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Fall Colors - Central Hills
Areas near Rapid City, SD
- Flag mountain offers a beautiful lookout over the Black Hills and vehicles can drive right to it. The drive meanders around the Rochford area where Fall colors are plentiful. You can see Reynolds Prairie below, a portion of a rare Montane Grassland ecosystem and find several grassland bird species such as grasshopper sparrow, bobolink, bluebirds, ospreys and eagles. Several Native American sacred sites such as Hat Mountain and Pechla can be seen from the mountain. In the far distance is Harney Peak. (Directions: Take Deerfield Road (306) to 303 (towards Rochford), then NFSR 189 approximately 2.2 miles to road to Flag mountain.)
- Newton Fork road displays many colorful aspen stands and makes for a wonderful drive on a Fall day.
- For a drive a little more off the beaten path, FSR 190 to Whitetail Peak also offers plenty Fall color viewing areas.
- Forest personnel recommend a drive to Black Fox Campground from Rochford (FSR 231) which is accessible to most vehicles. In this area, is a botanical area and has many shrub species such as willow, chokecherry, red-osier dogwood, and service berry, to name a few, that turn purple, red, golden yellow in front of a mix of aspen, pine and spruce. From Black Fox, personnel suggest going south on 233, where there are limestone outcrops, beaver complexes along with many fall colors.
- Mc Intosh Fen, another rare ecosystem is exceptionally beautiful in the Fall. To get there, drive 233 to Castle Creek (1303) then head east to Deerfield Lake (loop) along the Castle Creek road. The roads are graveled for the most part but can be bumpy and rough in places. Watch out for ATV`s because use is heavy in this area.
- The 718 road heads down Deadman Gulch which has exposed limestone outcrops. As you continue down 718 it will start to climb out of Deadman and then up to a mid-slope road overlooking Foster Gulch. This road will lead to 372 and then to the Rockerville/Harney road (County Road 223). It is highly recommended that you bring a MVUV map since there are many user created trails that are un-marked. It is a beautiful drive for the off-road explorer.