Harney Peak

Harney is an unforgettable experience. From the Sylvan Lake trailhead we hiked trail #9 to Harney. The hike itself is simply glorious, and we realized upon reaching the top that it was a perfect day for it — clear, sunny and no wind at all. We chose trail #4 for our return route and took a scrambling detour near the Cathedral Spires in search of a geocache.

By the time we reached the turn-off for Little Devil’s Tower, we had already been on the trail nearly 5 hours and weren’t confident about our flagging stamina. Harney was a piece of cake compared to the steep climb to LDT, but I’m so glad we pushed ourselves! If possible, Little Devil’s Tower was an even more fun experience than Harney Peak itself! We found the geocache on the summit, and because we arrived so late in the day we got some stunning photos in the afternoon sun. 7 hours after setting out we finally returned to our car, triumphant but exhausted.

Depending on what trail you use, it’s a very vigorous hike, and takes longer than you think! Takes most of the day. After the hike, jump into Sylvan Lake to cool off. Need a cheap $5 pass for your vehicle for the day if you don’t have a SD State Park sticker.

Have a great climb!

Just got back from hiking Herney Peak. Great hike. Great view. Great day.

All seven of us made it to the top and the dog too.

Went up via Little Devils Tower and came down via trail #9