SmartAlec GPS Adventure Guide

I couldn’t stand to stay inside today so I set out to discover something, anything, new on highway 44. Charles led the way and off to Rimrock Hwy we went. It’s called Rimrock highway for a reason you know. Both to the south and norther, flashing through the trees are towering limestone ridges and cliffs carved by Rapid Creek over the years. I haven’t spent much time on Rimrock Hwy (44) except for visiting Black Hills Caverns and Crystal Cave while on my way to Rochford, SD. I thought I would have to dig a little in order to find anything worthwhile but underneath it all I knew there was something magical about these giant cliffs.

I think I got lucky, but the locals in the neighborhood just west of town say its normal, when I happened upon a herd of Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep grazing in someones front yard. I’m not talking about a few yews here, I’m talking large, mature, ‘mating season’ males and their harem. I was blown away! These sheep are larger and more pronounced than anything I’ve seen in Custer State Park! I ran into the lady who owned the property and she said they ‘live here’. I said ‘what’? She said, “that’s right, they live here. Every year from about August to January, when the real cold comes, they pretty much roam through my yard”. I was in awe. WOW! I coudn’t believe it. She said the rest of the year they move down to Chapel Valley, near Canyon Lake, and wander through there through the spring. Now THAT’s something I shall remember to do this spring!

After I wiped the slobber off my chin I continued down Rimrock highway satisfied that my Bighorn sheep discovery was enough for the day but I’d see if I could get lucky at least one more time before the sun went down.  Quickly I saw the road sign “Falling Rock” and I slammed on my brakes!  ‘Sir YES SIR, that’s an adventure waiting to happen’, I thought.  Charles and I zipped down the gravel road just a short distance, past the first ‘pull in’ and found another pull in that looked like a trail head.

We were out of the truck and off to the races down the trail.  It must’ve only been about 200-300 yards up the well worn path when we came to the canyon rim.  “DUDE! How have I not heard of this or been here before?” I thought.  The view is simply fantastic.  See the video below as I explain the 1000 drop to the valley below where Rapid Creek flows.  Awesome!

After the video and picture taking Charles and I wandered on down the ridgeline as it wrapped around to “Shank Gulch”. MORE spectacluar view’s of cliffs and ‘fallen rock’ down into the gulch. As I scanned the limestone wall across the giant ravine I noticed some rock climbers. I began to look around and I noticed quite a few ‘anchors’ in the rocks and it turns out this is great place for repelling and testing your rock climbing skills. See the video below

Well, all in all, it was probably the best spent 2 hours in a long time! The great news is that the trail is extremely easy to navigate and not steep. It’s very dangerous to walk along the rim though so make sure to not bring your young kids (5-12). I know that this location is going on my top five ‘local secrets’.

Have fun out there!

Posted under Off the Beaten Path, Outdoors, Videos