BHNF Trail #4: Cathedral Spires

Leaving from Sylvan Lake Trailhead or Little Devils Tower Trailhead, users will follow a small drainage with ample wildlife viewing and rock-climbing opportunities. As the trail climbs, vistas of granite spires and the town of Custer appear. A side trail leads to Little Devils Tower. Rather than a more distant, all-encompassing view of the granite formations, this trail leads you about to the bases of them. Glancing upward at these giants gives you a much better sense of scale as to their spectacular size.
The trail is fairly short, 1.5 miles one way, and connects with Trail 4 in the Harney Range Trail System. Rated as a strenuous trail by the park, Cathedral Spires can feel deceptively easy at the beginning, but once you reach some of the short rock scrambles, you€™ll understand the difficulty rating. Be prepared to clamber over some rocky stretches of trail as you gradually gain elevation. Despite these tricky spots, there is also a fair amount of level trail and no summit to achieve. A nice feature of this trail is the area of flat (or what passes for flat in these parts), open ground at the end where you can enjoy a picnic amongst the spires. Just remember to pack out whatever you packed in.

Trail Elevation: 6,100 feet -
Trail Difficulty: Difficult
Trail Distance: 2.3 miles

South Dakota Trails / State Parks

Palisades State Park

Palisades State Park

Rapid Creek Trailhead

Rapid Creek Trailhead

Revheim Bay Recreation Area

Revheim Bay Recreation Area

Lovers Leap Trail

Lovers Leap Trail

BHNF Trail #40: Deerfield Trail

BHNF Trail #40: Deerfield Trail

Union Grove State Park

Union Grove State Park

Boland Ridge Trail at Wind Cave National Park

Boland Ridge Trail at Wind Cave National Park

BHNF Trail #68: Eagle Cliff Trails

BHNF Trail #68: Eagle Cliff Trails

Fisher Grove State Park

Fisher Grove State Park

BHNF Trail #58: Osprey Trail

BHNF Trail #58: Osprey Trail

BHNF Trail #16: Iron Mountain

BHNF Trail #16: Iron Mountain

Tamarack Gulch Trailhead

Tamarack Gulch Trailhead

Pringle Trailhead

Pringle Trailhead

Sanctuary Trail at Wind Cave National Park

Sanctuary Trail at Wind Cave National Park

Joyner Ridge Trail at Devils Tower National Monument

Joyner Ridge Trail at Devils Tower National Monument

Fort Mead Trailhead

Fort Mead Trailhead

Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve

Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve

Sandy Shore Recreation Area

Sandy Shore Recreation Area