Four thousand four hundred fifty-one feet. That is the elevation of Lookout Mountain and on a beautiful day in Spearfish, it is a must to hike. Lookout is one of my personal favorite hikes in the area because it offers a perfect view of the whole community and the nature that surrounds it. There are many different paths you can take to get to the top of the mountain, but the official trailhead starts on Nevada Street. When entering the tunnel that leads to the trailhead, I was met with some amazing art.
Some was interpretive, there was personal paintings that I could tell was special and a tribute to someone and all of it really depicted the people of Spearfish. Sometimes tunnels can be a little creepy, and this aspect of the hike makes the tunnel enjoyable while getting a little glimpse of what Spearfish is about.
I started following the trail and during the hike, my favorite part was taking in the trees and how they create walkways to get to the top of the mountain. I loved seeing how the all the colors complimented each other perfectly, portraying a color palette for outdoor adventure in Spearfish. When I went on this hike, it was a beautiful sunny day and the biking community also took advantage of Lookout Mountain.
I really admire bicyclists that go up and down that mountain. I know it is much harder than it looks, but they make it look so majestic and while they are majestically cycling away, I am pumping my arms breaking a sweat trying to get up the same hill.
I think it is important to take breaks on the way up, to take in how far I hiked and to look at the beautiful place I have the privilege of hiking any time. Each time I stopped, the mountain stayed the same, but the view hit a little different every time. There comes a point on the hike when I see the top and I softly tell myself, “almost there.” They are some simple words, but it has quite the universal meaning. It’s the feeling of it all being worth it.
Once I got to the top, it was awesome to see how high up I was. My favorite part of the view was seeing the shadows of the clouds laying over the community. I promise the view in person is much more memorizing than what pictures can portray. When planning your trip to Spearfish, make some time to experience the Lookout Mountain hike. You will not be disappointed.
