Palisades State Park - Split Rock Creek Trail

It has been several years since we visited Palisades State Park, and then it was to wander along a short trail through great quartzite rock formations along the creek.  While these formations are stunning, we wanted to try out the longer hiking trail that begins in the picnic area south of the 1908 historic bridge and runs up and down the steep slopes and upstream along the course of Split Rock Creek past the camp lodge building.

The park manager at the Big Sioux Recreation Area recommended this hike to me yesterday, and we decided visit Palisades State Park this afternoon.

Palisades State Park is the second smallest park in the state.  The 157 acres of the park stretches a couple of miles, mostly on the eastern side of Split Rock Creek.  While the major rock formations for which the park is named are on the west side of the park, the camping and picnic areas and Split Rock Creek Trail are on the east side.

Split Rock Creek Trail begins in the parking lot along the “South Wall” and moves down a steep rocky slope and then back up to the historic bridge over the creek and along the road that leads to another hiking trail on the western side that passes through the rock formations.  

We set out heading upstream along a rocky trail that lead down to the creek and then continued north.  The trail varied from an easy pathway to a more rugged climb up and down the rocky slope.  The climb was more than our little miniature poodle could easily handle, and it became necessary at times for me to carry him along in my arms.

Part of the pathway was easy walking along the creek, only to enter another series of climbs over rocky terrain as we continued upstream.

There are great views from elevated points along the pathway.  My wife, Marsha, was apprehensive about our dog falling down a crevice or over a cliff and landing either in the rocks or in the creek. 

The trail continues past a large lodge owned by the park department and rented for large gatherings.  The lodge is up on a hill overlooking the creek valley, and the trail moves past an entrance up the slope to the building.  Continuing north, the end of the park comes into view with some private homes situated just upstream. 

At that point, we returned along a groomed trail and went up the slope to visit the lodge site.  That was a good point to give our little dog some water and the take stock of out progress.  It took us about 45 minutes to hike to the northern end of the park and then back to the lodge. 

We descended back down the trail to the creek and walked south until locating a trail that lead up the hill to the camping area along a paved road through the park.  There are a number of camping cabins along this road, and we walked along until we got to the parking lot downstream from the historic bridge. 

Our walk this morning was about one and a-half hours.  There was a lot of up-and-down climbing along the rocky pathway as well as a good long walk along the entire trail and paved road back to the parking lot.  Our legs were tired, and we felt that we had a great workout on the hike.  I would classify the path we took as one of the more rugged in the area.

We saw two other parties hiking through the park; otherwise, we seemed to be alone.  There was some birdlife to observe during our walk, most notably a hawk roaming about over the surface of the creek.

Palisades State Park is located near Garretson, maybe 20 miles or so from our eastside Sioux Falls home.  The trail we took was a great hike, and we enjoyed it very much.  In the past I have visited the rock formations and will again stroll through that fascinating landscape on our next visit. 

The full set of photographs of this hike can be found on my Flickr account at the following URL:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayheath/sets/72157632024961895/

Further information from the SDGFP can be found at the following URL:
http://www.southdakota.com/palisades-state-park/210

Beaver Creek Nature Center: Late Fall 2012

Beaver Creek Nature Area offers one of the prime hiking sites around Sioux Falls.  My family and I have hiked the trails of this state owned nature area for over thirty years, and it remains a favorite of 

ours. 

Our typical hike at Beaver Creek begins at the shelter on the east side of the park.  The Homesteader Nature Trail begins just off the parking lot and moves over an old bridge across Beaver Creek. 

The trail continues along the east and then south side of the creek, moving along a pathway through the woods and climbing in elevation over the creek.  This section of the trail had been closed for the past couple of years after serious bank collapse following a year of heavy rains.  During the closure, an alternative route was developed, and that route is still an option for hikers.  I like the original route, however, with its great view of the creek and the landscape.

The trail winds steadily along the twisting creek course, rising in elevation up a reinforced path with an overlook through the trees.  Today, the path was carpeted with fallen leaves and the sightlines were clear through the bare tree branches.   There are a couple of lesser-traveled pathways that also lead up to the highlands overlooking the creek, but our preferred route is the well-traveled main trail.

Today, we were alone in the park.  It was just Marsha and me and our little miniature poodle.  Our dog is approaching fifteen years now and has slowed down a lot.  On our walks, though, he slips back into old habits of vigor, great energy, and keen interest.  His hearing and sight have deteriorated, and he doesn’t seem to hear our commands – or he has developed “selective hearing.”  He now seems to race ahead of us and lead us down the pathways rather than walking close at hand.  Still, these walks are almost a canine fountain of youth for him.

The pathway moves up to the highlands of the park along a ridge overlooking the creek and the plain below.

The landscape changes on the ridge so that there is more open space along one side with the woods on the other. 

Continuing along the trail, the path moves back down a slope, arriving at a suspension bridge over a deep ravine.

The trail then moves up the slope to a point where set-in steps lead down to the valley floor.  The floor is heavily wooded and has always seemed like a fairyland to us. 

Continuing along the valley floor, the path continues back to the banks of Beaver Creek where it links up with the trail network and leads to another bridge over the creek.

Turning left after crossing the bridge, the path leads along the creek shoreline to a second parking lot where the homesteader cabin is located.

The cabin is located in a large open area where restrooms and picnic tables are located.  This area was homesteaded around 1870, and the existing cabin was built soon thereafter. 

A major family-style activity sponsored by the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks and the Siouxland Heritage Museum is held on this site each September – Homesteader Day.  This event usually has music provided by the South Dakota Old Time Fiddlers; lots of “old timey” crafts, such as candle making and blacksmithing; a show by the Civil War re-enactors; and tours of the cabin by docents.  It is really a fine activity, and my family has enjoyed it many times over the years. 

The hiking trail is about 1.5 miles long, and doubling back from the cabin to the east parking lot probably brings the hike up to two miles.  We usually sit around a picnic table in the cabin area for a few minutes at the end, so our total time is about an hour and fifteen minutes for the hike.

This dirt trail is classified by the SDGFP as “very difficult, extremely hilly, very uneven surface.”  There is always the possibility of seeing wildlife along the path. Today we saw a deer flashing through the woods.  The Beaver Creek Nature Area is very popular with local birders.  The YMCA also uses these trails in the summer for their adventure hikes.

Additional information about Beaver Creek Nature Area can be found on the SDGFP web site at the following URL: http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/beaver-creek/docs/beaver-creek-trails.pdf

The full set of photos of the hike today can be seen on my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayheath/sets/72157632013166422/