5-24-24, 1:00 PM – It was still mighty early to call it a day, but after the Ponderosa Hike along Centennial Trail No. 89, Uncle Joe’s right foot was feeling a little sore. What to do? SPHP recommended a scenic drive to Cheyenne Crossing for some hamburger therapy.
This suggestion proved to be a hit, and seemed to work. Uncle Joe and Aunt Andrea both pronounced their hamburgers delicious, and Joe’s foot must have recovered to some degree, because no more complaints were heard about it.
From Cheyenne Crossing, easy hikes to a couple of the biggest and most popular waterfalls in the Black Hills were only a short drive away.
5-24-24, 3:00 PM – Enthused by the prospect of another outing, Lupe and Cousin Dixie scrambled to the top of the landscaping rocks out in front of the Latchstring Restaurant at Savoy. The beautiful limestone cliffs of Spearfish Canyon were in all directions.
From the N (L) side of the restaurant, a 0.3 mile long trail wound down to a bridge over Spearfish Creek before ending at Spearfish Falls.
A large deck near the base of Spearfish Falls offered the best view, but the falls could be seen from other angles, too.
Spearfish Falls is where Little Spearfish Creek plunges to the bottom of Spearfish Canyon and joins Spearfish Creek. Only 1.25 miles upstream, Little Spearfish Creek boasts another iconic Black Hills waterfall. While certainly possible to drive to Roughlock Falls, an excellent trail starts from behind the Spearfish Canyon Lodge right across Hwy 14A from the Latchstring Restaurant.
Naturally, Lupe and Cousin Dixie were both eager to explore the trail.
Shortly after picking up the Roughlock Falls Trail, it went past a dam on Little Spearfish Creek. Beyond the dam, the trail paralleled the creek as it wound up this side canyon, ultimately leading to a deck with a view of a mossy cascade below Roughlock Falls. From here, Roughlock Falls was only partially visible in the dark recesses of a narrow slot canyon.
From the lower deck, a bridge over Little Spearfish Creek connected to a sidewalk that continued on up to the Roughlock Falls picnic area where 2 upper decks provided closer views of the falls.
The upper deck situated closest to Roughlock Falls was accessible from another bridge over Little Spearfish Creek. This deck provided a view from the very brink of the falls.
Before heading back, a short hike through the Roughlock Falls picnic area led to a small scenic rapid along Little Spearfish Creek.
On the way back to the RAV4, still parked at the Latchstring Restaurant, a stroll along the walkway over the small dam was necessary so Uncle Joe could observe all the trout lurking in the deep water near the spillway.
5-25-24 – With Cousin Dixie, Aunt Andrea, and Uncle Joe still at Hotel Lupe for a couple more days, the American Dingo was certain more Black Hills adventures were ahead. However, things got off to a slow start this morning, due to some business that had to be taken care of. Mush and David showed up at 11:00 AM for the Green Metal Box party.
The Green Metal Box contained some of Grandma’s old valuables, and today was the day SPHP intended to distribute them among Grandma’s heirs. The party took only an hour before everyone seemed satisfied with the result, but the humans all went to the Pizza Ranch for lunch when it was over.
During this excursion, Lupe and Cousin Dixie were both abandoned at Hotel Lupe, which was a bummer, but the humans did eventually return from their high calorie experience in need of some exercise. Something not too strenuous, though, so soon after the damage was done. SPHP suggested a trek on Centennial Trail No. 89 to Mount Warner (5,880 ft.).
Since no one objected, or expressed any other preference, that became the plan.
5-25-24, 5:08 PM, Samelias Trailhead – It was a lovely late spring evening as Cousin Dixie, Uncle Joe, and Aunt Andrea started up USFS Road No. 531. This wasn’t the official Centennial Trail No. 89 route, which actually winds up into the forest SW of Samelias Peak (5,860 ft.) before joining No. 531, but it was a bit of a shortcut on the way to Mount Warner.
After heading up to the pass between Peak 5741 and Samelias Peak, the road leveled out and turned ESE, soon leading to another pass between Samelias Peak and Mount Warner. From here, Centennial Trail No. 89 lost some elevation traversing Mount Warner’s lower S slopes.
A little over halfway to Mount Warner’s summit, Uncle Joe was ready to turn around. Maybe his right foot was feeling a little sore again? In any case, it was time to head back to the trailhead.
The jaunt along Centennial Trail No. 89 wasn’t the day’s final adventure, though. On the way back to Hotel Lupe, Uncle Joe had a thought. Why not stop somewhere near Grandma’s former home just for old time’s sake, and take a walk up to the cul-de-sac?
It was a great idea! Over the years, Lupe and SPHP had walked up to that cul-de-sac more than 1,000 times, but had never returned once the sale of Grandma’s house closed on 5-1-20 during the pandemic, more than 4 years ago. Lupe hadn’t even seen Grandma’s house since then where she’d spent so many happy days so long ago.
5-25-24, 6:58 PM – Joe’s suggestion worked out even better than anyone might have expected. Approaching Grandma’s former home, the new owners came walking out the driveway along with their dog. Turned out they were going to the cul-de-sac, too!
Meeting the new owners after they turned around at the cul-de-sac, Joe struck up a conversation with them. They promptly and very graciously invited everyone to come and take a look at what they’d done with the house since purchasing it on the way back.
Well, why not?
Stopping by Grandma’s house, Dixie got tied up by the old apple tree, but everyone else, including Lupe, got the grand tour both inside and out.
The new owners had done a fabulous job making many improvements. Everything was beautifully remodeled. Grandma’s house had never looked better, but it wasn’t the same. It didn’t feel like Grandma’s house anymore, and it wasn’t. Those days were long gone.
One thing hadn’t changed, and did feel the same. Out back, in the little yard where Lupe used to bark at squirrels, watch deer, and make wild turkeys fly, the red cliffs of Spring Creek canyon were still glowing in the evening sun.
The new owners couldn’t have been nicer, and seeing that view again was truly awesome. Lupe was happy, yet SPHP left feeling a little sad.
5-26-24, 3:52 PM – Cousin Dixie, Aunt Andrea, and Uncle Joe’s last day at Hotel Lupe! Unfortunately, the morning had been unseasonably cold and rainy, although the weather was supposed to improve after noon. However, the sky was still rather gloomily overcast upon arrival at the picnic ground along the SW shore of Deerfield Reservoir.
After a short romp along the lake near the picnic area, SPHP suggested doing a segment of Deerfield Lake Loop Trail No. 40L. This 11 mile long trail goes clear around the entire reservoir. Way too far for this late in the day, however, setting out from the Gold Run trailhead, it might be possible to get to the dam, which is seldom seen except by boat.
Hmm. Not to be! SPHP realized too late that it would have been much better to start out from the road to the Dutchman campground, or even the Kinney Canyon trailhead along Deerfield Trail No. 40. The dam was just too far from Gold Run. Nevertheless, Lupe and Cousin Dixie both had a wonderful time roaming the forest along the trail.
Near the end, the sky began to clear. The sun was shining when the last adventure of Dixie, Joe, and Andrea’s visit to the Black Hills reached its turnaround point. Tomorrow morning they would be leaving Hotel Lupe and returning home to Colorado.
Oh, it had all been such fun! And, best of all, more adventures together were in store in the not too distant future. In just a few short weeks, Lupe and SPHP would be visiting Hotel Dixie in Arvada!
Links:
Next Black Hills Expedition Prior Black Hills Expedition
Centennial Trail No. 89 Map & Brochure
Deerfield Lake Loop Trail No. 40L – Map & Brochure
2020 – The Year of Perfect Vision!
Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 240 – Deerfield Lake Loop Trail No. 40L & Hat Mountain (11-14-18)
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