There is a small town in southeastern South Dakota that is famous for it’s processed meats. Delmont is home the the Bluebird Locker and for meat fans this place is amazing.
The bacon is simply perfect and the German Sausage is the best I’ve ever tasted. It is worth taking the trip or if you are lucky your local grocer may carry them. I’ve tried many of their products and have yet to be disappointed.
If you make the trip to Delmont, you’ll be near Dimock too. You may as well stock up on Dimock Cheese, this South Dakota made cheese has been popular in since the 1930’s.
11th hour gulch is another one of those places in Spearfish Canyon that I just love to visit all the time. It seems like a different experience each time. I posted about it before here and here (I’ve even posted about 11th hour IPA).
It is just a few steps off the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. This is such a neat place to explore. If you don’t mind doing a bit of climbing (nothing too scary) you can climb above the gulch for a great view of the area.
In the winter, it is just a few steps off the road. However, the path turns into a sheet of ice. I always carry my Kahtoola MICROspikes Pocket Traction System with me, they make me feel like a mountain goat on the ice. Solid footing.
Last fall I climbed to the top and the only dangerous part was avoiding the pine cones the squirrels were throwing at us.
Remember, 11th hour gulch is about 9.3 miles from Spearfish. If you go by Kissing Rocks (aka The Dice), you just missed it. Watch this video to see exactly where it is.
Below is a short video of the gulch I shot March 10th 2012.
This is one of my favorite hikes in Spearfish Canyon. I usually call it community caves, but many people call it Bobcat or Wildcat Cavern. No matter what you call it, it is beautiful.
This is just a few miles from Spearfish, but can be a bit tricky to locate. Read my Community Caves post for detailed directions.
Do yourself a big favor if you plan on hiking this in the winter or early spring, buy some really good spikes like Kahtoola MICROspikes Pocket Traction System. You can thank me later. The first time I went up there in the winter, the trip down was scary. The top portion of the trail is like a sheet of ice. With spikes it is simple to walk up and down. Without you look like a greased pig running on a linoleum floor.
Caution: on warm days large chucks of ice will fall, so just watch out for that .
Here is a video I shot. Either this will motivate you to climb up there or serve as a substitute.
The Bountiful Basket program is really taking off in South Dakota. Three more cities are being added to the locations.
Spearfish – BHCA at the corner of 7th Ave and South 32nd
Rapid City – Near Menards at the intersection of E. North St and Eglin
Lead – Days Inn
Visit the South Dakota Locations page for currents pickup locations and times. The new locations are currently “B weeks” meaning they will be picked up on the Saturdays opposite current sites.
How does Bountiful Baskets work?
It is pretty simple. It is a food co-op providing a market for farmers and great prices on produce for participants. The basket is about half fruit and half vegetables. I love the variety and quality of the produce.
Getting started is simple. Visit the new participant instructions page and read it over a couple of time. Be sure to create an account.
On Monday log into the offerings page and see what is available for your site (check the website for times when the offerings post). Remember sites usually have offerings every other week. Then choose a regular basket or organic. After that checkout the additional offerings and complete your order.
Bountiful Basket tips
Be sure to bring a basket or bags to carry your produce home. One basket is enough for one person to carry. If you get extra baskets or additional offerings bring a friend along to help carry.
Also, bring your printout or have it ready on your smart phone. You can pickup for friends if they give you their printout.
Be at the location at the pickup time. If you don’t show up on time, you won’t get your basket but will still have to pay for it.
Sign for your produce on the way out.
Help out
Volunteer at your site. It is a lot of fun and maybe you will make new friends. Just show up one hour early to help unload the truck and sort the baskets.
I live in the Presidential neighborhood of Deadwood, so hiking up to White Rocks (elevation 5250 ft) is a common event for me. It is a short hike, but a great workout that rewards you will great views of the area.
My Black Hills, Northeast #751 map shows this as BLM land – so it is open to the public. The easiest way to find it is through Mount Moriah and and follow the signs all the way up to the grave of Seth Bullock. There is a service road for the nearby mobile phone tower. Just follow that up the hill and you’ll see trails heading to the top.
People are finding that Bountiful Baskets is a great way to get fresh produce economically. The food co-op allows you to get a large basket of produce for $15 and for an extra $10 you can have the organic basket.
In addition, they have boxes or special packs that can be added on. Some of those have been 20lb box of Cara Cara Navel Oranges, 20lb box of tomatoes, Asian vegetable mix, Guacamole pack, Tropical pack and many more. It is very exciting to find out what it going to be in your basket.
Western South Dakota is the only portion of the state where you can get baskets at this time. The cities that have pickups include: Black Hawk, Box Elder, Custer, Deadwood and Sturgis. Those sites have offerings on the “A weeks” or every two weeks. Visit the locations page for all the current participation cities.
How does Bountiful Baskets work
First of all you have to set up an account on the Bountiful Basket website here. Once you are registered, you’ll want to wait until the offerings are posted for your pickup site. Currently the South Dakota offerings are posted every other Monday (check the website for offering times). At that time, click on the participate now page and pick your produce. Some sites sellout in 30 minutes, you will want to check offerings page as they are available.
Remember, the produce will have to picked up the following Saturday. If you are unable to pick it up there are no refunds. Be sure to print you confirmation and bring it will you on Saturday. Or, you can send your confirmation with a friend to pickup your basket for you.
This is a volunteer organization, meaning if you are getting produce you should plan on volunteering at least a few times a year. All you do is show up an hour early at the pickup site to help organize the baskets.
I finally got out my snowshoes today. It is already the first of February and I hadn’t been out yet. We haven’t had a lot of snow in the Black Hills, but there is plenty in the higher elevations.
Eagle Cliff Trails are a perfect place to do a little winter hiking. The area was originally designed for cross-country skiers, however they have developed some snowshoeing trails in the last couple of years.
Both trails leave from the Bratwurst Trailhead, one is a double loop and the other takes you to the Lily Park Trailhead. The trails are well marked and easy to follow. There is a bit of elevation gain here and there – so you will get your heart pumping a bit.
There is a groomed cross-country ski trail in the area. Be sure to stay off of it with your snowshoes. The snowshoes tear up the trail and make it difficult to cross-country ski.
There are plenty of options. Just grab one of the maps at the trailhead and explore the area. Enjoy the mix of meadows, trees and limestone outcroppings.
How do you get to Eagle Cliff Trails
Head south out of Lead on US Highway 85 and you’ll see the trailhead in 15 miles. If you are in Spearfish Canyon. Turn right at Cheyenne Crossing and you’ll be there in 7.2 miles.
The landscape around Deadwood quickly changed on June 29th, 2002. The Grizzly Gulch Fire sprang up and filled the air in the Northern Black Hills with smoke. When all was said and done over 10 thousand acres burned, over 20 structures burned (7 of those were homes), and thousands were evacuated.
I had just moved to Deadwood. I was working in Rapid City at the time and it was difficult not knowing if my house would be there when I returned. I remember the day I returned. The hillsides were still smoldering and smoke was thick in the air. Fortunately, the presidential neighborhood was spared. The photo above (taken 1/21/2012), however, was taken just over the ridge from my neighborhood, I’ve been told if the wind hadn’t changed the hillside I call home would look much like this.
Fires are good for the long term health of the forest and now this area will provide grass for deer and other animal. Plus, Deadwood now has a buffer from future fires.
Looking at the picture, I have to image the hills looked something like that when the prospectors named this little gulch “Deadwood.”
Feel free to share your memories of the Fire below
2012 started in typical Deadwood fashion, the little Northern Black Hills town was filled with party goers welcoming the New Year. Hundreds gathered for the ball drop outside the Franklin Hotel.
This is just the beginning of another exciting year in Deadwood. Great Events are planned all year. If you are planning a visit to the Black Hills in 2012 you may want to time the trip so you can enjoy one of the following:
Mardi Gras – February 10th and 11th. Deadwood’s own celebration, two-parades, Cajun cook-off and just lots of fun.
Saint Patrick’s Day – In Deadwood they celebration all weekend long. March 16th and 17th 2012.
Wild Bill Days – June 15th and 16th. Two nights of free Main Street Concerts. Fast Draw competitions and more.
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally– This exciting yearly event spill over into Deadwood from Sturgis. Bikes are allowed to park on Main Street. August 4th through the 14th.
Kool Deadwood Nights – Enjoy Deadwood when the days are still warm, but the nights begin to cool off. This is a celebration of cars and music from the 50’s and 60’s. Free Main Street Concerts two nights. August 23rd through the 26th.
Deadwood Jam – Two days of Concerts right in the heart of Deadwood. September 14th and 15th.
Oktoberfest – October 5th and 6th. Roll out the barrels of fun! This event becomes more popular each year. Free bratwurst, wiener dog races and German music.
Deadweird – October 27th, See amazing Halloween costumes as people compete for cash prizes.
If you have lived in Southeastern South Dakota, I’m sure you’ve heard of Dimock Cheese. I remember often having a big horn of Dimock Cheese during the Holidays, when I was growing up near Mitchell.
Dimock Dairy
This dairy has been making cheese since 1931. The neat thing is you can go right to the dairy and buy the cheese. You can find them at 400 Main Street in Dimock. This little town is just 20 minutes south of Mitchell.
The hours are Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm and Saturday 8am to noon.
Variety
The number of flavors of cheese are pretty amazing. They are: Colby, cheddar, Co-Jack, Monterey Jack, Bacon & Onion, Garlic & Parsley, Pepper Jack, Salsa, Pepper Co-Jack, Black Pepper, Habanero, Caraway, Smoked Cheddar, Ranch, Chipotle, Italian, Dill, Tomato & Basil, Pepperoni, Aged Cheddar and Blue Cheddar.
Finding the Cheese
The cheese can be found all over the state. I’ve seen it for sale in truck stops from Brandon to Vivian. Lynn’s Dakota Mart in Sturgis and Lead both sell it. Red Barn Farmers Market in Spearfish sells it. And, many other grocery stores carry too. It can be purchased from their website as well.
Welcome to my South Dakota Blog! Contact me with questions or ideas. Or, share your love of the state by guest blogging. And, be sure to check out my Black Hills website.
with me, they make me feel like a mountain goat on the ice. Solid footing.
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map shows this as BLM land – so it is open 
there is a map of this area and great maps of other places you can explore in the Black Hills of 
