Horsethief Lake Trail
If you like solitary hiking in one of the most beautiful areas of the Black Hills, then the Black Elk Wilderness may be what you are pining for. The Horsethief Lake Trail, #14 on the maps, will take you 2.7 miles from Horsethief Lake, along Highway 16 near Mt. Rushmore, to the junction with the Grizzly Bear Trail (Trail #7) very near the center of the Black Elk Wilderness. The forest is pretty thick most of the way along the trail and there are some great vistas that photographers will appreciate. Don’t be surprised if you do not pass any other hikers during your outing. Though there are some pretty gentle sections on the Horsethief Lake Trail, there is enough incline and rugged sections to earn it a moderate rating. Along the way to the trail junction with the Grizzly Bear Trail, you will cross the Centennial Trail (Trail #89). At the trailhead, you are required to register (free) to enter the Black Elk Wilderness. Most of the trails in the Black Elk Wilderness are pretty well-defined and marked. So, if you wish to venture on other trails in the wilderness, check out the Black Elk Wilderness Map that is available at many forest service offices, the Norbeck Center at Custer State Park and at many Black Hills visitors’ centers. To download a PDF map of the Horsthief Lake Trail, click on link below:
Horsethief Lake Trail Guide & Map
Horsethief Lake Trail Guide & Map
Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5