Black Elk Peak Loop (Black Elk Wilderness, SD)

Black Elk Peak, Black Elk Wilderness, Black Hills National Forest, August 2024 At 7,241 feet, Black Elk Peak is South Dakota’s highest point and the tallest peak in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The mountain (formerly known as Harney Peak) was a sacred place for the native Lakota and tops a band …

Continue reading Black Elk Peak Loop (Black Elk Wilderness, SD)

Little Baldy Trail (Sequoia National Park, CA)

Little Baldy, Sequoia National Park, July 2024 A granite dome with a panoramic 360-degree view, Little Baldy in Sequoia National Park is a more satisfying destination than the higher but more pedestrian Big Baldy Ridge. Views extend from the Central Valley to the west to the Silliman Crest, Kings-Kaweah Divide, and Great Western Divide to …

Continue reading Little Baldy Trail (Sequoia National Park, CA)

Grottos Trail (White River National Forest, CO)

Situated just off Colorado’s Highway 82 west of Independence Pass, the short but spectacular Grottos Trail is a must-see in the Aspen-Leadville area. In the course of 1/2 mile, the stem-and-loop visits both a splendid set of tumbling cascades on the Roaring Fork River and an undulating slot canyon, the latter a rare sight in …

Continue reading Grottos Trail (White River National Forest, CO)