TENTATIVE DAILY SCHEDULE
7:00 am Breakfast at the hotel with reflection/resilience lesson
8:00 am Travel and hiking adventures
12:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm More breathtaking adventures
3:00 pm Return to hotel/relaxation/personal reflection
5:00 pm Social hour, reflection and resilience topic talk and book discussions — Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown
7:00 pm Group dinner and social connections
Our time developing resilience will be through the use of quiet reflection, lectures, journaling, daily group reflections, book reads, and using our experiences and the paths we hike as daily metaphors to develop gratitude, hope, awe, and joy.
DAILY ITINERARY
Day 1 – Arrive in Rapid City, SD
Rapid City, nestled among the pines of South Dakota’s beautiful Black Hills and six breathtaking parks and monuments is a vibrant city beckoning to be explored. As you arrive here the day before our trip starts, you can take in local arts and culture, explore the outdoors, and indulge in a unique dining scene. We will be staying at the historic Hotel Alex Johnson which has hosted six U.S. Presidents from Calvin Coolidge to Ronald Reagan, and was the on-location home for Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant during the filming of the 1959 classic North by Northwest. You are able to arrive anytime this day as the retreat will begin at 8am the next morning.
Day 2 – Badlands National Park
The beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world. These striking hills contain fossils of ancient horses and saber-toothed cats. The park is now home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets. We will spend time exploring a variety of hiking trails that allow you to experience the beauty of the park up close and personal. Hikes range from flat stretches through the prairie landscape to uphill climbs through the Badlands formations. Tonight we stay at the Holiday Inn Resort in Deadwood. Breakfast included.
Day 3 – Spearfish Canyon
Spearfish Creek lines the canyon floor, while cliffs and canyon waterfalls make for awe-inspiring beauty. Bridal Veil Falls and Roughlock Falls are must-sees today. From the Spearfish Canyon Lodge, where multiple trailheads are also located, you will have the opportunity to hike more adventurous trails, or spend a relaxing afternoon having lunch and reflecting in the beauty of the surroundings. Tonight we stay at the Holiday Inn Resort in Deadwood. Breakfast included.
Day 4 – Mickelson Trail
The Mickelson Trail, in the heart of the beautiful Black Hills, is 109 miles long and contains more than 100 converted railroad bridges and 4 rock tunnels. Today we will be hiking the most beautiful park of the trail from Mystic to Rochford. Much of the trail passes through national forest land where its gentle slopes allow hikers of all abilities to enjoy the beauty of the Black Hills. Tonight we stay at the K Bar S Lodge in Keystone. Breakfast included.
Day 5 – Custer State Park
Custer State Park is the home to many amazing hiking trails. We will start the day with the Cathedral Spires trail. This trail meanders through unique granite spires and the ponderosa pine forests of the Black Hills. We will then head to the Sylvan Lake Lodge where depending on your level of comfort you can hike around Sylvan Lake or for the more adventurous, take one of the many trailheads, such as Sunday Gulch, to explore the beauty that surrounds you. For those choosing the Sunday Gulch trail, you’ll want to wear shoes that you don’t mind getting wet. While it is a strenuous path, the views of the waterfalls are worth it! Tonight we stay at the K Bar S Lodge in Keystone. Breakfast included.
Day 6 – Mount Rushmore
We start the day by visiting America’s Shrine of Democracy. Mt. Rushmore features the faces of four presidents who represent the birth, growth, development, and preservation of this country, and you will have ample time to hike the presidential trail or take a ranger’s tour. We will round out the morning with a leisurely drive along Needles Highway with stops for pictures and enjoyment of the surroundings. This is a spectacular drive through the forests, meadows, and rugged granite formations that seem to pierce the horizon along the way. We will spend the afternoon at the State Game Lodge in Custer Park where you will have the choice to spend a leisurely afternoon on the porch reflecting or fit in one more hike along the Grace Coolidge trail. We finish off the afternoon with a scenic drive along Iron Mountain Road, said to be the most unusual and captivating road in America. What makes this road so unique and memorable are the amount of curves and architectural features found along the way. These features include pigtail bridges and one lane tunnels that frame Mt. Rushmore like a picture frame and are a spectacular site. Tonight we stay at the K Bar S Lodge in Keystone. Breakfast and Dinner included.
Day 7
Arrive back in Rapid City by 12pm. Some travelers may choose to fly home later in the day while others may want to rent a car and spend more time checking out other parts of the Black Hills. Breakfast included.
