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Christmas Tree Hunting in the Black Hills National Forest

In this post, I discuss a delightful holiday pastime, Christmas tree hunting in the Black Hills National Forest.

Well, kids, it’s that time of year again! Thanksgiving is over, the turkey has been eaten, you may have gotten some good deals on holiday shopping…or better yet, you said, “FORGET THAT!” and chose to #optoutside to enjoy some fresh air and work off those Thanksgiving Dinner calories instead. Either way, it is now, FINALLY time to enjoy the Christmas season!

The tree is decorated, the lights are sparkling (both inside and outside the house), and Trans-Siberian Orchestra is booming from the speakers. Christmas has now been fully embraced by the Trekker household!

This time of year the Trekkers take part in what has become an annual tradition: Christmas Tree Hunting in the Black Hills National Forest for the Trekker Family Christmas Tree!

Some years, thigh-high snowdrifts can make the hunt exceptionally challenging (Mr. Trekker plays lumberjack, carrying the tree and saw. 😮)

We load up the “old family sleigh” (otherwise known as Mr. Trekker’s 4WD truck) and head out to our favorite, tree cutting spot (no, I’m not going to tell you exactly where it is. We’ve got our eyes set on other trees up there for future years! 😉)

Green pine tree on a snowy hill. Much larger trees surround it and tower in the background. — A Trekker Family Christmas Tree in its natural environment

Where do I get a permit for hunting Christmas trees in the Black Hills?

The Forest Service encourages the practice of hunting Christmas trees in the national forest to assist them in maintaining healthy forest spaces. Also, there is nothing better to compliment the Christmas Season than the smell of pine in your living room!

You do need a permit to cut a Christmas tree in these areas. They are $10 each (max 5 per person) and you have to go to a Forest Service office or certain private vendors to obtain one.

For information on how to go about acquiring these, check the Forest Service website (where you can buy and download a pass online).

There are some restrictions on which parcels of land you can acquire the trees from and all usual restrictions pertaining to vehicle travel still apply. Also, be sure you are on public, Forest Service land and not Private Property when tree hunting.

Something to be aware of if you’re going tree hunting in the national forest…these are not “tree lot” or “tree farm” trees. These are WILD, “free-range” trees. 😮 They haven’t been trimmed and shaped on a farm with others their size, placed a perfect distance apart for ultimate fullness. They’ve been forced to fight for sunlight and nutrients among others of their kind, some that are MUCH bigger.

They may have had to grow around other trees or obstructions or had to survive vicious storms and wind, or the damage caused by animals. Basically, these trees look how they are SUPPOSED to, without human intervention. 😁 The chances of finding “the perfect tree” are pretty slim, but you’ll know when you find the “right” tree. It calls to you. 😉

Where are good places to hunt for Christmas trees in the Black Hills National Forest?

There are a variety of pine trees available in the Hills for this purpose, ranging from the stereotypical, Christmasy, spruce tree to ponderosa pines. I personally recommend the Black Hills Spruce which is usually found on north-facing slopes of hills and wetter, lower-lying areas. We tend to favor the central to northern Black Hills in our searches.

Be warned, many roads in the Hills are Forest Service roads (or old logging roads) which means they are dirt, rutted, and not maintained AT ALL for winter travel. Conditions in this area this time of year can range from dry, dusty forest roads, to mud, to–frequently–several inches or even feet of snow!

I would not recommend driving on them without a four-wheel-drive/high-clearance vehicle. Some of the roads don’t require this but much of it depends upon current conditions and varies year-to-year (or even week-to-week and day-to-day. Heck, let’s face it, in the mountains, it can vary hour-to-hour!)

Usually, the roads are snow-covered, sometimes deeply. Some years (moreso recently) there is little snow and the roads aren’t muddy, so even my all-wheel-drive CRV could suffice, though these are not normal years. Also be aware, as with many places in the Hills, if you were to become stuck or mired…it will likely be quite a hassle (and quite expensive!) to get out–and that’s once you hike somewhere you can get a cell signal to call for a rescue!

A truck with a snow-covered tree sit on a snow-covered ledge. A lake backed by a forest is in the background. The clouds are grey and it appears to be snowing. — Lunch, by Deerfield Lake, after a successful hunt, on a snowy Saturday!

We have a favorite area we frequent (nope, still not going to tell you where it is!) I will tell you this much, the mountains west of Deerfield Lake have an abundance of spruce trees (assuming that’s the type you’re searching for.) Flag Mountain Road is one of our favorite routes that takes you to some good hunting spots. (That’s ALL the helpful info you will get from me!)

The difficulty with this location is that it usually receives some of the heavier snowfall in the Hills. Even if there is little to no snow in the lower elevations, what falls as rain lower down often falls as snow in the higher portions of the Hills. And, as I mentioned previously, as is true throughout the Black Hills, cell service in this area is often spotty (if it exists at all). So if you do get stuck and/or your vehicle becomes disabled, you may have a lengthy walk–possibly in deep snow–before you can call for help. Also, watch your step when you venture off the roads. The deep snow can easily hide stumps, downed trees, and other deadfall that can trip you up.

A dry, grass meadow with many pine trees in the background under a blue sky. — Our favorite Christmas tree hunting area in less snowy years

A dry, grass meadow with some tire marks heading off into the distance. Tall pine trees are on all sides under a blue sky. — Usually, there are inches to feet of snow in this area.

Mr. Trekker and his truck usually handle the conditions well, we’ve only gotten stuck…a few times. 😇 Mr. Trekker didn’t mind too much though, it gave him a chance to expand his trail, snow-driving skills (and the opportunity to play with his tire chains. 🙄)

To be clear, we know this area well, such as which parts to avoid as the road winds through gullies that tend to drift. We always carry numerous options of recovery gear with us–and yes mom –we always bring extra clothing in case we get stuck out for a lengthy period of time or need to hike out to call for help. We also have bug-out plans if the conditions prove worse than we had anticipated. Click here for a short video of one wintery trip in the forest!

A snowy meadow. Tall pine trees can barely be seen in the background through the gloom and snow. The shape of a truck is in the far background. — The truck stalks its prey (said in my best, nature documentary-narrator voice 😉 )

Our usual MO is to wander around one of our favorite hunting sites for a while…until both of us look across the meadow…and see IT, standing on the border between meadow and forest, with its much larger brothers towering in the background. You always have to wait for that “Griswold Family Christmas Tree” moment (and yes, Trekker family tradition dictates we watch that movie the night we go tree hunting as a necessary part of the Christmas season. )

If you’re really lucky, as you begin the search for the perfect tree it may start to snow gently…then it looks like a Norman Rockwell painting! A word of advice, we’ve learned the trees look smaller in their “natural habitat”, surrounded by their MUCH larger brothers. More than once we’ve had to cut a tree more drastically than we initially thought was needed once we got home and tried to fit it in our living room. We’ve learned if Mr. Trekker’s 6’4 frame can reach the top of the tree…it should fit in the house!

To Conclude

So, if you’re looking for a great place to cut down your own tree, while also helping the local forest stay healthy, don’t be afraid to get your hands a little dirty. Get out to your nearby national forest and get yourself a “free-range” Christmas tree. (It’s more organic than those tree-farm trees! 😉)

Christmas Tree Hunting in the Black Hills (or anywhere really) is an enjoyable, family-friendly experience. I encourage everyone to try it out and as always, be safe and smart when venturing out. The experience of trekking out to the wilds to acquire a tree from its natural habitat is incredibly exhilarating. It speaks to the instinctual lumberjack who’s hiding in the deepest, darkest depths of all of us. It’s also a fun, family activity. As I mentioned earlier, there’s little cell service out there, so gather the kids up in the “old family sleigh” and head out for some good, old fashioned–sans-technology–family time!

…just don’t forget the saw! 🙃

A lit Christmas tree in a dark room with other Christmas lights surrounding it — The final product!

Have you ever ventured out to cut down your own family Christmas tree? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

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Little Elk Creek Trail

In this post, I review this great, fairly easy trail that’s found not far from Rapid City.

Little Elk Creek Trail is another great, local trail that is near Rapid City.

Where is the Little Elk Creek Trail?

You can reach the trailhead from Exit 44, off of I-90, for Deerview Road. Take this road to where it crosses Sturgis Road (which runs parallel to I-90 in this area) and then head north on Sturgis Road. After about 1/2 mile take a left at Little Elk Creek Road. You will find a parking lot at the trailhead, where the road ends.

What you will see on the Little Elk Creek Trail

The trail is around five miles long, one-way, though we’ve never actually hiked the whole thing. If you follow it far enough, it eventually joins up with a Forest Service road that will take you to Dalton Lake.

A hiking trail runs through a "tunnel" of pine tress mixed with other trees and their colorful, fall foilage. — You will see cool, “tree tunnels” like these, along the path.

At one point, the trail splits into two routes. They both go to the same place, and after about a mile they end up joining back together again. One of the trails stays “low”, and I think it is actually a bit more challenging, as it runs right along the creek bed. With this option, you will need to scramble over a few boulders along the way, and it can be made more difficult if the creek level is high, or if conditions are icy.

There are also a few scrambles up a short, steep hill or two if you choose the “high” route. However, to me, the most challenging part of this option is that it runs right along a ridge. The drop-off isn’t quite steep, or high, enough to consider it as being a “shelf”, but it has gotten my acrophobic heart pumping a time or two. (This is especially true when you’re walking with a rambunctious pup who is not apprehensive about heights in the least. 😝)

Back view of a woman walking on a hiking trail with a dog. Pine trees and others with colorful leaves surround them. — Doggo #1 and I on the trail several years ago

This route is pretty any time of the year, but especially in the fall, which is when we usually go. The aspen trees that edge the trail turn a vibrant orangish-gold, and contrast well with the ever-green pines that make up much of the rest of the surrounding forest. As it is much closer to Rapid City, this is one of the better places to see leaf colors without having to drive all the way to Spearfish Canyon or deal with the fall traffic that is common there.

During the summer this area can get pretty crowded. It runs right along the creek, which can be accessed many places throughout the route. It is also fairly shaded, so it makes for a cooler option when the weather is warm. During the winter months, this canyon doesn’t receive much sunlight, so be prepared for icy conditions (especially in the areas where the creek runs very near the trail). Yaktrax are highly recommended when attempting this trek during that time of year.

Bare trees in a forest scene. A creek runs through the middle with a bit of snow on fallen logs. — Little Elk Creek in the snow!

If you’re looking for a good, family hike, that’s easy to reach and close to Rapid City, check out Little Elk Creek Trail, near Piedmont!

Have you hiked the Little Elk Creek Trail? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

If you’d like to read about the other trails in this series, you can click the links below:

Flume Loop Trail
Coon Hollow Trail
“Secret” Hiking Trails off Sheridan Lake Road
Hiking the Boulder Hill Trail
Willow Creek Trail Black Hills
Stratobowl near Rapid City

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Flume Loop Trail, Black Hills

In this post, I discuss the Flume Loop Trail, found in the central Black Hills.

The Flume Loop Trail is another in my series of trails that are found close to Rapid City.

Where is the Flume Loop Trail?

This trail is found off Boulder Hill Road west of Rapid City. You can reach that road from both US 16 (a little way south of the Rockerville area) as well as off of Sheridan Lake Road. Either direction works, though the Sheridan Lake Road entrance is closer to the trailhead.

This is a dirt road, though it is usually in very good condition and can be managed by any 2WD car. (The exceptions to this would be in snow, or occasionally, due to heavy rain.) The parking lot where the trailhead is found is the same one you use for the Boulder Hill Trail.

What is a flume?

A flume is a chute, generally built out of wood, used to transport materials (such as logs or gold) using water. This trail in the Black Hills travels along a former flume route from more than 100 years ago, during the gold rush. Today, it is mostly comprised of a wide, grassy, leveled grade along the hillside, where the original structure once stood. In a few areas, the rotting ruins of the original flume can still be spotted. (On other portions of the trail, you can actually travel through old tunnels in the rock that were created for use by the flume.)

The picture at the top of the post is an example of what a flume would have looked like, NOT specifically of the one in the Black Hills.

The rear view of a woman and dog walking along a flat, wide trail in the forest. — This is actually another part of the Flume Trail, but it shows the flume bed well. You can see how flat and wide much of it is.

The entire flume trail runs for more than 15 miles throughout the Black Hills from Rockerville, south of Rapid City, to Sheridan Lake, west of town. Near Boulder Hill, the path forms a loop, and it connects to other portions of the trail.

What is the flume loop trail like?

This is a great trek! It can be completed in either direction, though we usually travel it counterclockwise. (My following description of it will follow that route.)

The Flume Loop Trail starts by traversing some lower-lying meadows through the oak and cottonwood trees that grow along the nearby creek . Watch out for cows in this area during the summer months (or more importantly, what they leave behind. 🤥 This is national forestland, and open grazing is allowed here.) Also, during hunting season, I strongly encourage people to wear bright colors when enjoying this area as you’ll be sharing it with hunters.

As you continue down the trail you’ll pass a small, dank-smelling pond that is often covered in green scum during the warmer months. 😝 There are some logs you can use to cross the small stream that feeds from it. Be aware, this area can get VERY mucky in wet times of the year.

After crossing Boulder Hill Road, you then make a short climb up a nearby hillside. You are now on the flume bed itself. From here on out, the trail is fairly level, with a few short climbs and descents, and the occasional clamber up some boulders. The remainder of the trail traverses the pine forest that is more common in the Black Hills.

Sometimes, as you leave the brighter, open spaces behind, walking into these darker, pine tunnels, can seem almost spooky. Not to worry though, the scariest sites we’ve seen here are the local mule deer and rabbits who frequent the area.

This trail is nice because much of it is shaded and in the trees, regardless of the time of day you visit. We have often used it for a quick, evening escape after work, or when it’s too hot to attempt more difficult, or more exposed routes. The early portion of the trek is great in the fall, as this is a more leaf-prone part of the forest. The dusty smells of dried leaves underfoot, mixed with the sounds from the ones still clinging to the trees, that rattle in the wind, with the gurgle of the small creek nearby, make for quite the bucolic, autumn setting.

Is the Flume Loop Trail hard?

I would rate this trail as “easy” as it encompasses very little elevation gain. It can be completed in 1 – 2 hours, depending on your speed and ability level, how many stops you make, etc. It is appropriate for children of almost any age, and dogs.

Our previous dog enjoyed it, arthritis, bad hips, and all, well into the final year of her long life. Puppers has put her stamp of approval on it as well.

So the next time you’re looking for a family-friendly trail near Rapid City, consider the Flume Loop Trail!

Have you hiked the Flume Trail? What did you think? Tell me about it in the comments!

If you’d like to read about the other trails in this series, you can click the links below:

Coon Hollow Trail
“Secret” Hiking Trails off Sheridan Lake Road
Hiking the Boulder Hill Trail
Little Elk Creek Trail
Stratobowl near Rapid City
Willow Creek Trail Black Hills

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Hiking the Prairie Trail at Custer State Park

In this post, I review a great, moderate trail found off the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park.

The Prairie Trail, in Custer State Park, is one the Trekkers really enjoy and have hiked on multiple occasions! It is a loop trail that is around three miles in total length.

This trek traverses multiple ecosystems throughout its duration. From cottonwoods and oaks that line the lower creek beds, to the higher, pine-forested hillsides and rolling prairies, this trail has it all! It’s crazy how you can experience multiple habitats in just a matter of minutes by ascending or descending just a few hundred feet.

Where is the Prairie Trail?

The trailhead is located on the south side of the Wildlife Loop Road, around six miles from the Blue Bell Campground, or 13 miles from the State Game Lodge, in Custer State Park. It consists of rolling hills, bits of pine forest, and grassland areas. The hike can get pretty steep in a few spots, while you climb or descend the next hill. Fortunately, none of these rises is overly lengthy.

What animals you will see on the Prairie Trail

You’ll see all sorts of critters on this trail, namely prairie dogs, turkeys, and buffalo.

This path actually has some of the busiest and most regular buffalo activity we’ve experienced in the Black Hills. They seem to enjoy lounging along the trail itself, so you should always be ready to turn around or alter your course if you come near them. We have hiked here on several different occasions, and rarely haven’t had to skirt a herd of bison. Dogs are allowed (and both dogs we’ve taken on it thoroughly enjoyed themselves). I would STRONGLY encourage you though, unless you have your pup under ABSOLUTE voice control, to keep them on a leash so they can’t antagonize the buffalo.

A few water crossings may be required depending on the level of the creek, and recent snowmelt or rainfall. Depending on its height, you may be able to cross it by jumping rocks or using the well-placed logs. There can also be times, during dryer spells, when the creek will almost run dry.

Hikers should also be watchful for rattlesnakes along the route. They are especially active during the summer months and tend to frequent the tall grass that flanks both sides of the trail.

What sites you will see on the Prairie Trail

Great views of the surrounding prairie and park are available from the tops of the hills. You may even be able to see the Badlands, far to the east, on a clear day.

Much of the trail crosses the open prairie, so be prepared for lack of shade when it’s warm out. This is supposed to be a prime area for spotting wildflowers in the summer (though I can’t speak to this personally. As the park tends to be pretty busy that time of year, we often avoid it, so we’ve never actually tried this trail during the summer).

We can complete the entire loop in about an hour, though this will vary on your speed, ability level, and if you choose to take any breaks or not (or if you’re required to take a detour around a buffalo herd). There are plenty of scenic spots that would be good for a picnic lunch, or just to view the surroundings and critters found nearby.

If you’re looking for a fun trail to hike in Custer State Park, that the whole family can enjoy, check out the Prairie Trail! In a short amount of time and space, you can experience much of the flora and fauna that is offered throughout the park!

Have you encountered buffalo on the Prairie Trail? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

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Dinosaur National Monument: the Colorado Side

In this post, I discuss the Colorado side of Dinosaur National Monument.

**Author’s note: Just a word of warning, as this is a federal, National Monument, no dogs are allowed on any trails (exceptions for Service Animals). They are only permitted in the campgrounds and parking lots.**

In this post, I reviewed the Trekkers’ visit to the Utah side of Dinosaur National Monument. In this post, I’ll be discussing the Colorado side (as the park spans both states).

Scenic Drives on the Colorado Side of Dinosaur National Monument

One of the main things we enjoyed on the Colorado side of the monument was the scenic drives. There are several found throughout this portion of the park, though all but Harper’s Corner Road are suggested for high-clearance vehicles only.

As I mentioned in Part 1, under good conditions most of these roads are great to drive (honestly several of them were less bumpy than some of the paved, county roads we drove on). I would have felt comfortable taking any vehicle with a higher wheelbase on these (such as an Outback), and we saw several SUVs.

I cannot stress enough though, that we were there in the most ideal weather possible. According to the park, several of the roads are completely impassable when wet. This seemed likely as we crossed many dry stream beds that could easily fill with stormwater runoff. It also makes sense that the powdery dirt that covers the surface of many of these routes could quickly turn into slippery ooze when wet. Many of the roads also only have one way in or out, so, if you reach the end, and then a rainstorm comes…you may not be able to get back out again. Several also lead through low-lying canyons which are likely to flood quickly in a heavy rain event. So please, be wary before attempting these roads if any bad weather conditions are present or expected.

Click here for the NPS website for the park which will have up-to-date info on current road conditions.

Harper’s Corner Road

This is the main road through the Colorado section of Dinosaur National Monument. You access it near Dinosaur, Colorado. This is also one of the only paved roads in the park. At the end of it is the Harper’s Corner Trail which offers INCREDIBLE views.

Hiking on Harper’s Corner Trail

This trail is beautiful! At times you are hiking on an almost knife-edge of rock, with the Green River winding along beside you on one side, and the Yampa River on the other. Did I mention you are up to 2500 feet ABOVE these waterways throughout the hike? 😮 It got my acrophobic-heart pumping a bit! (It really wasn’t too bad. I only felt nervous in one spot where you get a healthy view of a chute, down a cliffside. 😋)

I would rate this trail as “easy”. It’s about three miles in total length (out and back) and it doesn’t have much elevation gain. Just about anyone wearing tennis shoes should be able to handle it (though I should note the park is at an altitude of over 5000 feet, so “flatlanders” may want to take it slow. 😉) At the end of the trek you are treated to an AMAZING view down the canyon, and of Steamboat Rock from above, behind which the Yampa and Green Rivers meet.

A narrow river valley in a desert landscape as seen from above. Short trees are in the foreground while a thin, green river can be seen far below. — One of the incredible lookout points from the Harper’s Corner Trail. That’s the Green River far below, you can maybe see how it got its name.

Looking out over a desert, badlands landscape from above. Short trees are in the foreground with a large, rock formation in the background. — Steamboat Rock, from above…

Echo Park Road

This route takes you from Harper’s Corner Road, east, to Echo Park and its campground. This area is called a “park”, like several other locations in Colorado. It is really just a flat, meadow-like area. It was cool! (Hint, it’s called “Echo Park” for a reason, I encourage you to experiment with this 😁.)

This route traverses the lower “benches” of land that can be seen from above when traversing the Harper’s Corner trail. They are called this as they are wide sections of terrain. They literally look like benches, or steps, that rim the lower, river canyons.

The road winds through an incredible canyon where sheer rock towers over you on both sides. From here you can see Steamboat Rock from the bottom, where it’s much more impressive.

There is a short hike along the river’s edge that is around two miles long (out-and-back). It takes you to the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers. There is also a place on this road called Whispering Cave. It appeared fairly unassuming, at first, as it’s just a vertical slit in the rock wall of the canyon, that you can stand in. This was until we figured out its secret (and how it got its name). If people stand at either end of this long slit and whisper REALLY quietly…you can hear each other VERY well (thanks to the unique acoustics of the rock structure). And it’s far more effective than if you try the same thing outside (we checked! 😉)

Click here for a short video of the drive!

Yampa Bench Road

This route takes you from Echo Park Road, east, all the way to US 40 in Elk Springs (though there are a few places you can bug out before you get that far, dependent on road conditions). This was the most difficult route we encountered. The drive was beautiful though, with yellow grassland and scrub brush spread before you, all the way to the rock walls that rise above you on two sides.

Even this road wasn’t bad at this time of year, though I could see it being difficult if it was wet. It was the steepest drive we took and it had the sharpest turns. This was also the longest route we attempted, by far. It was fun, but we covered less than half of it (around 20 miles) and that took almost two hours. This did appear to be the most difficult part of the trek. According to the map, the rest of it looked flatter and easier (and some parts may have been roughly paved). We did finally escape, through a blessed hole in the rock wall called Thanksgiving Gorge (I think I know why they give it that name!) just as daylight was waning. We were rewarded with a herd of elk…and LOTS of cows! 😋

Beautiful Canyons in the Colorado section of Dinosaur National Monument

Flaming Gorge Reservoir

On Sunday we took US 191 north of Vernal, Utah, to the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. It was named for its vibrant, red cliffs that were cut by the Green River. The gorge spans both northeastern Utah, and southeastern Wyoming, just to the north. It is absolutely beautiful, and the dam that created the reservoir is pretty stunning, as well.

Gates of Lodore

From the dam, we then continued north on Route 191, just across the Wyoming line, and picked up Brown’s Park Road. This we took east, back into Colorado. From here we followed signs to the Gates of Lodore, another INCREDIBLE canyon that was cut by the Green River. It sits on the northern tip of the monument. This route was a mixture of well-graded dirt and rough pavement, though any passenger car should be able to handle it, at least in good weather.

I was pronouncing this location like “Gates of Mordor”, from Lord of the Rings, but was quickly corrected by a local. Apparently, it’s supposed to sound more like “Gates of la-DOOR”. 😂

There’s an easy, and fairly short, hiking trail that leads to the mouth of the canyon, from the parking area. Due to its sheer, rock walls, there is no access through this rocky cleft, except by watercraft on the river itself.

A river winds through a desert canyon. Tree-covered, steep, rocky walls line both sides of the canyon. — Gates of Ladore!

Crouse Canyon/Brown’s Park Scenic Backway

We returned back to Vernal by way of the Crouse Canyon/Brown’s Park Scenic Backway. This is another route that cuts through a beautiful canyon, and then a meadowy area.

This road was one of the rougher routes we traveled on and was basically only one lane wide. This was unexpected as it was listed as a scenic drive in one of the local tour brochures, and wasn’t suggested to be high-clearance. Our truck handled it easily but had we known how rough it would be we would have aired the tires down, just for a smoother ride. In good conditions, any SUV with a higher wheelbase should be able to handle it (we passed a CRV or two) but I wouldn’t suggest attempting it in a typical passenger car (just because there were some rocks and ruts that had to be navigated). An Outback probably could have managed it, but we would have been extra cautious.

The drive was BEAUTIFUL though, with the yellow and orange leaf colors set against the red rock of the canyon walls, which contrasted with the blue of the sky above. Click here for a short video of it!

We returned home via US 40 east, through Craig, Steamboat Springs, and Rabbit Ears Pass. This is the one portion of northern Colorado we hadn’t been to yet.

Colorado is one of my favorite places to visit. Click here for more posts on this awesome state!

From there we took Route 14 north to Walden, then headed north to Laramie, Wyoming, and back to the Black Hills. FYI, this is a great way to avoid the traffic in the Denver area, and much of I-25, if you’re heading north from northern Colorado! It offers some great views too!

You won’t find a better time to visit this park than Fall. Tree colors are bright, crowds are light and temperatures are cool. So the next time you’re looking for a good autumn vacation spot, think of the out-of-the-way Dinosaur National Monument!

Have you visited this incredible place? Tell me about your favorite parts of it in the comments!

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Dinosaur National Monument: the Utah Side

In this post, I give a review of the Utah side of Dinosaur National Monument.

To celebrate our 10-year anniversary, the Trekkers headed to Colorado! We started our trip in Boulder, as Mr. Trekker had some work-related meetings for a few days. Thanks to my flexible job I was able to work out on the balcony of our hotel room. 😋

We spent the remainder of our week at the Dinosaur National Monument, that spans the northern border between Utah and Colorado. This is a cool place that we hadn’t heard of until recently (you can learn more about it at the NPS website here.) It is in a very remote area. In fact, we think we may have finally found a place in Colorado where planes don’t constantly fly over!

Boulder, Colorado

Boulder is nice, for being a larger city. It reminds me A LOT of the place we used to live when we were in North Carolina. I don’t like all the bike lanes, especially when driving Mr. Trekker’s truck, these give me serious anxiety!

I felt like it was just an added stimulus I had to keep track of while trying to navigate the busy traffic and figure out where in the world I was going 😛. There were also A LOT of boulevards. While this is certainly aesthetically pleasing, I find it makes getting around town (or just simply turning around, or getting to a business that’s on the other side of the block) difficult.

I will say this, for a larger city and busier place, I have been pleased with how friendly people are here, especially when driving. I rarely ever get honked at and people are usually willing to let you into a lane quite regularly, even when traffic is heavy.

I hadn’t expected to miss seeing the mountains…being in a town that sits RIGHT NEXT TO the Rockies! 😛 Boulder might actually be closer to these peaks than we are to the Black Hills…and I can see those from our house! There were just so many taller buildings and trees that blocked the view. It seemed kind of sad to me, that people live in such a cool place and you don’t get to enjoy its natural beauty every day…

I can definitely understand why people live in Boulder. It’s very pretty and there’s a lot of culture, nice restaurants, etc. It seemed to cater more to those who ride bikes or walk, which is fine, I’m all about a green lifestyle that’s full of outdoor time and exercise.

It doesn’t help that Boulderites–whether on bikes or walking–don’t seem to understand the laws of physics. They barely watch for vehicles! Yes, I understand you may have the right of way in many situations. However, you should still navigate defensively. If someone in a half-ton vehicle hits you, your “Right Of Way” doesn’t offer any protection whatsoever! 🙄

Boulder seems to be in an odd transition phase. Some parts of it are “old school” and charming, with Victorian-style homes (such as the one used in the tv show, Mork and Mindy, seen here!) There is also A LOT of new construction occurring, of very modern, industrial-looking, apartment, condo, and office buildings. While this type of architecture is cool too, I’m not sure about the mix of the two, especially when they’re squished together like sardines. It kind of felt like a smorgasbord of building design, and I’m not sure how I felt about it…🤔

Parking was definitely a problem though. I’m not sure if this may be due to the fact that the area has grown so quickly? Unfortunately, there were multiple times when I couldn’t get to a business or park that I wanted to visit due to there being no parking available nearby.

As I said, if locals mostly walk or ride a bike, maybe this isn’t a big deal. It doesn’t make a visitor feel very welcome though. I find it INCREDIBLY frustrating when I want to go to a place and all I see are “no parking” signs. 😡 Do people just “Uber” everywhere these days? Yeah, I’m a child of the 80s folks, this old dog likes her car and likes to drive herself, thanks! 😉😜

The only real complaint I had about the town (other than the traffic 😇) was when Target charged me 10¢ per plastic bag (and Safeway charged 20¢!) I understand that the overuse of plastic is a problem, but don’t just start charging me for bags without any warning. I don’t even mind using reusable bags that I bring from home, but I wasn’t at home, was I? It just felt, unwelcoming, frankly.

As an example of why, after paying, I realized one of my bags was a little heavy and I would have preferred to double-bag it. So then I was faced with a dilemma…do I “steal” an extra bag? Do I go through the hassle of trying to pay an additional 20¢ for ONE MORE BAG? Or do I just risk there being a hole in my single-layer bag and dumping my glass bottles all over the parking lot? *sigh*

I had an interesting encounter with a Tesla…we were in a tight parking lot and I was getting back in our truck. I was being VERY careful to not bump the fancy, shiny car next to me, when all of a sudden, the computer screen on its dash “woke up” and started scrolling something about “security” (there was no one in the car, mind you).

I’m assuming the machine was “sensing” my presence? It was a little creepy! I felt like I was dealing with Kitt from Knight Rider! 😜 (Yes, that was a 1980s TV reference, I just dated myself again didn’t I? 😋) I may not be cut out for this “brave new world” ya’ll! 😋

Things to do in Boulder, including the Mork and Mindy House!

For those who don’t know, Mork and Mindy was a comedy show starring Robin Willaims as an alien that was on in the late 70s (Note: BEFORE my time folks! 😝)

The show was based in Boulder and the house Mork lived in is still standing. It is located at 1619 Pine St. (I’m telling you this because the info is LITERALLY available on Google. 😇)

And, because we apparently can’t ever go to Colorado for our anniversary without it snowing, this is the–admittedly beautiful–sight we woke up to one morning… 😋 (it was 80 the day before mind you! 😮)…

Dinosaur National Monument

On our route west, toward the monument from Boulder, we drove on I-70 through Glenwood Canyon. That route through the Colorado Rockies has to be one of the prettiest sections of interstate I’ve ever been on. Click here for a video of our trip through the canyon…

As long as you aren’t intending to go on a rafting trip on the river, fall is known as one of the BEST times to visit this park. For one thing, it’s in the desert-scrubland that comprises northeast Utah/northwest Colorado, so it gets HOT in the summer (and you all know how much I “love” the heat 😜). Also, it’s far less busy this time of year and the tree colors are lovely. We, actually, intentionally held off visiting here, until we could go in the Fall.

We spent our first day on the west (or Utah) side of the monument. Here you will find the larger–and in my opinion better–Visitor’s Center. Also, if you’re there for dinosaur bones (and why else would you be visiting?! 😉) this is the side to start on!

The Quarry Exhibit Hall at Dinosaur National Monument

This place was COOL! Just an FYI, there’s only a few established places where you can actually see dino bones at Dinosaur National Monument. The town that holds the name “Dinosaur” is on the Colorado side of the park…but there aren’t many bones actually viewable there. 😋 You have to go to the main entrance, which is found in Jensen, Utah (just a little east of Dinosaur, on US 40). If you’re there when its busy, there’s a free shuttle that takes you to the quarry from the Visitor’s Center. If you’re there on slower days (which we were) you can drive yourself.

We stayed at a lovely Air B&B in Vernal, Utah, which is about a 30-minute drive west of Dinosaur, Colorado. This is the largest town in the local area and we were glad we chose it. It offers easy access to any of the attractions in or around the monument, and also provides the most options for food and lodging. If you’re wanting to camp, there are several campgrounds within the monument itself, and there is said to be a nice RV park in Dinosaur (though I don’t have any personal experience with that).

The Quarry is AMAZING! It’s an enclosed building that was constructed over the site of a former paleontological dig, that contains massive amounts of dinosaur bones. They were discovered in the early 1900’s. After much excavation it was finally decided to preserve the remaining bones as-is, and allow people to view them in their natural state. It’s thought that this was a place where large, flash floods occurred, helping to explain why so many bones ended up in such close proximity to each other. I could have stayed there all day!

From here, you can also hike the Fossil Discovery Trail which shows some fossils that are still embedded in the rocks …

After leaving the Visitor’s Center, we took Cub Creek Road through the park. This is one of the only paved roads throughout the monument, and even it turns to dirt the final few miles. (This section is well-graded, though, and passable with any passenger vehicle under good conditions.) It offers several opportunities to view petroglyphs and pictographs (these are the drawings and etchings that were left on the rock by the ancient people who first tamed this wild land). I had seen pictures of these creations before, but had never viewed them in person. Some were absolutely AMAZING!

Aren’t these incredible?!

I’m sure they all had perfectly logical explanations (some of them can be found here) but some looked pretty “unique”…(I’m not saying it’s aliens but…😲😉👽🖖)

This road eventually takes you to Josie’s Cabin, where up until the 1960’s, a woman lived, by herself, until she was well into her 80’s. This was without electricity or running water, mind you! We saw a lot of lovely tree colors in this area. There were several easy hikes that ventured into box canyons that are known for being good for fall colors (they run right along rivers and streams and the cottonwoods that grow there are very pretty).

Island Park Road

This was another beautiful drive that is located on the Utah side of the park. I thought this area had the BEST petroglyphs that we saw throughout the entire monument.

Island Park Road was dirt, and, according to the park office, is said to be “impassable” when wet. (It is suggested to only take high-clearance vehicles on this route, but, when we were there, any vehicle could have handled the drive).

We got lucky, as conditions were absolutely perfect throughout the duration of our trip, with clear skies. So we were visiting under the most opportune conditions. There were several areas we drove through that appeared to be dry creek beds, and looked like they could flood easily during wet conditions. This is also an area that only has one way in or out, so if you drive in under dry conditions, and then a summer thunderstorm pops up…you could find yourself trapped!

Below are a couple of pictures of the Green River as seen from this road…

…and some of the scrubland around the monument (and thanks go out, as usual, to Mr. Trekker for most of these pics!)…

Sunset over the monument!

Have you visited this incredible place? Tell me about your favorite parts of it in the comments!

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I Do: 10 Tips on Making a Marriage Last

After more than a decade of marriage, I give my 10 tips on how to make it last!

Author’s Note: I originally wrote this post five years ago for our 10-year anniversary. We’ve been through a lot together in the succeeding five years:

–we survived a worldwide pandemic and relative lockdown (complete with two rounds of COVID each–we like to share 😝–and now we’re both learning how to live with long-term COVID-brain 🥴 )
–Mr. Trekker was an AWESOME caregiver when I had major surgery

I wanted to add more items five years on but honestly, I couldn’t really think of anything else helpful to add. So, from someone who is five years further into a lengthy, successful, and very happy marriage, enjoy!

Mr. Trekker and I celebrated 15 years of marriage recently! Since we started dating early in our freshman year of college, we’ve been together more than half our lives! I’m not sure we can remember what it’s like to NOT be a twosome! 😍

For a long time, we just hung out as friends, within our shared group of friends, and got to know each other casually. Mr. Trekker and I were best friends first (in my opinion, that’s the way to go!) At first, I didn’t even consider him as a potential romantic suitor (although if you ask him, I was always in his sights. 😊) We just clicked in a way I never had with a guy before. We became inseparable, best friends, almost instantaneously.

One of the first times we hung out was a group trip to the local gas station. (Ok…we are OLD and we went to a SMALL school in the middle of podunk-nowhere Indiana, there wasn’t a lot to do there. Most of us didn’t have cars. We were also poor, college students, and this was before streaming tv–I didn’t even have a cell phone till AFTER I graduated college. 😮)

Due to these factors, a quasi-tradition at our school was a midnight, slurpy run to the nearby 7-11. One of the nights, Mr. Trekker and I tagged along, individually, with a group of friends. When two friends, who were dating, started a round of piggyback rides, I casually mentioned, “I want a piggyback ride!” Then I heard this deep voice emanating from this tall, lanky kid behind me, who I barely knew, “I’ll give you a piggyback ride…” That’s how it all began folks! See guys, you can still sweep a lady off her feet, even in the 21st century! 😉

Now that we’ve been married for 15 years, I think it’s fair to give out a few tips on how to make a marriage last…

1. MARRY YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!

I cannot stress enough how important I think this is. If I could give only one piece of advice on how to have a successful marriage, this would be it!

This will ultimately affect the way you relate to your spouse throughout the entire course of your relationship. You will likely live through both the best and the worst moments of life with that person. Why would you want it to be anyone other than your best friend? I can’t imagine trying to navigate childrearing, sickness, family/household emergencies or any of the other stresses and difficulties that life will inevitably throw your way, with anyone other than your best friend!

Your best friend is the person who knows what you’re like at your worst, yet is still willing to put up with you. 😉 They will ultimately end up being one of your highest priorities anyway, so why wouldn’t you choose that person to marry? Your spouse knows you more intimately than anyone else. They know every one of your embarrassing, disgusting details (whether you want them to or not. 😛) Why would you want anyone other than your best friend to have that kind of incriminating material on you? 😉

Your best friend is the person you have the most patience for, and the one you’ll do anything to fix a divide between. Your marriage relationship should be this strong. Your best friend should be the one you have chosen to be yoked to for life. People have actually told us, “You guys just seem to actually LIKE each other”. Um…yeah…we’re married! Is this a common thing these days? Do people choose marriage partners they DON’T like?! 🤔

If your current spouse isn’t your best friend, figure out a way to change that. Yes, it IS that important. Find something the two of you enjoy doing together. Find a way to bond. I GUARANTEE you, without a shadow of a doubt, this will make your relationship better.

If you’re engaged to someone who isn’t your best friend, don’t give up hope yet, but for the best chance of making your marriage succeed long-term, find a way to change this BEFORE the wedding.

The person you are “just dating” may not be your best friend…yet…but do they have that potential? If not, rethink the relationship now before it gets more serious.

On the other hand, could the person who’s currently your best, platonic friend be a potential mate? If that isn’t a practical option, figure out what qualities they have that draw you to them, and look for those qualities in potential mates (honesty, integrity, empathy, humor, drive, quirkiness…)

Two, old wedding rings with lace running through them — Two of my grandparents had died by the time we got married. Both were with their respective partners for almost 50 years! On our wedding day, I carried both of their wedding rings in my bouquet. I couldn’t think of a better way to bestow favor on our marriage.

2. Play together!

Really! Life is serious enough, have fun with the mate you’ve pledged your life to. Goof around, pick on each other (good-naturedly of course). Enjoy fun activities together! Make each other laugh (they say it’s good for the soul!) Tease, flirt, do fun, silly stuff with each other. “Adulting” can get pretty dull, spice it up! Got a day full of errands? Find time for a quick ice cream or lunch date in the mix. Go on walks together. Get in food fights!

One of Mr. Trekker and my favorite memories from college is when we got in a food fight with buffalo wings from Dominoes…sauce got everywhere, it was epic! His former roommate still doesn’t know that one of the wings ended up in his shoe (we cleaned it up! 😮🤫😇)

So play around and have fun with your mate…you know, like you would with your best friend… 😮

3. Sex

Hehe…yeah, five years on and…NOPE, still not gonna talk about that subject!… 😲😋😘😉😇

4. Pay attention to the little things

People tend to show you their true selves, in subtle ways. Watch for clues for how your Intended will treat you years down the road. You know, once the lovey-dovey, rose-colored glasses of dating life are removed and the ugly reality of spending the next 50-odd years with someone sets in. 🙃

These are things like, do they put the toilet seat down? This is, admittedly, a bit trivial, but it can have serious implications for things to come. Something like this is a small, simple sign that a person is considerate of and empathetic towards others. That’s not a bad indication when considering someone as a potential, lifelong mate! What’s the old saying, if you can trust them with the little things…

5. Say “I’m sorry”…OFTEN, and then…FORGIVE!

Whoever came up with the old adage “love means never having to say you’re sorry”…is an idiot. 😋 Seriously, that’s stupid! We’re all human so we all make mistakes. We’re also all intelligent enough to know when we were wrong. So humble yourself, apologize when you’ve screwed up, and try to improve on your actions in the future.

For the spouse being apologized to…FORGIVE!!! This is key when talking about a long-term relationship. We all have times when we can be complete jerks. We all lash out, from time to time. Unfortunately, our spouses, by the very nature of how intimately we are connected, are most often the outlets for our frustrations.

I don’t know why we seem to have this fault in our human nature that the person who is supposed to mean the most to us is also the one we default to treating the worst. It’s probably because they are the one person we can truly let our guard down around…

If your best friend is a jerk to you, don’t you want to forgive them as quickly as possible to get back to your fulfilling relationship? Be forgiving of your partner, we all have our bad days. Remember, you chose them for a reason. And the next time you are feeling cranky, remember how it felt to bear the brunt of that emotion from someone else, and maybe try to be as gentle as you can with them.

6. PATIENCE!

This goes hand-in-hand with #5. Because we are all human and therefore, all flawed, we’re going to screw up…A LOT. Show patience towards your mate. They are the one you dedicated your life to, they should be the one you grant the most patience to and are most tolerant of when they become frustrating…kind of like you would your best friend…🙃 (Yes, I’m going to keep harping on this point. I TRULY believe it is THAT important).

A cake topper with a male and female in hiking clothes/equipment and a flag with a picture of a dog — I’m sure it won’t surprise you that the Trekkers picked a hiking couple as their cake topper. 😁 And yes, since Doggo couldn’t be at the wedding, we included her on the cake!

7. The “dreaded” in-laws 😱

I was fortunate to be blessed with pretty great in-laws (and I’m not just saying that because my mother-in-law reads this blog…REALLY! 😉) Seriously though, I know family dynamics are complicated. Not everyone is blessed with an extended family that’s easy to deal with. HOWEVER, those family members played a large part in making the person you have chosen as a life-long mate into who they are today.

When you marry that person, you marry their family too. Why not do everything within your power to make your relationships with those people as peaceful as possible? If you don’t get along with them, don’t do it for them. Do it for the person you have chosen to love, above anyone else.

8. Show restraint with complaints…

Ok, before anyone yells at me, I am NOT saying you shouldn’t speak up if you’re feeling unhappy, or that your needs aren’t being met. HOWEVER, I think there is a time, place, and manner in which to bring up grievances.

The old cliché that “it isn’t what you said, it’s the tone you used”? Yeah, that one is actually true! The best time to air your frustrations is probably not in the midst of your anger. If you can hold your tongue just to the count of 10, or a few minutes, or maybe even a few days, the problem may be able to be resolved more quickly and/or with fewer feelings hurt.

How do these things usually play out? Someone says something in the heat of anger that may be true, but that isn’t very kind. Then later, apologies are garnered and the situation is talked over and resolved calmly, right? So, why not just skip the anger and drama, and jump right to the calm discussion? I find I can usually express myself more effectively when I’ve had time to think about exactly what is upsetting me anyway. Wouldn’t you strive to be gentle with your best friend when confronting them about something they do that upsets you?

9. Don’t let life’s little hiccups ruin things

“Life is messy, sh*t happens, don’t sweat the small stuff.” Living by these ideals will make life easier. Eventually, things aren’t gonna work out as we planned. We gotta buck up and deal with it, kids. We gotta learn to “just groove“. Besides, sometimes a minor disappointment, such as a rained-out picnic in the park, can lead to an even better result…like a Subway picnic on the floor of your dorm room. 😇

Speaking of rain, don’t be afraid of a little rain on your wedding day (…even if it is an outdoor wedding! 😮) They claim it’s good luck!

I recently learned the supposed reasoning behind this and it’s kind of cool…When you get married it’s called “tying the knot” right? Well, what material is often used for knots? Rope. And what happens to rope when it gets wet? It swells. So…the idea is, that a “knot” tied on a rainy, wet day, will swell and be impossible to untie…ha! 😉 (In case you are wondering, yes, it was rainy and in the upper 40s the day of our OUTDOOR wedding, and it was wonderful! It was nothing that a covered gazebo with a roaring fire in the stone fireplace couldn’t cure!)

10. …and last but not least…

Did I mention you should marry your best friend? 😉 😇

These tips are just my personal opinion, of course. You can decide if you take them to heart or not. But I think it’s fair to say that long-term marriages aren’t a super common thing these days. I believe in learning from the lessons of others. So, I try to follow the models of other long-term couples (both for what TO and what NOT to do. 🙃) These tips are things that work for us…

The Trekkers have big shoes to fill. Both of our parents have been married more than 40 years, and most of our grandparents came close to (if not hit) the 50-year mark! 😮 I pray we are lucky enough to have–at least–that many years together!

Do you have any pieces of advice for a long and happy marriage? Let me know in the comments!

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Old Baldy: a Great Place for Fall Colors in the Black Hills

In this post, I review Old Baldy, a trail loop near Spearfish, South Dakota that the Trekkers frequent.

There is a great, under-appreciated place to view fall colors in the Black Hills, Old Baldy, near Spearfish, South Dakota! While it’s beautiful in the fall, the Trekkers enjoy it throughout the year as it’s never crowded.

Where is the Old Baldy Trailhead?

The Old Baldy trailhead is on Tinton Road, about halfway between Spearfish and Lead. You can get there from either town.

From Spearfish, the easiest way is to take Exit 8 off of I-90, for McGuigan Road. Take this south to the T-intersection with Tinton Road, and then turn right towards the forest. Take Tinton Road about 10 miles to the trailhead.

If you’re coming from Lead, take US 85 west (towards Wyoming) for about 18 miles out of Lead, until you reach the turnoff for Tinton Road. Take Tinton Road about 18 miles to the trailhead.

The road is gravel, however, it is well-graded. As long as you don’t mind your car getting dusty, any passenger vehicle can handle it under good conditions. In the winter, though, it is rarely plowed past the Iron Creek Lake turnoff when coming from Spearfish. A high-clearance, 4WD vehicle is often needed to drive this road under those conditions, and even then it is often impassable unless you’re on foot, skis, or are powered by a snowmobile.

I’m not sure if this area has been getting more snow in recent years (this part of the Hills receives some of the largest amounts of snow during the winter); or if the Forest Service just isn’t maintaining Tinton Road past the Iron Creek Lake turnoff; or if they’re intending it more for snowmobile usage. But whatever the reason, the road has been almost impassible for much of the winter, lately. One time, we got pretty stuck attempting to reach the trailhead (we were VERY fortunate we carry recovery gear).

What you will see on the Old Baldy Trail

This loop trail is around six miles in total length, with an additional spur to the Mt. Baldy summit that adds a little over 1.5 miles to the total hike. There is a “lake” that is signed, though I use that term VERY loosely. We’ve never actually seen any water in it. It should be called “Green Lake” because it looks like a meadow! There is a small stream that runs through the “lakebed”, but mostly you only see grass and cows near here. 😋

A word of warning, beware of the cows, as well as their “leavings”. 🤥 The National Forest leases this area to local ranchers, so you can find cows anywhere and everywhere near here during the summer.

A muddy creek runs through a green meadow with trees in the background — Hey look, we found some water!

The trail winds through pine forests with aspen glens dispersed amongst them. It also traverses the edges of a few meadows and offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. This area is especially pretty in fall when the yellow of the aspen and green of the pine complement each other beautifully, especially as contrasted against the clear blue, Black Hills sky!

Besides the main loop, there is a spur of the Rimrock Trail that can be accessed from here, as well. This side trail will take you to the rim of Spearfish Canyon. These are all prime places to enjoy the fall colors the Northern Hills are known for, without having to deal with the crowds you’ll find in the Canyon below.

The trail options here are really just one loop (other than the spur to the Rimrock Trail). If you go right at the fork, heading counterclockwise, you’ll hit the GORGEOUS aspen glen first, traversing the only real switchbacks found on the trail on the downhill.

If you do choose this route, the return trip is a little steeper, but I think it’s easier. There is more open space, so there is also more breeze if you’re warm. The open areas also provide you with INCREDIBLE views of the surrounding mountains and prairie. However, if it’s sunny in the summer, this area could be hotter as there is less shade…

Regardless of which fork you choose, the “lake” and the turnoff to the summit of the mountain are at the bottom of the hill. You know what this means! No matter which fork you pick, you have to climb back up the WHOLE return trip! 😛

If you start off on the left branch of the trail, going clockwise, you’ll hit the more open area of the loop on your descent. Facing this direction, you’ll actually be provided with more expansive views of the surrounding countryside.

Unfortunately, this will mean you have to face the “spirit-crushing switchbacks” (I HATE switchbacks!) through the aspen glen, on the way back up the hill. Because the trees in this area are thicker, it is also more shaded during the summer months. HOWEVER, the denser foliage also means there is less of a breeze…phew! Decisions, decisions!

Either way the aspen glen, especially, is INCREDIBLY beautiful in the fall months, not to mention the surrounding hillsides that are ablaze with yellow from all the aspen trees. The aspen glen is my favorite of the whole trail in the fall.

Author’s note: the American Indians who originally gave the Black Hills their name called them this because the pine forests made the Hills look dark from afar. In recent years, the pine trees have been decimated by pine beetles and some wildfires. Aspen trees grow EXTREMELY WELL in their wake. One wonders if a few hundred years from now, a more appropriate name for these hills may be the Aspen Hills, or the Yellow Hills–the color all the aspens turn in the fall…

These days, if you visit this location, you will see some extensive storm damage. Multiple tornadoes actually went through here in recent summers! That’s a rare occurrence in the Black Hills!

One of the storms was especially nerve-racking for me, as the Trekker Parental Units (and Extended Family) were staying at a rental house near Lead at the time. They were outside the tornado’s track–thankfully–but only by about a mile. 😮 Fortunately, the baseball-sized hail that the storm dropped missed them as well! Helplessly watching that tempest on the radar, while I was sitting in the sunshine over an hour away, was enough to give me a few gray hairs!

When is the best time of year to visit the Old Baldy trail?

The trails are perfect for both summer and winter recreation IF you can reach them in the winter. If Tinton Road is passable as far as the trailhead when there is snow on the ground, the actual site can be hard to find as the sign is often buried by snow. Also, there is usually very little parking as the lane to the parking lot is not plowed.

So, you must make do with parking along the side of the road. In the past, we have come here multiple times to snowshoe or ski. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to reach the site the last several years.

The difficulty in accessing the trailhead during the winter months is really a shame because it is GORGEOUS under the cover of snow. The sunbeams shine through the bare branches of the aspen trees while the pristine, white snow, and dark-brown bark, contrast perfectly with the dark green pine trees and blue sky. Make sure to wear layers, as it can get pretty windy up here since it’s near the top of the mountain.

This is a fun trail for mountain biking as well, heading downhill. 😋 Going back up can be a bit of a pain, especially if you ascend via the eastern leg of the loop, through the switchbacks. Both hikers and bikers need to be watchful for each other as there are several blind curves and collisions can happen if the bikes round them too quickly.

Horses are also allowed on this trail. It is imperative that bikers watch for these equines, who could shy and throw a rider, or hurt themselves (or the biker) if a bike came racing around a corner and startled them.

If you’re looking for a fine place to view fall colors in the Black Hills, and you’d like to avoid the usual crowds, check out Old Baldy! You’ll be glad you did!

Have you ever tried this trail in any season? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

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Just Groovin’: 5 tips for Using Mindfulness to Lower Anxiety

I find myself stressed, many days, over the simple tasks of daily life. Read on for how I’m striving to reduce this, and ways you can too!

I find myself feeling anxious over dealing with day-to-day items and stressors. I know this isn’t healthy for me mentally or physically. I want to be more Present and live in the current moment. So, I’ve set the goal for myself to use mindfulness practices to help lessen my anxiety levels.

I Feel Anxious Every Day

I think the anxiety stems partially from the less-than-regular, work-from-home lifestyle that I mentioned in a previous post. My days offer incredible flexibility, but the lack of routine can make life feel chaotic. I think the stress is also due, in part, to the general anxiety I deal with on a daily basis. I just have a tendency to worry about things in the future.

I think many people struggle with this. We worry about situations from daily life; we worry about interactions or disagreements that occur in our family, friend or work groups; we worry about the health of people we care about. Basically, we just worry a lot! Often times there’s nothing particularly awful occurring, these are just the situations we encounter over the course of life for any given day, week or month. These are normal things to concern ourselves with, but what can we do to ease the strain caused by that constant level of stress?

How I Lessen Anxiety with Mindfulness

I’m striving to implement a “Just Groovin'” mindset†. Read on for tips on how to use this to reduce your levels of anxiety and to live in the moment…

†You may remember this from a previous post, where I discussed us visiting a great BBQ spot in Marble, Colorado. It was called Slow Groovin’ BBQ, but their message was basically to just take time to enjoy the simple things in life. The Trekkers have made this into a personal, family motto of sorts, though we edited the name to “Just Groovin’!”

5 Tips to “Just Groove”: Using Mindfulness to Live in the Moment and Reduce Stress:

1) Stop Catastrophizing!

This is a therapeutic term that basically means, don’t imagine what horrible things can go wrong in a situation when it hasn’t even happened yet, or you don’t even have all the details regarding it yet.

This is something I struggle with regularly. I am striving to not worry about *insert-situation-here* until it actually happens. Usually, things play out better than I imagined they would anyway.

Often, I build up all this angst around an impending event and then it ends up proceeding far more smoothly (and often more quickly) than I had anticipated. Then I’m left with this surplus of negative energy that had been consuming me that, as it turns out, was completely unnecessary. Now I have no way to release that pent-up strain, so it is just added to my ongoing stress load.

Instead, I want to “just groove” through life, to just deal with things when and if they happen.

2) Don’t Stress Yourself Out Over Everyday Tasks:

I have this habit of rushing to get everything that’s on my To-Do list for that day, or week (or month) done as efficiently as possible. While it’s good to not procrastinate when necessary tasks need to be completed, it’s also good to implement productive, time-management practices.

We shouldn’t let ourselves get stressed out about these things. That causes unnecessary mental and physical tension. Again, I am usually able to complete all the to-do items that day (or at the very least that week or month) and it often takes less time than I thought it would. So then I am stressed out, and for what? Time and again, the list has been completed (usually more easily and more quickly than I anticipated), and all I’m left with is a further build-up of negative energy that I now struggle to relieve.

Are you seeing a pattern here? 😋 This compounding of stress just further contributes to the unnecessary tension we feel in our daily lives. 🤯 Ugh! This is why anxiety is so mentally exhausting!

3) Stop Stressing About the Future:

We need to remove the word “might” from our vocabulary. People with anxiety are always worried about what “might” happen in the future. “My boss MIGHT yell at me when he calls me into the office; those routine tests at the doctor MIGHT show something bad…” Let’s stop with the “might”!

There’s only so much we can control in life. Matthew 6:34 says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Not everyone is big on the Bible, but I think this is some advice that can benefit all people, whether they are religious or not. We need to stop worrying about what “might” come tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. Because these things are only MIGHTS, they aren’t actually occurring yet, and we can’t deal with them until they happen. So, let’s be mindful, live in the present, and expend our precious, mental energy on what is actually occurring RIGHT NOW!

4) Don’t Miss Out on Today’s Joys by Worrying About Tomorrow:

Not all stress comes from negative events. We have a tendency to want to rush through life so that we can get to the good stuff, though that may mean we don’t fully experience or appreciate the simpler, everyday nuggets we encounter along the way.

A famous philosopher once described this problem in his young apprentice, “all his life he has looked away to the future…to the horizon…never his mind on where he was…what he was doing…” (If you’re imagining a small, elderly, goblin-looking creature, talking about Luke Skywalker…you’d be correct. Hey, Yoda was sort of like a philosopher! I’m a Star Wars nerd and I’m not sorry. 😉)

It’s good to enjoy the fun and exciting parts of life. But the humble joys of our daily existence are important too. Things like watching your children play on the playground, having a talk on the swing with an aging parent or pulling off the side of the road just to watch a particularly, stunning sunset. In the end, these nuggets are what we experience most often and they are what we’ll remember in the long run. These are the little things that make life worth living.

5) Just Groove!

My ongoing life goal that I’m continuously striving toward is to learn to just “go with the flow”. I will strive to not allow myself to be anxious about things unless I KNOW that there is something to be anxious about.

You may be thinking, “ever thought of trying some meds?” Anti-anxiety medication is always an option, of course (full disclosure, I do use it, occasionally, on days that feel particularly stressful). But I don’t want to have to rely on it for the rest of my–hopefully lengthy–lifetime. I don’t want to need it just to get me through the normal pressures of daily existence. It seems to me, being that most of us live in a time and place where the quality of life is about the best it’s ever been, throughout the entire course of human history, that I don’t have any excuse to build up so much stress over just getting through the day.

This is where the concept of “Just Groovin'” comes in. Basically, it means, take life as it comes. I am striving to embrace mindful minimalism, and only concern myself with problems as they present themselves (rather than wasting mental energy to worry about them ahead of time).

Want to join me on this quest? Tell me in the comments about your tips for using mindfulness to lessen daily stress, and to live in the present moment!

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Autumn is a Wonderful Time of the Year

In this post, I discuss my love for my second-favorite season, Fall!

It’s Fall ya’ll! The official, astronomical start of Fall was this weekend! (I’m always happy to escape the heat of summer! 🥵)

I live with a meteorologist, so I actually tend to go with the meteorological start of Fall which is September 1. The meteorological seasons always made more sense to me anyway.

The astronomical calendar is based on the position of the sun. Spring and Fall start on their various equinoxes, while Summer and Winter start the days with the longest (and least) amounts of daylight.

In contrast, the meteorological calendar just divides the seasons up into three-month sections (Winter starts December 1, Summer starts June 1, etc.)–Who thinks of winter starting in the middle of December, or summer in the middle of June anyway? 😋 It always feels like those seasons are half over by the time they “officially” start.

Why Fall is Wonderful

Fall is my second-most-favorite season of the year (it’s only slightly short of Spring as my most favorite season 😉)! I absolutely LOVE it! There are only two bad things about this time of the year:

- - The South Dakota winds tend to start blowing again 😗
  - The days are starting to get shorter in earnest now, which I never enjoy. (The good news is, Fall is usually fairly busy for the Trekkers, and with Halloween will come the start of the Holiday Season so, before we know it, it’ll be January and the days will be lengthening again! 😎)

I am SO ready for the heat to be gone! (Especially after this year. I can confidently say this was the first summer since we moved to the Black Hills 13 years ago that summer made me as miserable as it did when we lived in North Carolina. 🥵)

I always look forward to summer, until it gets hot and stays hot and then I say…NOPE! 😋 I just don’t “do” hot ya’ll, sorry. And while I enjoy summertime activities (and all the daylight), I just don’t find that I enjoy summer weather that much. My body just can’t handle the heat (my doctor says I have “heat sensitivity”. 😓)

Click here for a list of some of the Trekkers’ favorite, fall hikes!

I can’t help it, I just LOVE fall weather; the crisp, cool evenings, the damp, foggy mornings. I LOVE that it’s starting to feel good to snuggle in a sweatshirt again.

I love the smell of drying leaves and the way they *crunch!* underfoot, not to mention all their beautiful colors! The ever-green pines here in the Hills contrast so nicely with the vibrant yellows of the aspen trees, all set against the backdrop of our–frequently–blue sky.

I love the way these signs herald change. The cool air just feels like such a relief after the hot summer. It’s like we’re all coming out of a sluggish mode and we’re gearing up for a season full of activities again. I also LOVE the moodiness of the cloudy, grey days (as long as they don’t occur too close together, or I have to pull out the Vitamin D3† early!)

Other Vitamin D3 options: Nature’s Bounty, Nature Made 2000 IU tablets, NOW softgels

What is your favorite season? What are your favorite parts of Fall? Let me know in the comments!

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