Black Elk Peak hike in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 4K

A must do hike in the Black Hills. It starts at the scenic Sylvan Lake and takes you to the highest point in South Dakota with stunning views. The loop hike is 7.6 miles long with a 1550ft elevation gain.
Filmed with GoPro 7 at 2704x1520, up-converted to 4K for best viewing experience

[@jaredsmith4964]

I did this in 2018 and it’s honestly kinda cool to see someone else do it. This hike actually broke me I was exhausted

[@crg233]

Took this trail in 1990. Excellent hike, then and now! Thanks for helping me fetch some good memories.

[@utubz007]

Great video. I was here in 1967 when I was 12 years old and got lost while walking the area around Sylvan Lake and ended up near Harney Peak. No cell phones back then and no marked trails. I got lucky and was found around 6 pm after being lost for 8 hours. Please stay on the trails !

[@TheMountainMatt]

Great vid! We did this hike a bunch of years ago when it was still named Harney Peak😁 best hike in the park for sure👍🏼😁

[@daviddeters1952]

The prettiest place I have ever been

[@happykillmore349]

Thanks for this. We were considering staying in this area, and now we what we're doing.

[@CDRDDJ]

Did this hike with my family: four kids ages 8, 10, 12 and 14. Without water or snacks 😬 pushed through and it was worth it! My husband did it twice with only a day of rest in between the hikes. Definitely something we will never forget.

[@kevinseversonandhisvizslas8287]

Great job, my favorite hike.

[@erik2765]

the drive up is amazing and its a great hike, good video!

[@sliceofcheese4121]

I’m 9 now but I hiked that when I was 8 and it took hours for me and I loved it and it also started to rain it felt so good

[@danielpennington6053]

Went there in August this year. Spectacular views!

[@carolinecastro7320]

Thank you for this, we're hiking Elk point next week

[@bavarianbynature]

thanks for watching :) enjoy the hike

[@Randomstlhero]

I’ll be there in a few weeks. Can’t wait!!

[@brocktonma.1816]

Is this the highpoint?

[@Randomstlhero]

@@brocktonma.1816 Yes.

[@sliceofcheese4121]

I’ve been to the top and bottom and it used to be a watch tower for forest fires the bottom was where the people slept

[@2009Berghof]

Take note of Dr. McGillycuddy's grave (ashes) on the way up? (On the left on Trail 9.) The doctor was the Post Surgeon at Fort Robinson when Lakota chief Crazy Horse was killed.

[@jackpeterson9982]

@BavarianByNature what boots are you wearing or do you know where I can get good deal on ankle boots like those?

[@bavarianbynature]

Hi, those are Asolo boots. This is my 2nd pair, they are heavy but very sturdy and made in Romania. I got both pairs on Sierra.com. Another good website for new and used gear is geartrade.com

[@deezynar]

The plaque is incorrect. The entire Andes Mountain range is east of there. One more thing, when I come across debris on a trail, I remove it. I would have moved that fallen tree off the path.

[@hannahsrubas8410]

in western south dakota, they advise not to move anything off of the trails since rattlesnakes are abundant in population. you should always check with the local guides, sometimes it’s okay to move things and other times you should move around them, could save your life on future hikes!

[@deezynar]

@@hannahsrubas8410 Is that the excuse lazy people use these days?

[@hannahsrubas8410]

@@deezynar Nope, it’s the wisdom of someone who knows the difference between hiking smart and hiking hard. I hope you have a better day!

[@deezynar]

@@hannahsrubas8410 What you are calling wisdom is just a high brow sounding excuse to avoid being a responsible citizen and performing community service. I clear debris from hiking paths, and bicycle paths. It is something that everyone should do without any hesitation. But I am happy to learn why so few do the responsible thing, they have lofty sounding excuses to be bad citizens. You have educated me.

[@nirv]

I just booked my hotel to go hiking here. I'm coming from Minneapolis and have never really done a road trip like this so I have no idea what I'm doing. Any tips besides lots of sunscreen and 10mm handguns + ammunition? :D

[@pianoish]

Hello, fellow Minnesotan here. I’ve not done this hike in particular, but bring a back pack and look up what you might need for a day hike. There are plenty of websites and KZbin videos with suggestions. Good hiking shoes and socks are a must. Don’t wear sneakers or flip flops, you will not have a good time. Now watching this video I’m thinking about going out to the Black Hills National Forest for a hike or two as well, maybe late summer or fall.

[@kevcole3333]

did you go up trail four and down nine? is this what you would recommend? how long did it take?

[@bavarianbynature]

I hiked in on trail 9 and out of trail 4. I don't think it makes a difference on this particular hike which trail you go first. My hiking time was probably 3h but I usually walk 2.7 miles/hour. So I would calculate with 3-4h depending on how fast you go

[@kevcole3333]

@@bavarianbynature yeah i'll be with a 14 year old and my wife - so it always makes a diff - haha. thanks.

[@lisamcquade291]

Where is black elk's burial? I thought it was at wounded knee?

[@bavarianbynature]

The grave is in Manderson, SD, about 2h from the Black Elk Peak. GPS 43.244032, -102.474702

[@dalonparedes6398]

Where did you start? I know there's a starting spot where you have to pay $20

[@bavarianbynature]

Parked right by the trailhead at Sylvan lake. There was no parking fee at the time I was there

[@Deputydelhon]

@@bavarianbynature thank you!! Beautiful video

[@pianoish]

Trail seems empty. How early did you set out?

[@bavarianbynature]

Yes there was hardly anyone on the trail, I don't recall the exact time but it was probably no later than 9am

[@Sombistur]

Is camping allowed here?

[@bigjohn2811]

If the Feds wanted to promote Black Elk, they should have promoted the book Black Elk Speaks, instead tokenizing his name by renaming the peak.

[@shonuff4323]

Harney Peak.

[@STC987]

Nope