Poet's Table Archives : Tranquil Trekker

“You didn’t tell me you were gonna kill it!” This line, spoken by the astute Linus in the cherished cartoon It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, well summed up my feelings regarding the vandalization of a beloved Black Hills landmark…

Poet’s Table Vandalized

I am, of course, talking about the two misguided souls who took it upon themselves to remove decades-old mementos from this “secret” Black Hills landmark a few years ago. For decades, Poet’s Table has been a sanctuary for those who are entranced by our beautiful surroundings. As the story goes, these individuals committed this crime because they thought Poet’s Table was an eyesore on the pristine, natural beauty of the Black Hills. Whether this is true or if they were really just seeking their 15 minutes of fame could be debated lengthily. For the sake of decency, I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

To be fair, they are (technically) correct. Many years ago, another misguided (albeit strong and tenacious) soul drug a table, some chairs, and a cabinet into the wilderness and left them in a beautiful, hidden, place in our beloved Black Hills. Today, we would call that littering. But, because he meant well, and because others have found such enjoyment from the site in the decades since, we choose to view it as a positive. The site has become such a popular urban legend of sorts that nearby Custer State Park uses it as a marketing ploy.

Anger over Poet’s Table Vandalism

My first instinct, when I found out this treasured site had been ravaged, was all-out rage. Fortunately, the foolish individuals quickly came forward and returned the items and Custer State Park quickly began repairing the damage. Due to this quick recovery, my fervor ceded a bit.

One has to wonder, though…with the power of social media these days, and the fact that these two were foolish enough to get their pictures and names all over Facebook–not to mention the local news–if Karma saw to it that they garnered less positive attention than they originally bargained for?

I really hope their idea was just ill-advised and that they weren’t actually trying to be unfeeling and hurtful to others–even if that was the end result. It was encouraging to see the reaction of the local community in their desire to fix the error as quickly as possible to preserve this awesome site. Hopefully, due to this, Poet’s Table will remain a hidden gem and refuge for those who seek it out for many more generations to come!

Don’t wait, embrace today’s opportunities NOW!

After learning what had occurred, Mr. Trekker and I felt very fortunate that we had sought out Poet’s Table, when we did, the summer before the vandalism occurred (you can read about that here). For me, this was a real-world situation where the sage advice of not putting off till tomorrow what you could be doing today, applies.

We’ve all heard the admonition that we could die at any moment so live each day like it’s your last (which is true, albeit depressing–I think this was driven home to all of us during COVID 😋). But, this also fits in with the broader picture of being present in the current moment and living life to the fullest.

Obviously, we all have responsibilities that we need to take care of. We can’t play all the time, we have to work so that we can afford to play. 😁 But, let’s try not to make life too busy. Let’s make the most of the free time available to us to spend time with family/friends, enjoy our hobbies, volunteer, learn a new skill, whatever.

If we fill every waking moment with things we think we “should” be doing, we miss out on all the joys we COULD be enjoying. As a former therapist once said, “Don’t SHOULD all over yourself!”

This was also a partial motivation for our visit to Glacier National Park a few years ago, to see it before the glaciers were all gone. You can view that post here.

There have been a few instances in life where I regret not taking a day off of work to enjoy what may have been an opportunity that doesn’t come around often, or taking an extra few hours on a road trip to drive out of the way a bit to see an awesome site. These are the moments that make life worth living! While they vary from person to person they exist for everyone in some form, and we should learn to take advantage of them! These are what make life rich!

It doesn’t have to be something big. It could just be stopping on the commute home to enjoy a beautiful sunset, even if that means you don’t get the bathroom cleaned tonight. 😇 We need to embrace the little joys in every day, that’s what living is all about!

And some of us need to learn a lesson they should have been taught in Kindergarten…to keep their hands off of that which does not belong to them. 😜

Have you had any moments in life you wish you hadn’t missed (or are glad you didn’t miss?) Tell me about them in the comments!

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After only two tries, the Trekkers were finally able to locate Poet’s Table! (As it turned out, we almost reached it the first time, and probably would have, had it not been for the mist blanketing everything and the fog hiding the site from view).

If you’re looking for specific instructions on finding this awesome spot…keep looking. I won’t give any details that can’t already be found on Google. Part of the fun is in the search! (I will say this much if you think you’re close…make sure you look up!)

But if you’re looking for hints to help with your search…keep scrolling! 😁

Where is Poet’s Table

Poet’s Table is in the Black Hills, of course! 😉

Our first attempt to find Poet’s Table was in early June on a particularly foggy day–which can be a really cool time to hike in this area. It’s eerily beautiful to see the rock outcrops and spires looming out of the mist.

Our second attempt was a few years later, also in June, and we were actually able to help some visitors from Illinois locate the spot. They were grateful for our assistance as they were eager to ferret out this iconic, Black Hills location.

The only major clue I’ll give you is that this “secret” spot is within Custer State Park. There are no signs or trail markers so you’re going to have to put your sleuthing hat on to find Poet’s Table. The trail is unmarked and is located about a half-mile from the Little Devil’s Tower trailhead, which is about half a mile from Sylvan Lake, on Route 87. It is also not far from the scenic Cathedral Spires Trail.

After about a 1/2 mile hike down the Little Devil’s Tower trail and crossing a footbridge, you will see a fallen log on your right. On your left is a rather large, well-trodden path going off to your left, heading uphill, traversing a bit of a canyon. Take this path.

As you trek this new, unmarked trail, within a few minutes you’ll see another, smaller, also well-trodden trail heading off to the left, toward more towering granite summits. Take this left…

…this is where my directions end, the rest is up to you!

A mountain landscape with trees and rocks in the foreground. A meadow and more mountains are in the background — The view from Poet’s Table

Poet’s Table Can be Hard to Find

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find the site on your first attempt (or even your 3^rd!) Just enjoy the hike, the views, and the beauty of the natural world that surrounds you. We found some pretty nifty spots in the area even when we failed to find the actual Poet’s Table. Good luck, have fun, and happy hunting!

Note: There are several other unmarked trails traversing gulleys and canyons in this area. They don’t “go anywhere” per se, but I encourage you to investigate them. This is a pretty amazing area that you’ll have largely to yourself most any time of year (though summer is the busiest time). There are lovely canyons, picturesque granite outcroppings, and the occasional small waterfall to hunt if you’re there during a wetter period of the year.

Trails in this area aren’t overly long but they can get rather steep so watch your footing, especially in wet, muddy, snowy, or icy conditions. The trail is in the Harney Range, which is also one of the higher elevations in the Black Hills (over 6000 ft), so flat-landers should take heed. 😉 Another nice thing about the trails being relatively short, most are half-day hikes or less (though you can, obviously, spend as much time in this area as your heart desires.) You won’t get bored!

Thanks, as usual, to Mr. Trekker for this great shot of Poet’s Table!