Centennial Trail - Ft Meade to Bear Butte Lake
What you need to know:
Length - The map says 4.5, but it is closer to 5.0.
Water - Bear Butte Creek should have water but check conditions first.
Water crossings - bear butte creek, 1/2 mile into this section. It looks like there was a bridge across it at one time but not anymore. Prepare to get wet. ***This has been updated and now the trail has been rerouted to cross another bridge as of 2024. - Nice improvement to the trail.
Camping - bear butte lake has a campground. no other camping.
Trail condition - most of this section is prairie land and cow pastures making it easy to follow.
Notes - after the first 1/2 mile this section is completely out in the open with no shade. it can get very hot. also, if you have a problem with cows, you may have to make some detours to avoid them.
Start of the trail - hard to see the 89 sign from the parking lot since it was kind of covered by a bush.
Cross Highway 34 and go through the fence to start the hike.
Start of the trail at Fort Meade in the grass.
Come across this section about 1/4 mile in - no bridge - prepare to get wet.
Come out of the trees and heading into the prairie for the rest of the hike.
Need to walk through the gate - cow pastures.
Approaching lots of cows.
Just one lone cow - Nope.
More cows, and some cows refused to even move and just stared you down.
Very hot.
More cows right on the trail.
Finally on the other side of the fence of the cows - Moooo away cows.
Not much to see here.
Signs tend to be knocked down by the cows.
On the road, turn to the south.
Seems like a long road to Bear Butte.
Entering Bear Butte State Park and leaving Fort Meade Recreational Area.
Can get close to the lake near the end.
Can see the end.
Nice picnic area and place to rest.
Made it.
Update - We checked the area in Sturgis in February of 2024 and they had rerouted the trail from the beginning of the Fort Meade Trailhead. The trail now crosses the street, goes across this bridge and onward. There is no need to go down in the gully anymore getting wet. This is a nice improvement.
