Misty Trail on Black Elk Peak

Fog and rain patched hiking trail
A narrow trail winds through the fog-drenched forest of Black Elk Peak, South Dakota, as light rain dampens the granite path and pine needles. The area—part of the rugged Black Hills—sits at over 7,200 feet, the highest elevation east of the Rockies. The mist settles among ponderosa pines and spruce, creating a hushed, atmospheric climb through terrain sacred to the Lakota people and known for its sweeping, often cloud-hidden views.

A narrow trail winds through the fog-drenched forest of Black Elk Peak, South Dakota, as light rain dampens the granite path and pine needles. The area—part of the rugged Black Hills—sits at over 7,200 feet, the highest elevation east of the Rockies. The mist settles among ponderosa pines and spruce, creating a hushed, atmospheric climb through terrain sacred to the Lakota people and known for its sweeping, often cloud-hidden views.

South Dakota, United States
Photo taken in July 2019. © Chad Davis