The Can’t-Miss South Dakota Hike for Every Nature Lover’s Bucket List

With the Black Hills in the west, the rolling tallgrass prairies in the east, and the mighty Missouri River valley snaking across the center of the state, we have a wealth of natural beauty in the Mount Rushmore State - much of it incredibly unique. I mean, you don't find too many badlands outside of the Dakotas, do you? The Black Hills, too, are unusual: an outcropping of mountains - the tallest east of the Rockies - relatively distant from and not connected to any other ranges. The Black Hills' appearance is also distinctive, its peaks and rock formations often more acute, the shoulders of the mountains swathed in evergreen forests, its ridges laced with some of the best hiking trails in South Dakota for nature lovers.

The area is so singular that it has attracted humans for centuries. The Lakota people, in fact, consider Paha Sapa the center of the universe. Non-Native settlers first came for gold and timber but eventually realized that the Black Hills, themselves, were a resource worth preserving. Thanks largely to its dramatic natural beauty, the region is now home to a national park, two national monuments, a national forest, a designated wilderness area, and the largest state park in the Lower 48, as well as plenty of other cultural and historical sites. I think one of the best places to experience the Black Hills' stunning scenery is the short and sweet Cathedral Spires Trail, which showcases some of the range's most breathtaking rock formations.

You'll find the Cathedral Spires trail head along the Needles Highway in Custer State Park. There is a fee to enter the park to access the trail, but with all that Custer has to offer, it's definitely worth it. The hike has a moderate rating due to its 500 feet of elevation gain over a 1.7-mile out and back hike and some occasionally rugged spots (roots and rocks) along the way.

But the little effort it takes is worth the views along the way and the up-close time at the Cathedral Spires at the end. The spires were formed over 2 billion years from granite that first welled up as magma, then cooled, and over time, eroded into the mystical shapes we see today. As beautiful as photos are, they really don't compare to visiting the spires in person - they're really a must for any nature lover in South Dakota.

And you never know who you might meet along this hike...

If you love SoDak nature as much as I do, you'll definitely want to add Cathedral Spires Trail to your hiking bucket list - I think it's one of the best hiking trails in South Dakota for nature lovers. Be sure to download AllTrails Plus before you go, and enjoy fingertip access to the map for Cathedral Spires, as well as many other trails in Custer State Park and the Black Hills. What are some of your favorite hiking trails in the Mount Rushmore State? Be sure to tell us all about them!