Sunday Gulch

Actually slept in this morning - 6:40!!! Didn't sleep the greatest last night so hopefully will go better tonight! This morning for breakfast we just walked across the street to the grocery store for donuts and some fruit. 

Headed out for Sunday Gulch hike. We stopped at the Custer Visitor Center first to see if they had a map of Custer State Park - which of course they did. They lady working was super nice and helpful. She actually gave us a couple maps and told us a bit about the hikes I was thinking of doing. Kurt found a Hiking in the Black Hills book. It has some great info, will come in handy this trip and future ones!

Sunday Gulch leaves from Sylvan Lake. You hike about a half mile of the Lakeshore Trail to the start of Sunday Gulch. Total it's about a 4 miles hike. When you first start out you are climbing down huge boulders with railings and some steps to help. I am quite glad we went down them as I think coming up would have been even more difficult. The granite walls rose up on each side. Was just a super neat experience. I don't think the pictures do it justice!

The views were amazing when we were at the higher elevations. There were lots of little waterfalls between the granites walls and around the boulders. Was a difficult but such a great hike. Even if it kicked my butt and I was sweating my butt off (thanks for those genes Dad...) it was a ton of fun. Would highly recommend and would gladly do again! Is now one of my all-time favorites!

The hike ends back on Sylvan Lakehore Trail so finished with a beautiful walk along the lake. It really is a gorgeous place! There were a couple bald eagles flying around the lake. We were hoping to see one swoop down and get a fish but didn't happen. 

Hike took us about exactly 3 hours. Was about 1:00 when we finished up and I was famished so went back to Custer for lunch. Stopped at the room to freshen up (in other words put on a t-shirt that wasn't sweat soaked and another layer of deodorant) and walked up the road to Black Hills Burger and Bun. Kurt and I each had a burger and fries - really hit the spot! 

After lunch we walked up the road a little further to Mount Rushmore Brewing. We each had a beer in their cute tap room. Headed back to our home away from home and did a little shopping along the way. Some neat shops but found nothing we needed to have.

It looked a bit dark off to the east and we thought about going for a drive so checked the radar and sure enough looked like some storms were passing through the State Park so hung out at the room for a bit until they passed. Headed out and did the Wildlife Loop through Custer. Was a gorgeous night for a drive, which is good as our air is still not working... We did see a couple of buffalo up close and the donkeys but most of the heard was quite a ways off. The first buffalo we came across was actually standing at one of those road grates and you could tell he really wanted to go across but couldn't. Finally he gave up and passed. The donkeys were in the road as people were feeding them. There was even a baby with them.

Stopped at the new Bison Visitor Center on the drive. Was a neat place on the buffalo and the roundup. Was an interesting new place that I think just opened this year. All the animals were in pretty much the same area so cruised through the last half of the drive. We actually saw a couple buffalo on the way back to Custer after we left the Wildlife Drive. They were pretty much right on the road, along with A LOT of deer. Good thing as you drive pretty slow through the area. 

Got back to the room and decided we could use a little bite to eat. Kurt found the Buglin Bull had buffalo chislic. Decided like something we would like to try! Walked up and decided to just share one order as the dessert menu looked really tempting! Kurt got a flight with different beers from around the Hills. He said it was good - I had water as I was saving up for that dessert (and they were sold out of the beer I wanted). The chislic was amazing!!! And the parmesan fries they came with were pretty dang good too! The Chocolate Mosaic Cake was sinful. Sooo good, but so much more than I really needed. Good thing it's vacation and vacation calories don't count!

Back to room to do my blog, a load of laundry, and watch the newest Hellboy. Another good vacation day!