Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 229 – Centennial Trail No. 89: Brush Creek to Rapid Creek & Perrin Mountain (5-14-18)

Start – 10:26 AM, 62°F, Brush Creek trailhead of Centennial Trail No. 89

15 days after reaching Centennial Trail No. 89’s Brush Creek trailhead from the S, Lupe was back.  After days of gloomy mist and fog, bright white clouds now floated in a clean blue sky.  A pretty morning in May, but the air was humid.  Lupe and SPHP were both glad it wasn’t any warmer out than it was.

Lupe returns to the Brush Creek trailhead ready to continue her explorations farther N on Centennial Trail No. 89.
111 mile long Centennial Trail No. 89 goes from Bear Butte near Sturgis, South Dakota to Wind Cave National Park in the southern Black Hills.

The first part of today’s plan was to explore Centennial Trail No. 89 all the way N to the Tamarack Gulch and Rapid Creek trailheads, a distance of 4.9 miles as the trail goes.  Lupe started off following the trail NE down Brush Creek canyon. 

Centennial Trail No. 89 crossed the road frequently.  In some places the trail was practically non-existent, so Lupe simply trotted along right on the road.  Most of the time, though, she stayed on the single track trail.

Yes, the road is close by and easier, but following the trail is more fun!

Except for a few small pools of water and a tiny trickle of a stream close to the trailhead, Brush Creek was totally dry.  The canyon was pretty, though, with some fairly impressive rock walls.

Brush Creek was dry, but the canyon featured some scenic rock walls.

After 3/8 of a mile, Centennial Trail No. 89 left Brush Creek Road for good.  The trail turned N and went over a small ridge.  On the other side of the ridge, Lupe discovered another creek.  This was Prairie Creek, which actually did have flowing water.  The Carolina Dog was already interested in a little refreshment.

Centennial Trail No. 89 leaves Brush Creek Road for good here. It continues N over this low forested ridge. Photo looks NE.
Sure, this may look like it could be Brush Creek, but it’s actually Prairie Creek!

Loopster wouldn’t have had to run down to Prairie Creek right away.  Centennial Trail No. 89 crossed the stream 3 times over the next 0.25 mile.  The creek crossings were trivial.  Stepping stones were available for SPHP’s use.  Lupe didn’t bother with them.  She preferred to cool her paws off in the shallow stream.

Nothing to these Prairie Creek crossings! Use the stepping stones or cool your paws off, whatever you prefer!

After the 3rd creek crossing, Prairie Creek veered off into a side canyon.  Centennial Trail No. 89 continued NW up Gold Standard Gulch.  Lupe gained elevation steadily, but slowly.  For a little way, large rock walls were NE of the trail.  Farther on, Gold Standard Gulch was simply a pleasant valley.  The valley floor was dominated by stands of aspens or small meadows.  Ponderosa pines covered the hillsides.

For a little way beyond the last Prairie Creek crossing large rock walls were seen along the NE side of Gold Standard Gulch. Photo looks NNW.
Farther on, Gold Standard Gulch was simply a nice valley full of bushes and aspens. Ponderosa pines dominated the hillsides. Photo looks NW.

Little changed for nearly 1.5 miles, but eventually the terrain began to steepen.  Lupe was gaining elevation faster, but still at only a moderate pace.  It became clear, however, that she would soon be coming to some sort of pass or high point.

The aspens gave way to an open pine forest which had been thinned by logging operations.  Centennial Trail No. 89 curved N.  A dirt logging road brought Lupe to a saddle at the upper end of Gold Standard Gulch.  Loop was already over halfway to the Rapid Creek trailhead.  The saddle seemed like a good spot to take a short break.

Lupe wasn’t hungry yet.  She rested on pine needles atop little rock ledges W of the trail.  SPHP had an apple.  Not too surprisingly given the humid conditions, the sky had clouded up.  Rain was a low probability according to the forecast, but seemed rather likely.

If Lupe hadn’t stopped here, SPHP would have followed the logging road right on over the N side of the saddle.  However, while Lupe relaxed, SPHP suddenly realized that there was a Centennial Trail No. 89 marker in the forest on the opposite side of the road.  Evidently, the trail left the logging road at this pass.

On the saddle at the upper end of Gold Standard Gulch. Centennial Trail No. 89 leaves the logging road here. Lupe is close to the marker. Photo looks NE.

When SPHP was ready, Lupe pressed on.  Centennial Trail No. 89 went NE over a small forested hill on a ridgeline.  The trail didn’t stay up on the ridge for long.  Soon it turned NW and began winding down into Tamarack Gulch.  Lupe came to a grassy road, which the trail followed N down the gulch.

Centennial Trail No. 89 follows a grassy road down Tamarack Gulch. Photo looks N.

Tamarack Gulch was steeper than Gold Standard Gulch had been.  Lupe rapidly lost 400 feet of elevation.  Centennial Trail No. 89 didn’t go all the way down Tamarack Gulch, but left it, swinging briefly to the W on a side road on some level ground.  After only a few hundred feet, the trail left the side road, too, becoming a single track trail once again heading NW.  Another 80+ feet of elevation loss brought Lupe to a cabin just S of the Tamarack Gulch trailhead.

Tamarack Gulch trailhead was nothing more than a turnaround loop for vehicles on a flat open meadow near Rapid Creek.  By the time Lupe got there, it was raining.  A huge Ponderosa pine next to the creek provided Lupe and SPHP some degree of protection from the rain.

It was raining when Lupe reached the Tamarack Gulch trailhead near Rapid Creek. Photo looks N.

Rain fell for 20 minutes while Lupe and SPHP sheltered under the big pine tree.  Little trout were leaping in the creek almost the whole time.  They were fun to watch.  Every now and then a larger trout made an especially big splash.

The rain eased up.  Onward!  Lupe was now in the broad, flat Rapid Creek valley. The Rapid Creek trailhead was only 0.6 mile away.  Two pawbridges over the meandering river would get her there.

Approaching the first pawbridge over Rapid Creek near the Tamara Gulch trailhead. Photo looks NNW.
Rapid Creek is the largest stream in the entire Black Hills. Photo looks W.
At the first of two pawbridges over Rapid Creek. Photo looks SW.

By the time Lupe reached the second pawbridge, the rain had completely ended.  Sunshine was drying the damp Dingo off as she approached the Rapid Creek trailhead.

The rain was completely over by the time Lupe reached the second pawbridge over Rapid Creek. Photo looks NW.
Looking downstream from the 2nd pawbridge. Photo looks SE.
Approaching the Rapid Creek trailhead. The Pactola Reservoir spillway is seen on the L. Photo looks W.
Damp, but not daunted! And not even damp for long. Getting to the Rapid Creek trailhead was easy! Now what, SPHP? Shall we go take a look at the pond below the spillway?

Upon reaching the Rapid Creek trailhead, Lupe had completed her planned explorations along Centennial Trail No. 89 for the day.  Of course, she’d have to take the trail all the way back to the Brush Creek trailhead again, but even so, she had lots of time to spare.

Lupe and SPHP wandered over to have a look at the pond below the Pactola Reservoir spillway.  Several ducks flew off as Lupe drew near.  Loop climbed up an embankment for a better view of the pond.

The Rapid Creek trailhead is located below the Pactola Reservoir dam. A side road comes down from Hwy 385 up on the dam to the trailhead.
Lupe arrives at the pond below the Pactola Reservoir spillway for a look around. She saw a number of ducks, but most of them flew away as she approached.
Another look from up on an embankment. Pactola Reservoir dam (L) and the spillway (R) are both in view. Photo looks SW.
This pond is only a couple hundred yards from Centennial Trail No. 89’s Rapid Creek trailhead. Worth a look, aye? If you are feeling ambitious, you can go up and take a look at Pactola Reservoir, the largest lake in the Black Hills, too, from up on the dam.

From the pond, Lupe could have gone up onto the dam for a look at Pactola Reservoir, but being more of a peakbagging Dingo than a water Dingo, she had a different adventure in mind.  She was going to climb nearby Perrin Mountain (5,212 ft.) instead.

The pond was pretty, but we’re going to go climb a mountain now, right SPHP?

From the Rapid Creek trailhead, Centennial Trail No. 89 follows a gravel road NW up a valley as it begins the 5 mile journey to the next trailhead at Deer Creek.  Lupe had no intention of going all the way to Deer Creek, but started up the valley.  She immediately passed several nice cabins along the way.

Oh, wouldn’t it be nice if SPHP would buy me a beautiful cabin in the Black Hills like this one?

Just beyond the last lovely cabin (pictured above), the valley and road both forked.  Centennial Trail No. 89 continued up the L fork.  Lupe took the road to the R.  She followed it only a few hundred feet before turning E and climbing up onto a forested ridge.  On the other side of this ridge was another valley.  A big power line was down there.

Lupe followed the ridge she was already on climbing steadily N.

Climbing the forested ridge on the way to Perrin Mountain. Photo looks N.

Lupe eventually began to get tree broken views of Pactola Reservoir back to the SW.  When she had gone over 0.5 mile and gained 500 feet of elevation, she reached the power line.  From here she had her first and only clear view of Pactola Reservoir on her way up Perrin Mountain.

When Lupe reached the power line, she got her only clear view of Pactola Reservoir on the way up Perrin Mountain. Photo looks SW.

Lupe went under the power line climbing NNE.  The ridge was steep here, but remained so only until she reached a large rock formation.

Not far from the power line, Lupe reaches the largest rock formation she came to while climbing Perrin Mountain. Photo looks SSW.

Another 0.1 mile brought Lupe to a grassy high point.  This high point was both the far N end of the ridge she had been following and part of Perrin Mountain’s main W ridge.  The summit was still 0.5 mile away off to the ESE.  Loop would only need to gain another 230 feet of elevation on the way there.

The American Dingo headed E for the summit.  The gradual uphill trek on the broad ridge was fun and easy.  Lupe passed many upright tilted rock formations only a few feet high.  Glimpses of Pactola Reservoir were available between the trees almost the entire time, but the forest was thick enough so the views didn’t really grab or hold attention.

More than halfway to the summit, Lupe came to a dirt road.  The road soon ended at a campfire ring made of stones.  Neanderthals had been here!  They’d left broken glass and beer cans as evidence of the power and glory of their civilization.  For the moment, Lupe and SPHP left this fabulous archeological discovery undisturbed .

At the Neanderthal archeological site on Perrin Mountain.

A single track trail led to the summit of Perrin Mountain (5,212).  Lupe had been here once before more than 2 years ago, so she knew what to expect.  No views, and only a small rock outcropping at the true summit.

On the single track trail leading to the top of Perrin Mountain. The summit isn’t far from here! Photo looks SE.
Back on top of Perrin Mountain for the 1st time in more than 2 years. Photo looks E.
So what, if you can’t see much from here? This still counts as another successful ascent in the peakbagging world! Photo looks SE.
Centennial Trail No. 89 is fun, but I like to spice it up with a bit of peakbagging along the way whenever possible! Photo looks NE.

As soon as Lupe reached the top of Perrin Mountain, she heard thunder off to the N.  The sunshine had disappeared again a while ago.  More rain was on the way.  The plan had been to take an extended break up on Perrin Mountain, but maybe that wasn’t such a great idea?

Things didn’t seem too threatening yet, though.  Loop and SPHP lounged about for a while.  The Carolina Dog was hungry.  The Taste of the Wild supply disappeared.  The last apple vanished, too.  Thunder rumbled off to the N every few minutes, as a reminder not to get too complacent.

Not much had changed up on Perrin Mountain in the past 2 years, which was a good thing, of course.  The Hurt Locker sign was still attached to a tree a little SE of the true summit.  SPHP still thought it must refer to a first aid locker, but none was to be seen.

By the Hurt Locker sign. Photo looks E.
Perhaps this sign refers to a first aid kit that used to be here?

A stroll around Perrin Mountain’s summit area didn’t reveal much.  Lupe could see a short stretch of Hwy 44 off to the NE.  She had badly tree broken views of Pactola Reservoir to the SW.  That was about it.  The most interesting thing was a huge dead tree NW of the true summit.

The Perrin Mountain summit area was pleasantly secluded. Not too exciting, however, except for the rumble of thunder. The true summit is seen on the R. Photo looks N.
This big dead tree NW of the true summit was the most dramatic thing to be seen. Photo looks NNW.

Half an hour after arriving, Lupe left the summit of Perrin Mountain.  She now had to retrace the entire journey here all the way back to the Brush Creek trailhead where she’d started.  On the way, she stopped by the Neanderthal site where SPHP looted the priceless treasures.

On an upright rock formation on Perrin Mountain’s W ridge. Photo looks WNW.

The next rain shower caught Lupe on Centennial Trail No. 89 out in the open between the Rapid Creek and Tamarack Gulch trailheads.  The rain fell harder this time, but fortunately wasn’t a deluge.  The shower ended as Lupe reached the big pine tree next to Rapid Creek at the Tamarack Gulch trailhead.  The little trout were still jumping, so Loop and SPHP hung out beneath the big tree for a few minutes to watch them.

A couple of Canadian geese were wandering about checking out the local real estate on offer.  Apparently it had been looking promising.  Rapid Creek and the rain shower were both desirable features.  However, they sauntered away when they saw a Carolina Dog in the neighborhood.  Who wants to live next to such riffraff?

A couple of Canadian geese were out inspecting local real estate at the Tamarack Gulch trailhead.
Perrin Mountain (Center) from the Tamarack Gulch trailhead. The geese saunter off as Lupe pretends not to notice the insult. Photo looks N.

Once Lupe had regained 500 feet of elevation going up Tamarack Gulch to reach the saddle at the upper end of Gold Standard Gulch, the rest of the return trip was easy.  Thunder continued to rumble for a while, but eventually faded away.  It never did rain again.  The sun even came out for a few seconds now and then.

Going down Gold Standard Gulch was fun!  Squirrels in the aspen trees provided plenty of excitement and entertainment.  All too soon, the first of the three Prairie Creek crossings appeared indicating the approaching end of the good times in Gold Standard Gulch.

The return trek down Gold Standard Gulch was fun and easy. Photo looks E.
Come on, SPHP! This is prime squirrel territory! Let’s go find some. Photo looks E.
Well, this has been fun, hasn’t it? And to think that we have the whole place all to ourselves!
Loop reaches Prairie Creek again nearing the lower end of Gold Standard Gulch. 2 more creek crossings to go! Photo looks NE.

While going up Brush Creek canyon on the last part of the return trip, Lupe scared up a bird along the trail.  It flew up from the ground only a little way to sit on a low branch.  Neither Lupe nor SPHP had ever seen a bird quite like it anywhere in the Black Hills before.

Of course, I know what kind of bird it is, Loop! That’s a brown crested whatchamacallit.

The strange bird provided the evening’s final bit of excitement.  Lupe was soon back at the Brush Creek trailhead and the G6.  (6:45 PM, 53°F)

The last of the American Dingo’s three adventures along Centennial Trail No. 89 in the spring of 2018 were now complete.  They had been fun, but summer was coming!  Lupe had a couple more adventures ahead of her in the western high country of the Black Hills before June, but after that her summer of 2018 Dingo Vacations to exotic and remote locations far from home would begin.

Oh, don’t worry Centennial Trail fans! I’ll be back in the fall for more great adventures along Centennial Trail No. 89, so stay tuned!

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition                  Prior Black Hills Expedition

Next Trail Section South:

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 227 – Centennial Trail No. 89: Spring Creek to Twin Peaks & Brush Creek (4-29-18)

Next Trail Section North:

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 234 – Centennial Trail No. 89: Rapid Creek to Deer Creek (9-22-18)

Centennial Trail No. 89 Map & Brochure

Lupe treasures gathered – 18 aluminum cans and some broken glass.

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