The owners of this website are past Black Hills residents, Tom & Hope. As retirees, they have invested time in exploring Black Hills trails and researching new hiking opportunities. Their current goal is to share all the information they have to help new hikers and visitors to this area learn more about hiking in general, and Black Hills - Badlands hiking in particular.
Tom says: "For me, this website is the culmination of over 10 years of hiking and photographing Black Hills trails, summits and canyons, plus several years of planning. Hope & I saw a need for a Black Hills hiking site that takes into consideration the limitations so many people have with their health, time and budgets. These have certainly become considerations in our own hike planning. The goal is to provide as much helpful information as we can within our own limitations. Our own health and aging limitations, plus concerns for family hiking, senior citizen hiking and those with physical limitations, have inspired us to look for hiking opportunities in the easy and intermediate ranges.
We do not provide pages for trails, summits or canyons we have not hiked at least in part ourselves, but we do provide links to sites that have information on summits and trails we have not been to yet. Due to health limitations, Hope has not hiked this area as extensively as I have, so her commentary will be absent on many of the pages. We do not sell advertising or solicit contributions, so that we may be free of external pressures to restructure what we believe is the best approach to providing free information, advice and links on hiking opportunities for anyone using Black Hills trails."
We do not provide pages for trails, summits or canyons we have not hiked at least in part ourselves, but we do provide links to sites that have information on summits and trails we have not been to yet. Due to health limitations, Hope has not hiked this area as extensively as I have, so her commentary will be absent on many of the pages. We do not sell advertising or solicit contributions, so that we may be free of external pressures to restructure what we believe is the best approach to providing free information, advice and links on hiking opportunities for anyone using Black Hills trails."
Hope says: "Exploring new trails or hiking beautiful favorites is a joy! It is a blessing to live in the Black Hills and to have the opportunity to share these trails with you!
And please, don't rush things--the best moments happen like the breeze catching a kite at the right moment! Such as:
*While standing under a canopy of leaves on a bed of pine needles you may breathe in the perfect pine scent no man has ever been able to replicate;
*Looking out over an expanse of blue sky and a sea of grass rippling in the wind, one lone bison is also staring into space, captivated by the Creator's hand;
*Stopping along the trail for a drink of water and spying a butterfly on a leaf; he appears to know you desire a photo and remains posing for 5 MINUTES! (yes he did!) until your camera cooperates, then, sensing you are done, flutters away;
*Quietly walking along, you notice a sound and stop, listen, and spot a beautiful woodpecker...
These and a myriad of other experiences...and the tranquility of trading nature's traffic jams for the city's hustle and bustle!
It is more pleasurable to step aside on the trail for a large family with a dog on a leash than to deal with the fumes and fuss of rush hour and time clocks...and everybody needs a time to relax, if only to allow our pulse and our minds a moments time to get in step with the breeze.
We look forward to seeing you on the trail!
And please, don't rush things--the best moments happen like the breeze catching a kite at the right moment! Such as:
*While standing under a canopy of leaves on a bed of pine needles you may breathe in the perfect pine scent no man has ever been able to replicate;
*Looking out over an expanse of blue sky and a sea of grass rippling in the wind, one lone bison is also staring into space, captivated by the Creator's hand;
*Stopping along the trail for a drink of water and spying a butterfly on a leaf; he appears to know you desire a photo and remains posing for 5 MINUTES! (yes he did!) until your camera cooperates, then, sensing you are done, flutters away;
*Quietly walking along, you notice a sound and stop, listen, and spot a beautiful woodpecker...
These and a myriad of other experiences...and the tranquility of trading nature's traffic jams for the city's hustle and bustle!
It is more pleasurable to step aside on the trail for a large family with a dog on a leash than to deal with the fumes and fuss of rush hour and time clocks...and everybody needs a time to relax, if only to allow our pulse and our minds a moments time to get in step with the breeze.
We look forward to seeing you on the trail!
You can access our Nebraska hiking website at this link: Panhandle Trails
Tom's Summit Post pages & photo gallery can be found at this link: SummitPost
Hope's writing website is at this link: Hopie Ink
Our Black Hills gallery on You Tube is here: Black Hills Hiking Landscapes
You can contact us at this email address: [email protected]
Tom's Summit Post pages & photo gallery can be found at this link: SummitPost
Hope's writing website is at this link: Hopie Ink
Our Black Hills gallery on You Tube is here: Black Hills Hiking Landscapes
You can contact us at this email address: [email protected]