Spend a few hours recharging in this otherworldly, Black Hills-exclusive Shangri-La.
Picture a place where some of the most influential thinkers, mystics and philosophers of all time got together and left a little breadcrumb trail of wisdom for you to follow in one of the most beautiful settings possible.
Well you don’t have to imagine it; it exists and it’s called Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary. And you can visit from Memorial Day weekend to October 15th.
Threading through what was once called the Juso Ranch, Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary is a Black Hills secret gem that offers a one-of-a-kind experience.
How to get there: Rochford (rotch-ferd) Road via Lead (leed) or Spearfish Canyon. Google maps will guide you there just fine.
What to bring: Comfortable walking shoes, water, $10-20 donation money, an open-mind, and an open heart.
- Length: 1 ¾ miles
- Duration: 90+ minutes
- Difficulty: Very easy; great for kids.
Summary:
Not a hike, in the traditional sense, more of a metaphysical ramble—a walkabout, if you will—Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary is my personal favorite spot in the Black Hills, bar none.
I was fortunate enough to have once met the original owner, Dave Snyder, as he was putzing along the broad, green meadow in a haywhacker(? I don’t know machines) cutting timothy-grass. With tears welling in my eyes, I thanked him for gifting the world such a meaningful place.
Pathways is a bit tough to describe. It’s neither a museum, nor a maze. It’s a loop footpath with numerous “exhibits” the symbolism or metaphorical significance of which is explained in brief on a plaque. The plaques usually contain quotes from such luminaries as Eckkart Tolle or Chief Seattle or Albert Einstein. All of the exhibits have a connection to either nature, spirituality, the spirituality of nature or the nature of spirituality. There are park benches along the trail where visitors can sit and pick up the provided notebook and journal or sketch, or simply just rest and take in the sheer rapture of it all, then leave the notebook for the next wanderer.
Upon passing through the entry gate, you first encounter The Invocation: a sculpture of a Native warrior astride a horse and holding up a buffalo skull in supplication to sun and sky. There’s a decent chance that you’ll spot a raptor gliding lazily overhead, too far away to photograph, but just near enough to sear the spectacle on your soul for the rest of your days. This tableau sets the scene for a truly transcendent experience.
As you walk between stands of paper white birch and quaking aspens along the wood chip, sod and dirt path, there is a feature called labyrinth. It’s a winding gravel path contained within a large semi-circle that you are meant to follow around. It’s similar to the mazes you would trace with a pencil on paper when you were a kid.
Next is a short walk up a gentle slope alongside a beautiful open meadow. It’s the kind of place you only see in movies or in your dreams. Yet it’s right there.
Other highlights of Pathways include:
As the trail continues, you will encounter several other mini-features. Here are some of the most noteworthy.
A Gurgling Pond
This pond sits at the top of the meadow just described. You can sit on a shaded bench and stare at its murky waters, filled with algae and other aquatic plant life, or just enjoy the tranquil silence of the woods that surround you.
Supersized wind chimes
The perfect spot for selfies, these wind chimes vary in sizes, but all of them are larger than a person. When struck, each produce a pleasing tone; together, a majestic harmony.
The Old Philosopher
A grizzled face sculpted on a hunk of knotty wood, the Old Philosopher is the perfect encapsulation of the interlocking relationship between deep, contemplative thought and reverence for nature in the tradition of Henry David Thoreau or John Muir.
“Airplane Hill”
My personal favorite doesn’t have a name that I’m aware of, but my family calls it Airplane Hill. The last length of the path is another walk beside the meadow, except downward this time. My family visits Pathways at least once a year. My kids and I have a tradition of running down the hill, arms extended at our sides, like airplanes. Occasionally, we roll down the very top of the hill before our “flight.”
Evocation
As you return to the entry gate at Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary, you leave a slightly different person than when you came. It’s a kind of aura that suffuses with your being and beckons you to come back from time to time to ensure that the world can still contain such meaningful and thoughtful perfection. When you visit the Black Hills, be sure to include Pathways on your itinerary and…
What's Good, Black Hills? 
Leave a comment