Ocean Outdoors
A green lake framed by pine branches in the Black Hills of South Dakota, with a grassy hill dotted with pines on the far side and rocks along the near shore

A photo story

A lake and a trail in the Black Hills

I was out on a morning hike in the Black Hills of South Dakota in July 2026, and I stopped where the pines opened up over a lake. The water was a soft green with little ripples running across it, and a grassy hill with scattered pines rose on the far side. It was a little after 9 in the morning, around 72 and mostly sunny, with a light breeze.

A little farther along, the dirt trail headed straight toward a tall granite cliff standing above the trees, with green brush crowding both sides. There was one other hiker way up ahead of me.

A dirt trail through tall green brush heading toward a granite cliff above the pines in the Black Hills, with a distant hiker on the trail
Farther along the trail the same morning, with a granite cliff above the pines.

Day after: Crazy Horse Memorial

More stories

See all 225 stories or all 7 stories from South Dakota, or the state high points list.

Ocean and Laura at the stone tower on Black Elk Peak

Black Elk Peak, South Dakota

 Laura on a trail rock with granite spires on the way to Black Elk Peak

On the trail to Black Elk Peak

 Layered ridges below a grassy rim at Homestead Overlook in Badlands National Park, with prairie stretching to the horizon

Homestead Overlook

 Laura sitting on a granite boulder at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park

Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park

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