Labor Day weekend is just on the horizon and it is time to decide what to get out and do on your three-day break! With South Dakota being such a beautiful and historic state, there is plenty to see right in your own backyard, but we recommend trying something new, like hiking to the abandoned Ingersoll Mine:

Located smack dab in the middle of the Black Hills is the old Bob Ingersoll Mine; an 1881 mine that at one time housed such precious gems as mica, beryl crystal, and feldspar.
Flickr/bl0ndeeo2
(To give you an idea of just how prosperous the mine was, it once turned out a beryl crystal that was 28 feet long and 6 feet in diameter!)
Wikimedia Commons
Like most mines of its time, Ingersoll went dry and eventually closed, leaving behind the ruins seen today.
Flickr/bl0ndeeo2
Aside from the ruins themselves, what makes this area a must hike? For starters, the trail itself is short and sweet (just like the pictured dog who is enjoying his walk)...
FourSquare/Katie M.
How short and how sweet? The round-trip hike is only a half mile!

Related Stories

The Treetop Trail That Will Show You A Side Of South Dakota You've Never Seen Before

The Treetop Trail That Will Show You A Side Of South Dakota You've Never Seen Before

 The Shady, Creekside Trail In South Dakota You'll Want To Hike Again And Again

The Shady, Creekside Trail In South Dakota You'll Want To Hike Again And Again

 Drone Footage Captured At This Abandoned South Dakota Bunker Is Truly Grim

Drone Footage Captured At This Abandoned South Dakota Bunker Is Truly Grim
...the area is encompassed by countless, colorful trees and shrubs...
Lit Kandle Facebook
...and you can even explore inside the old mill AND mine!
Lit Kandle Facebook
Side note: Don't forget a headlamp and/or flashlight, or you will miss most of what the old mine has to offer!
Lit Kandle Facebook
Access to the abandoned Bob Ingersoll Mine can be found two miles down Old Hill City Road (near Keystone). Once you pass K Bar S Lodge and Kemp's Kamp, take a left onto Echo Valley Dr. and look for the trailhead on the right.
Lit Kandle Facebook

For even more of our favorite South Dakota hikes, click on 11 Amazing South Dakota Hikes Under 3 Miles You’ll Absolutely Love.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles

Explore South Dakota