Black Elk Peak Trail Descent at Dusk, Black Hills, South Dakota

Girl hikes on top of mountain
A hiker descends the trail from Black Elk Peak, the highest point in South Dakota, within Custer State Park. The Black Hills, a region of significant cultural and spiritual importance to the Lakota people, are characterized by ancient geological formations and a landscape shaped by uplift and erosion. This area, part of the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, supports diverse flora, including ponderosa pines that grow on rocky outcrops, and has experienced cycles of forest fires and renewal.
Photo taken in July 2019.
Photo Part Of
South Dakota
Badlands, Black Hills, and Custer State Park across multiple trips
26 photos • 2017–2019
Black Elk Peak
10 photos • 2026
Custer State Park
20 photos • 2026
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