Day 17: Hiking the Flume Trail

May 1, 2014



Today was mostly an off day from the camp.  We worked a little this morning helping get ready for a group coming in this evening and then spent some time working on our plans for the first 3 weeks in Alaska when Donna and Barry are with us.  After that we went hiking.  It was much warmer today, sunny but continued to be quite windy.  We drove over to Sheridan Lake (about 12 miles from the camp) which is said to be the best lake for fishing in South Dakota.  It is a really pretty lake – water so clear and COLD.  Scout went swimming and came out shivering.  I doubt that water is warm enough for us to swim in by August. 

We hiked a portion of the Flume Trail that begins at Sheridan Lake and ends at Rockerville. "The Flume Trail has been designated a National Recreation Trail because of its historical significance to the local people.

The historic Flume Trail takes you back in time to the mining boom of the 1880s. The Rockerville Flume carried water 20 miles, from Spring Creek west of present day Sheridan Lake, east to the placer diggings near Rockerville.  The flume operated until 1885, and enabled miners to take over $20 million in gold.
The trail follows the actual flume bed for much of its length. Along the way you will see historic artifacts and parts of the flume itself." (US Forest Service)

Trail section with part of the original rock work showing.

We hiked to the first tunnel which was quite interesting.

We then retraced our steps back to the truck – about 3.5 miles total. It was a beautiful afternoon and a really fun hike. 

Oh, by the way. Here is a picture we forgot to include from Custer State Park.  

It's of the tail gate of the pickup.  This swirlly dark areas were made by a buffalo licking the back of the pickup.  It came up behind us when we were stopped for other buffalo in front of us and started licking the truck.  Yes, the tail gate did get a bath.