Massive Crow Peak dominates the northern Black Hills landscape near Spearfish. The Crow and Lakota tribes reportedly fought a battle here. The Lakota name, "Paha Karitukateyapi"" is an English translation for "the hill where the Crows were killed."

This is a challenging trip, climbing 1600 feet in just over 3 miles. From the summit you'll have a 360 degree, three-state view including the Bearlodge Mountains in Wyoming, the plains of southeast Montana and northwest South Dakota, and the nearby Spearfish Valley.

The Crow Peak Trails are designed to allow hikers and horsebackers to access the top of Crow Peak and the north end of Beaver Ridge. They are not designed or maintained for mountain biking.

Geologists call Crow Peak an igneous intrusion, formed by hot magma pushing up into the overlying sedimentary rock layers millions of years ago. Billions of years ago, this area was covered by an ocean. Layers of sediments were deposited on the ocean floor, eventually hardening to form limestone and other sedimentary rock layers.

Underground molten rock called magma, pushed the sedimentary layers upward forming hills. During the uplifting, crevasses within the limestone hills filled with magma. These flows of magma, called intrusions, cooled to form igneous rock.

The limestone and other sedimentary rock erodes at a faster rate than the harder igneous rock. As the ocean receded, the overlying sedimentary rock eroded, exposing the igneous intrusions. Crow Peak and other peaks you can see from the Crow Peak summit, such as Bear Butte, Spearfish Peak and Terry Peak were formed in this manner. Erosion of this igneous rock and the sedimentary rock surrounding these peaks continues to shape the landscape of the Northern Black Hills.

Trailhead is approximately 7 miles southwest of Spearfish on Higgins Gulch Road, Forest Road 214.

This is a challenging trip, climbing 1600 feet in just over 3 miles.