Posted 2010-06-08 9:13 PM (#121011) Subject: Harney Peak Black Hills
Member
Posts: 28 Location: Kansas
Has anyone ridden the Harney Peak Horse Trail in the Black Hills? How long is it? How difficult is it? Are their any tunnels close to the trailhead? Thanks...
Posted 2010-06-15 7:03 PM (#121182 - in reply to #121011) Subject: RE: Harney Peak Black Hills
Veteran
Posts: 186
I was there last summer. The trail from Iron Horse Camp Ground where I stayed is about 12 miles, 6 miles up,,up,,up It was my first time on anything like it. There was one river crossing that I closed my eyes and trusted my horse, scared the crap out of me. I almost went over her neck comming down, you will need a crouper or brichen, normally I don't used brest strap or crouper, my saddle fits really good but you will need both on that trail, we took Grizly Bear Trail down so we didn't have to cross the river, it was nothing to the people I was with but two of them had mules, I said after doing it it was worth it but if I was ever going to do it again I want a mule, my horse did absolutly wonderful TWHBEA, but Mules go slower step by step where a horse sorta just goes. Anyway we took a wrong turn and drove the Needles Highway with our 28' goosenecks and it was no picnic, You don't have to go thru tunnels to get to the trail head but if you take a wrong turn there is no place to turn around.....DO NOT take Needles highway with a trailer....there are tunnels on that highway but non that I remember on the trail.
Posted 2010-06-17 6:21 PM (#121284 - in reply to #121011) Subject: RE: Harney Peak Black Hills
Member
Posts: 28 Location: Kansas
I am writing this from the Black Hills. We plan to ride to Harney Peak tomorrow. We have located the Th trail head and know how to stay clear of the tunnels. thanks for the information I appreciate it will let you know how we did.
Posted 2010-06-22 10:37 PM (#121435 - in reply to #121397) Subject: RE: Harney Peak Black Hills
Member
Posts: 28 Location: Kansas
We stayed at the Brokenarrow Campground south of Custer. We trailered the horses to the Iron Creek campground. This is the trailhead for the Harney PEak ride. We did not go on the Harney Peak trail because we decided to ride to MountRushmore. We took the Centennial Trail to the Mount Rushmore trail. They have a place where you can tie your horses and walk across the highway to Rushmore. It was fun. I have saved the Harney Peak Ride for next year. I appreciate the advice from everyone. South Dakota is like heaven for horses and trail riding. Sure hated to come home to Kansas-hot and humid.
Posted 2010-06-23 3:58 PM (#121469 - in reply to #121464) Subject: RE: Harney Peak Black Hills
Member
Posts: 28 Location: Kansas
We started on Centennial Trail and it is marked great. We missed the trail that leads to Mount Rushmore because it is not marked. It's just a trail leading north/east from the Centennial Trail. We rode until we intersected another trail that was marked so backtracked to the only intersection that could go to Rushmore. The trail was easy to moderate in places. Kinda rocky but a pretty ride. It's a fun ride because there are posts to tie horses up and you can walk across the highway to the monument. Probably about a 2 hour ride each way from Iron Creek.
Harney Peak Black Hills
