Isaac Parsons

The winding trail to the Stratobowl is a gradual and easy hike, which is perfect for the whole family or for a quick excursion if you don't have a lot of time. It is roughly a mile to the Rim overlook, where there is a plaque commemorating the November 11th, 1935 balloon flight that launched 72,395 feet into the stratosphere, which was a world record at the time. There is a smattering of granit...

The trail starts near the East side of Stockade Lake just outside Custer, South Dakota. The trail is a 1.2 mile loop, and climbs up to 5,650 feet above sea level. The trail is easy to follow and is well worn. Also the trees have blue diamonds nailed to them for even easier route finding. Once you get to the high point of the trail there is a very scenic viewing area where the trees have been cl...

Community Caves is located in the scenic Spearfish Canyon, on Highway 14A, about 2.7 miles from Spearfish (once you turn off of Colorado Blvd).  There is a large pull-off area on the right (west) side of the road and then the trail, which is not marked at all, is on the opposite side of the pull-off.  The trail starts very mildly. In the winter, it is easy to follow as everyone's footprints mar...

To get to the Little Goose Trailhead make sure you have a vehicle capable of traveling over very rough terrain and big rocks and cross 3 creeks, one of which is about 50 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Four-wheel drive would be strongly recommended.  From the Little Goose Trailhead you will need to hike to Highland Lake which is about 7 miles or so.  On the way you will come across Highland Park and...

Cascade Falls is 10 miles south of Hot Springs on highway 71, it is easy to access, and is a great spot for a picnic or to cool off in the cool waters on hot days! There are several picnic tables, vault toilets and a large parking area, and just a short walk down to the falls. The pool at the base of the falls is beautiful blue water and has several other sections of the creek that pool up too....

The trail to get to the summit of Gannett Peak is not for the faint of heart. It is a 50+ mile round trip with over 10,000 feet of elevation gain/loss.  Late June through August are the best times to climb Gannett, but if you go too late in the summer and it has been a hot one, then there is a chance the snow bridge and the bergschund might be impassable.  The Glacier Trail starts at the New Gl...

The hike is a very simple hike, you can make it longer or shorter as you would like. There is one spot were the trail gets a little steep and is rutted, you go from the rivers edge, to up on top of the cliffs and bluffs area.  Fall is a great time to go and visit Palisades State Park, with the Fall foliage and the trees changing!  To enter Palisades State Park you will need a pass, either a day...

For our loop traveling around the Grand Teton, we started at the Lupine Meadows TH going counterclockwise and that was where we finished as well. We heard that other people start other trailheads, like Death Canyon TH or Taggart Lake TH. Our goal was to finish the loop in just 2 days and 1 night, from what we had heard and read the loop was going to be about 30-31 miles long. After we had hiked...

Grace Coolidge Walk-In area is a fantastic place to go for a hike and do some fly fishing! There are 6 dams built along the 3 mile trail. You can start on either from Center Lake off of Playhouse Rd. or you can start at the southern trailhead near Highway 16A, that is not too far west from the State Game Lodge.  The trail is very easy to follow, it is broad and well worn.  As you follow the tra...

To get to the trailhead for Mt. Roosevelt, you will need to travel about a mile north of Deadwood, on HWY 85, then you will see signs for it near the Lodge of Deadwood, from there you will eventually hit a gravel road and it is about 2.5 miles from the highway. The trailhead has picnic tables, and a vault toilet for amenities.  The trail is very well maintained and prominent! Along the trail yo...

This hike starts at the Little Devil's Towers trailhead just east of Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. Follow the main trail from the parking lot about 300 yards then there will be an unmarked trail off to the left, it is a beaten path more than a trail. The trail that leads up to Poet's Table veers off the main trail at a relatively flat spot and in between to granite outcroppings. Follow the ...

The trail is accessible from 2 different spots, both give you the opportunity for a scenic drive to get there. The approach from the Northeast side is on Iron Mountain road a beautiful scenic Black Hills highway, and you will be very near Lakota Lake.  The Southwest trail head is a more rugged drive on a gravel two track called Camp Remington road that goes through the Peter Norbeck Wildlife Pr...

To get to Little Goose Trailhead take Red Grade Rd. west out of the little town on Bighorn for about 10 miles, then keep your eye out for FS Rd. 314 on the left, this you will follow until the road will eventually dead-end at the trailhead. There are a couple creek crossings and the road is pretty intense in some places, so 4WD would be recommended.  (Here is a Link from Bighorn to the trailhea...

The Bighorns have a whole lot to offer in any season. Most people probably do not think of the Bighorns as a ski destination, partly because there are only 2 ski areas in the whole range, and one, Antelope Butte was closed from 2004 until it reopened in 2018. To the west across the highway is a zone for earning your turns! However, the area is well known to the snow mobile community. Sheridan, ...

The creek has two main sections, there is Upper French Creek and Lower French creek, the upper/lower refer to the section of creek above or below Stockade Lake. The better fishing is below Stockade Lake. There you can find numerous sections of the creek that are on public land and easily accessible. Trout can be found all over the creek, especially in the bends where it pools up and gets deeper...

The Trailhead lies down in the canyon bottom, just one mile west of Jewel Cave National Monument and 13 miles west of Custer. Upon arrival, you are greeted by the parking lot, which is right off the highway and boasts a spacious gravel lot to park in. Since the trail is a loop, you can go either direction; most people decide to go uphill to get on the canyon walls first and then loop down and a...

Park on the South end of 6th Street at Harbach Park in Custer, just 2 blocks off Main Street. The entrance to the trail is marked by an archway and a "Custer Skywalk" sign. The path is a dirt/small gravel trail that has stairs built into the hillside. To get to the first observation point it is about a three tenths of a mile, there is a shelter lookout spot. good spot to take a break and take s...

Castle Creek is a challenging place to get to, the road in the off seasons can be even more difficult. In the spring/early summer when the road is wet it can become rutted. There is one road to get to the campground from the East from Mystic it is about 8 rough narrow miles, but you could arrive at the campground from the North West as well. Both roads can be rough, so take your time and it sho...

Sheep Mountain Table is located in the Stronghold Unit that is in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of Badlands National Park. The area is prime for exploring. Once you get off Highway 27 for Sheep Mountain Table, you will travel about 4 miles on a well maintained gravel road, to an Overlook and turn around spot. From the overlook spot, you can continue on less traveled 2-track from the overloo...

Biking the George S. Mickelson Trail is a very popular activity for many people in the Black Hills, locals, visitors, and tourists all enjoy the Mickelson Trail.  Not only can you bike, but you can run, walk, or even ride horses, and you most definitely do not have to do the entire length of the trail. There are numerous trailheads (15) along the trail to start or stop your ride, and make it ho...

Thompson Beach is a Minnesota DNR public access beach. Camping is an excellent option, but they ask that you limit it to one night. Camping access is by paddle-in only. There are two easy places to launch your boat from, one from the north Twin Points Protected Access. From there it is about a mile to paddle down to the beach. The second option for a put in is Gooseberry Falls State Park, from ...

To get the the trailhead for Rapid Creek you must turn to the east onto Pactola Basin Road or FS road 164 when on Highway 385 crossing the Pactola Reservoir. The road down to the trailhead is steep and can be rough depending on the time of the year. Once at the trailhead there is a parking area, with a map and information of the area. No fee to park, and overnight camping is not allowed. From t...

To get to the trail for Lookout Mountain there are 2 trailheads. One trailhead is just a few blocks from downtown on Nevada St., the other trailhead is on the East side of town. This post is using the Nevada St. Trailhead as the starting point. From this trailhead to the top of Lookout Mountain it is 1.2 miles and 860 feet of elevation gain.  Once you get to the trailhead you will see a map, th...

The beautiful hike is a tremendous spot to get out of town and enjoy the scenery and a great view of Rapid Creek down in the canyon below.  Parking is right off Falling Rock Rd. then the trail is a very well marked path through the trees, easy to follow, and leads you right to the edge of limestone cliffs! The cliffs offer fantastic views and solitude on the right day. Other days it can be a bu...