Black Elk Peak
Black Elk Peak, formerly known as Harney Peak, is the highest natural point in the Black Hills mountain range and the U.S. state of South Dakota. The site is 5 mi southeast of Hill City. A drive of 3.6 mi reaches Mount Rushmore.
A mountain, 5 mi southeast of Hill City
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 11°, with about 67" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Hill City is the nearest base
Hill City is 5 miles northwest, with 38 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–80°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Month by month
This is the year’s weather near Black Elk Peak.
Black Elk Peak
Black Elk Peak, formerly known as Harney Peak, is the highest natural point in the Black Hills mountain range and the U.S. state of South Dakota. It lies in the Black Elk Wilderness area, in southern Pennington County, in the Black Hills. The peak lies 3.7 mi (6.0 km) west-southwest of Mount Rushmore. At 7,244 feet (2,208 m), It was once discussed to be a potential candidate for the highest summit in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, though definitions vary based on geographic classification as the Black Hills are geologically related to the greater Rocky Mountain Front. Lost Mine Peak, in the Chisos Mountains of Texas, lies approximately 16 miles further east based on the measurement of longitude at 103°15'30"W and stands at 7,547 feet (2,300 m).
- Type
- Mountain
- Elevation
- 7,244 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 47K a year
Where to sleep near Black Elk Peak
The first towns with rooms are Hill City (38) and Custer (42).
- 1Mount Rushmore
- 2Crazy Horse Memorial
- 3Custer
- 4Wind Cave
- 5Jewel Cave
- 6Black Hills National Forest
- 7Bedrock City
Hill City
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
938 people
5 mi northwest of Black Elk Peak
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Black Elk Peak | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill City | 5 mi northwest | 5 min | 38 16 hotels · 2 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 8 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 938 | $286K | — |
| Custer | 8 mi southwest | 10 min | 42 14 hotels · 3 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 14 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 1,803 | $236K | — |
| Keystone | 6 mi east | 10 min | 32 16 hotels · 1 motel · 2 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 268 | $264K | — |
| Rapid City | 21 mi northeast | 30 min | 76 58 hotels · 8 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds | 80,589 | $299K | D− |
| Colonial Pine Hills | 15 mi northeast | 20 min | 10 2 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground · 5 RV parks | 2,609 | $407K | — |
| Johnson Siding | 15 mi north | 25 min | 6 2 inns & B&Bs · 4 campgrounds | 704 | $472K | — |
| Hermosa | 17 mi east | 25 min | 3 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 370 | $149K | — |
| Piedmont | 25 mi north | 40 min | 5 1 lodge or cabins · 4 campgrounds | 1,245 | $324K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
More to see nearby
Pair a visit with these, within 53 miles.
Big draw14 mi National MemorialMount Rushmore National Memorial1.9M visitors a year
Big draw25 mi LandmarkCrazy Horse Memorial
310 mi State parkCuster State Park
Big draw52 mi National ParkBadlands National Park1.1M visitors a year
422 mi National ParkWind Cave National Park606K visitors a year518 mi National MonumentJewel Cave National Monument111K visitors a year
67 mi National forestBlack Hills National Forest
79 mi Theme parkBedrock CityPhoto credits
Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Crazy Horse Memorial: Jeffreylcooke, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Custer State Park: Guimir, Public domain · Badlands National Park: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wind Cave National Park: USGS/USGov, Public domain · Black Hills National Forest: Vocaro at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bedrock City: Tbennert, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Questions about Black Elk Peak
What town is Black Elk Peak near?
Hill City, SD, about 5 miles northwest.
When is the best time to visit Black Elk Peak?
June, July, August and September, with highs of 70–80°.
What is the closest airport to Black Elk Peak?
Rapid City Regional (RAP), about 26 miles away.
Where should I stay near Black Elk Peak?
Hill City (5 mi, 38 places to stay), Custer (8 mi, 42 places to stay) and Keystone (6 mi, 32 places to stay).
Hill City has the answers
Be the first to share a tip in Hill City’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.