BLACK HILLS & BADLANDS REGION Christmas Nights of Light at Storybook Island Snowmobiling in the Black Hills FIND SPECTACULAR LANDSCAPES IN A WINTER WANDER-LAND CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING Get off the beaten path during a cross-country skiing outing. Nearly 6,000 miles of abandoned railroad grades, logging roads and fi e trails are open to cross-country skiing during the winter months. In the Black Hills National Forest , Big Hill, Eagle Cliff and Sundance trail systems are groomed for cross-country skiing in cooperation with local ski clubs. Area outfi ters offer equipment rentals. Sun-soaked skies, pristine powder-filled valleys and iconic snowcapped peaks beckon to be discovered in the winter. ICE CLIMBING Take on a fresh challenge during the winter months as waterfalls and vertical seeps freeze up and make for some great ice climbing. Ice climbing is gaining in popularity, and the Black Hills is a great place to get started or polish your skills. Many climbs have easy access and no avalanche danger, while offering challenges on vertical ice that grows from springs and waterfalls. FAT BIKING Biking enthusiasts ride year-round with the help of special fat tire bikes. Oversized tires and low ground pressure make it easy to roll over a wide variety of terrain with ease, especially snow. Fatbiking is permitted on any Black Hills trail where mountain biking is permitted — meaning endless adrenaline rushes and wintertime fun. The sport’s increasing popularity has led way to competitive winter races, including Snow Jam, a series of events hosted by the Northern Hills Recreation Association, and the 28 Below Fatbike race, a 50K lollypop loop with around 2,800 feet of climbing through picturesque Spearfish anyon, held March 16, 2019. ICE FISHING Come winter, lakes once teaming with boats transform into ice fishing villages where anglers set up houses, drill holes in the ice and wait for the fish to bite. Fast-fl wing, spring-fed streams continue to run, even in the coldest months, allowing flyfishin for cold-water trout throughout the season. Popular lakes for ice fishing include Sheridan, Deerfield, Pactola, Angostura and more. Warm, lifelong memories are often forged from nature’s stunning sunsets and the hushed silence of winter. 106 // #DiscoverBlackHills
South Dakota Vacation Guide South Dakota Vacation Guide 2019: Page 106
