 track trail to the eastern trail head. After reaching the trail head I was finally able to call me wife and boy did I get an ear full from her and my parents. They were about to call Search and Rescue to find me because I was 6 hours late.
As always...Thank you very much for watching. Please Like, Comment and Subscribe!
This is KdawgCrazy... See you on the trail!
Music by: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Exhilarate
Guts and Bourbon
French Creek Ride
Crossing French Creek in Custer State Park
(Updated) Centennial Trail #89 Highland Creek TH to French Creek Recreation Area
Started my first solo backpacking and thru hike with my best friend on the section of the Centennial Trail in South Dakota that allows dogs. We had a few bumps along the way but otherwise loved every minute out there. Unfortunately, the trip ended early and we left defeated but we will be back.
The Centennial Trail #89 is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is said to be 113 miles but due to rerouting in the trail over the years that mileage is probably closer to 125 miles of hiking without a dog. When hiking with a dog, it is 113 miles. Along the trail, you see many critters and even hike past Mount Rushmore. Access is possible for those without dogs. The trail uses the #89 as its marker to mark the 100th anniversary of statehood (1889-1989) and is meant to show the diversity of South Dakota. It passes through multiple parks and some sections do allow horses and off road vehicles so be aware.
FOR FUTURE ATTEMPTS: backcountry permits for Wind Cave National Park can be obtained for free from the visitor center (leave in car so they know it’s not a stranded car while you are away), Only camping allowing in Custer State Park is in designated sites or French Creek Recreation Area just past the horse camp ($7 per night), Dispersed camping is allowed on all other sections of the trail EXCEPT in Fort Meade (Alkali Creek TH allows camping) and Bear Butte State Park (at the end and should not be a problem), Free backcountry permits are needed in Black Elk Wilderness and are obtained from the trailhead, Wind Cave National Park and Bear Butte Summit do not allow dogs so don’t try
DriveAbout 9 - Custer, South Dakota (English)
raduno di motociclisti nerboruti!
- Custer is generally considered to be the oldest established town and the mother city of the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. The site of one of the major encampments of the Black Hills Expedition of Brevet Major General (a largely ceremonial title, his official rank was Lt. Colonel) George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry in 1874 and the location of the first public discovery of gold in the Black Hills, it was first established as the town of Stonewall (after Stonewall Jackson) by illegally trespassing gold-boomers in 1875, but the town was renamed quickly. Almost abandoned in 1876 when word of the much larger gold strikes in Deadwood Gulch spread, Custer City later became an established city, if smaller and less wealthy than the Northern Hills cities of Deadwood and Lead. Custer observes a Gold Discovery Days celebration and festivities annually in late July to celebrate the discovery of gold by the Custer expedition in nearby French Creek.
Emiliano Martino
Hilary Thavis
Gaia Groove
Custer: After the Fire
A spring 2018 video tour of Custer State Park after the devastating fire of late 2017
Custer's Gulch RV Park in Custer South Dakota
We camped here in our 5th wheel in August of 2011. The park was very nice and scenic. I loved all the rocky peaks. We stayed here for a couple of weeks to give us time to take in all the attractions of the area. The park is located about 3 miles from the town of Custer and a mile from Custer State Park. I spent much time exploring the surrounding hills and woods. There are over a hundred miles of bike trails that are accessible from the park entrance. The utilities were excellent and the WiFi was adequate. Also our Verizon MiFi worked very well. Unfortunately our AT&T service was weak. Overall, I highly recommend the park.
Lower French Creek
Lower French Creek Rd Custer South Dakota
Catching monster South Dakota brown trout!
had a great time in south Dakota this week, I'm sad to leave but ill be back. fishing in spear fish was some of the best fishing I have ever done . you can see all of the pictures and more on my Instagram : @keaton_granger
South Dakota's Centennial Trail: A Journey Through the Heart of the Black Hills
The South Dakota’s Centennial Trail is an approximately 111-mile continuous footpath that runs north to south through the Black Hills, from Bear Butte to Wind Cave National Park. It was completed in 1989 and commemorates South Dakota 100th anniversary of statehood.
Those who hike the trail’s entirety get to experience:
Bear Butte State Park-
Fort Meade National Recreation Area-
Black Hills National Forest-
Custer State Park-
Wind Cave National Park-
If you are looking for people to give you a ride from Hot Springs or Wind Cave to Bear Butte or to aid with other transportation or supply needs, email LakotaMade@Gmail.com to discuss terms and logistics. They were a big help to me and made for great, interesting conversation too.
This video is not intended to act as a how-to guide. Always properly plan and prepare before going into the backcountry. Below are some excellent reference points to help with a section or thru hike of the Centennial Trail:
If you would like to see more of Stylo and Slider’s awesome adventures (and my less adventure-y adventures), feel free to check us out our Instagram accounts:
Me - @OhioMike27
Stylo - @ZeusTheGreat7
Slider - TromboneAndHike
All background music by Lobo Loco. You can find more of his awesome work at:
Here is a list of nearly all the gear, minus food and basic clothes, I brought on the trail, as well as their corresponding weight and costs:
I am an ardent supporter and practitioner of Leave No Trace principles. Let us maintain nature’s beauty and splendor for ourselves and future generations by packing out everything we pack into the backcountry:
Public lands are nothing short of sacred to me—and make up the vast majority of South Dakota’s Centennial Trail. Please consider visiting and supporting The Trust for Public Land:
I am far from an expert, but I had a few conversations with local Native Americans about how much deep meaning Bear Butte, Wind Cave and the Black Hills holds with them. Always be respectful to Native beliefs and customs and remember you are traversing land they still hold sacred. Again, not an expert, but this is perhaps a good source to learn some basics:
The Black Hills also has a colorful frontier history worth exploring:
I spent a few days in Hot Springs, SD, located just south of Wind Cave National Park. It is one of my favorite small towns in the world and has a fair amount of its own attractions. Best yet, every local I met was incredibly nice. Consider a visit:
While I packed enough food to last me a week, it was awesome eating at restaurants during and after the hike. Here are the establishments I ate at and thoroughly enjoyed, listed in the order they appear in the video:
Watching the YouTube channel Darwin On Trail helped immensely in preparing me for a week-long hike, especially in terms of gear. I strongly recommend you peruse his channel to better prepare yourself for hikes and backcountry camping trips of any nature:
Many people do not know of the public lands are right in their own back yards. This is an excellent tool for finding these magical, nearby places:
Enjoy road trips but, like me, want to cut costs where possible? This has helped me on the gasoline front:
I knew I wanted to do an approximately 100-mile trail but did not know of any. I scanned this list and landed on Centennial:
National Parks are often referred to as “America’s Best Idea.” It’s also a good idea for you to look into these national treasures ASAP:
US National Park homepage:
Echo Valley Black Hills Custer South Dakota
Property for sale near Crazy Horse Monument in The Black Hills of South Dakota. Contact Bill Weber 605-390-5588 or Daneen Jacquot 605-484-7832.