Photo Essay: Hiking the Andes with Mountain Lodges of Peru

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These high mountain trails, topping out at 7,100 feet, offer a wide range of trail difficulties, taking you up draws, along ridges, and out to spectacular overlooks offering some of the most breathtaking views in the Black Hills. The Bear Mountain ski trails wander among the picturesque pine and spruce stands along the limestone rim and plunge through draws thickly lined with aspen. The entire area is rich in wildlife. White-tailed and mule deer share the area with elk. You may glimpse sharp-tailed grouse, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, coyotes, or even an occasional mountain lion.

Length: 16.1 miles
Uses: Hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing
Location: Trailhead is at Medicine Mountain Boy Scout Camp, on Forest Road 317

Starting at Medicine Mountain Boy Scout Camp, the southern route climbs about 1000 feet in a little over a mile to Bear Mountain, then follows the limestone rim around to Trail 25A. From here you can take Trail 25A to Grand Vista Overlook or continue along Trail 25 down a scattered aspen and pine draw to Trail 23. From this point Trail 23 travels north up Long Draw or east down Spring Creek, back to the trailhead.