Peaceful custom Black Hills cabin near Mt Rushmore, hiking, lakes & attractions.

About Julie Smoragiewicz

Jim and Julie are you hosts. We are blessed to have lived in the Black Hills for more than 25 years. We raised our two sons (now grown) in the the area and together have enjoyed hiking, biking, swimming, boating, camping, fishing, hunting, rock climbing, skiing, snowshoeing, exploring, and so much more of what the Black Hills have to offer.

Julie Smoragiewicz purchased this cabin in 2014

Why Julie Smoragiewicz chose Historic Rapid City

Yak Ridge is a unique property in regard to its proximity to many major attractions: - Keystone and Mount Rushmore (5 minutes), - Hill City (10 minutes), - Sheridan Lake (10 minutes), - Pactola Lake (20 minutes), - Rapid City (20 minutes), - Crazy Horse Mountain (20 minutes), - Custer and Custer State Park (30 minutes), - Black Hills Playhouse (30 minutes) - Sturgis (35 minutes) Yak Ridge is located less than a mile off Highway 16, but provides a peaceful mountain setting. Our four cabins are nestled into their natural setting. Inside the rustic exterior, you will find all modern conveniences including: full bathrooms with tub/showers, fully equipped kitchens with new appliances; covered porches with gas grills; and campfire rings. Amenities include comfy quilts, soft blankets, plush towels, natural wood, vintage decor, Tiffany lighting, and quality construction.

What makes this cabin unique

The property is adjacent to thousands of acres of Forest Service land that provides hiking, biking, and climbing opportunities. Access to the Mickelson Trail is only a few miles away. Yak Ridge is the perfect location for a family vacation, reunion, or a romantic getaway. We are grateful that we are healthy and can provide visitors to the Black Hills a location that allows for social distancing and space to enjoy the great outdoors. As efforts to move toward a new normal begin to take place, we wanted to let you know that we are deeply committed to the safety of all who spend time at Yak Ridge. We have always prided ourselves in the cleanliness of our cabins as evident by our guest reviews and our commitment to meeting and exceeding South Dakota Department of Health requirements. To that end, and in light of the current global health crisis, we have further enhanced our cleaning and sanitizing protocols which also align with the CDC. We also continue to monitor CDC guidelines so that we can make adjustments to our protocols as needed. We have a proactive plan to manage and minimize the risks associated with COVID-19 which we carefully monitor and update as recommendations evolve. The Yak Ridge website includes details that we hope will help you in deciding whether Yak Ridge will be a good fit for your vacation needs during COVID. Our guests are even provided with a complimentary welcome kit which includes individually wrapped sets of slippers, as well as travel sized hand sanitizer, Kleenex, and sanitizing wipes. Also included are local travel information and maps. Even a few postcards to send to friends and family are provided. Stay safe, stay, well, and we look forward to seeing you soon at Yak Ridge! If you have specific questions or need additional details, please don’t hesitate to contact us.