I am going to spend a couple of days at Badlands NP this summer while going to Montana. I have recently been reading about Crazy Horse and wanted to see the Badlands and Black Hills.

Has anyone been? Any recommendations? I want to do some backpacking and to see anything Crazy Horse related.

TIA

If you're going to go hiking in the Black Hills, you have to hike up Harney Peak. The Black Elk Wilderness has some nice hiking trails, but I'm not sure there is more than one night of backpacking in terms of length, but it is a gorgeous area.

I've gone backpacking at both Badlands and Wind Cave NP, which is just south of the Black Hills. The Badlands has one primitive campground that is free, but you can also park here and hike into the wilderness area and camp anywhere (I think you have to get a free permit though). Wind Cave has areas open to backpacking and camping. They have their backcounty split into zones, and you just tell them on your permit which zone you plan on spending the night in. Wind Cave is sort of a foothills topography where it goes from open prairie to forested hills. You could also go hiking in Custer State Park. I've camped in the French Creek Natural Area and that was a nice hike along a stream.

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a nice place with a lot of information. I don't know when in the summer you're driving through, but during the first weekend of June, you can hike up to the top of the monument in progress (up to just below the head).

I had a temporary job with Black Hills National Forest for six months, so if you have any other questions, I'll try and check this occasionally to reply.

Thanks for the reply. I will be going in the middle of July. It will be nice and cool then right? I will be only there a few days and want to see things related to Crazy Horse so will see the monument.
Do you have any recommendations for where to stay in the Badlands?

When I went to the Badlands, I spent one night at the Sage Creek primitive campground and one night somewhere along the middle fork of the creek (not that there was any water in it though).

I think its worth spending at least one night at the campground (sage creek is free, there's another one that costs money, probably like $10). This is only because the formations look completely different (and better in my opinion) at dusk/dawn than during the middle of the day.

If you're into the native american stuff, Bear Butte State Park has a nice hike up a mountain as well. When its clear, its a great view of the Black Hills. It's just off I-90 to the north. They have a small visitor center there with information and the top of the mountain has a lot of prayer flags on it and such.



[This message has been edited by P2ag05 (edited 3/24/2008 10:02p).]

Wind Cave NP and Jewel Cave NM are both really cool places if you like caves. They're both in the Black Hills area. If you like fillet mignon, then you definitely need to go to Hill City and eat at the Alpine Inn. It's all they serve (with half a head of lettuce).

If you like touristy non-sense places, then check out Wall, SD and the Wall Drug Store. I guess there's always Mt Rushmore as well...

I am certainly not looking for restaurants to eat at or tourist spots, but thanks for the replies.