USFS · Wilderness area · South Dakota

Black Elk Wilderness

The Black Elk Wilderness lies in the center of the Black Hills National Forest in western South Dakota. The wilderness encompasses the Harney Range and Black Elk Peak, an area long held sacred by Native...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Wilderness13,534 acresUSFSSDDesignated 19808 campgrounds within 10 mi3 Forest Service sites
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Black Elk Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateSouth Dakota
Size13,534 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1980, by Congress
Center point43.8578, -103.4924
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 8 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · 0.4 mi
Horsethief Lake Campground
Reservable42 sites
FS · 0.5 mi
Iron Creek Horse Camp
Reservable10 sites
FS · 1.1 mi
Grizzly Bear Campground
Reservable20 sites
FS · 1.1 mi
Willow Creek Horse Camp
Reservable9 sites
FS · 2.1 mi
Oreville Campground
Reservable26 sites
FS · 3.3 mi
Bismark Lake
Reservable24 sites
FS · 6 mi
Sheridan Lake
Reservable111 sites
FS · 6.3 mi
Sheridan North Cove Grp Cg
Reservable5 sites

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 3

The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 day hiking, 1 backpacking, 1 interpretive site. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Memorial · 1 mi
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
National Monument · 15 mi
Jewel Cave National Monument
National Park · 17 mi
Wind Cave National Park
National Register listings within 15 miles · 29 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Black Elk Wilderness?

13,534 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Black Elk Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Black Elk Wilderness in?

South Dakota.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Black Elk Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1980.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Black Elk Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Horsethief Lake Campground, 0.4 miles out. 8 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Black Elk Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites here, including 1 day hiking, 1 backpacking and 1 interpretive areas. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Black Elk Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 43.858, -103.492. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is 1 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Black Elk Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 12 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Black Elk Wilderness?

Mount Rushmore National Memorial (1 mi), Jewel Cave National Monument (15 mi) and Wind Cave National Park (17 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Black Elk Wilderness?

29 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Harney Peak Lookout Tower, Dam, Pumphouse and Stairway and Byron, Lewis, House.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.