Posted 2011-01-29 1:21 PM (#129472) Subject: Black Hills Vacation
Regular
Posts: 92 Location: Nebraska
Hi
Beginning to look forward to the next riding season. We will be taking a trip to ride in the Black Hills this July and we plan on riding up Harney Peak. We will be going in the hot part of the summer, anyone have any information on the difficulty of this ride and if there are any streams for horse water? I know there are two routes available to reach the top, we will probably have to use the trail that leaves from Willow Creek.
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks
Joan
Posted 2011-01-30 10:46 AM (#129503 - in reply to #129472) Subject: RE: Black Hills Vacation
Member
Posts: 19
Location: Piedmont SD 57769
Hi, I live just outside of Rapid City and ride all over the Black Hills.
If you want some information about riding here, feel free to send me a private message with your phone number or email address. There is just too much information for posting, I would be happy to share information with you. We love it here and have some the best riding around.
Posted 2011-01-30 5:33 PM (#129519 - in reply to #129472) Subject: RE: Black Hills Vacation
Veteran
Posts: 186
Hi Joan, I stayed at Iron Creek horse camp in 09 and road up to Harney Peak. It was the first time I had done any riding like that. We took the Grisley trail down. There was one rather challenging creek rocky crossing that I remember on the way up but we did not cross that taking grisley down. suggest you have a crouper and a breast strap, even the best fitting saddle may move on that trail in the heat.
Posted 2011-01-31 10:50 AM (#129555 - in reply to #129472) Subject: RE: Black Hills Vacation
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Texas
I rode to Harney Peak from Willow Creek Campground last July. We took the Willow Creek Trail (8) to the Harney Peak Trail (9). There is no water on the Harney Peak Trail, but it is not a particularly long ride, either. After reaching Harney Peak, we continued south to loop back on the Lost Cabin trail (2). There is water in a few places along that trail, but it is a much longer route. I think the total mileage of that route was something like 21 miles. Personally, I did not think this ride was difficult at all. There were no extremely steep or exposed sections of trail. There are long uphill grades, which could be considered "strenuous", but I wouldn't consider it difficult.
The ride from Willow Creek to Mount Rushmore was much more difficult in my mind, and even that did not have any prolonged steepness or exposure. The difficulty was at sections of stair-steps, switchbacks, and stepping between boulders.
Black Hills Vacation
