Mickelson Trail Forum

Trail was in great condition, plenty of E Bikes. We only got dusted by them once. Most people were riding them as they are supposed to be ridden. Caught in crazy downpour near Custer. Plenty of wildlife in morning ride from Custer to Edgemont. And I highly recommend Vince over at Black Hills Shuttles.

Thanks for the information.

We are thinking about doing the trail with crossover ebikes. Based upon your experience, do you think we need true mountain bikes to comfortably ride this trail?

Crossover/hybrid e-bikes are more than fine on the Mickelson. It's pretty well-packed, relatively fine gravel. No need for a true MTB.

Hey all -
I have done some bike packing on mtn bike trails and am pretty confident. I want to bring my dog along on this trip in a tow behind trailer. Has anyone done this? Is the trail wide enough in all areas for a dog trailer with two wheels or would I need a one wheeled trailer. I would love to hear all things from anyone who had taken their dog on the entire trail including accomidations. Thanks so much for any info!

We just took our dog in a trailer RT from Minnekahte to Edgewood. There are gates to pass through on portions of the trail, but his trailer fit through them. We were hauling an 86 pound Labrador!

Yes, the trail is very wide. Even gates and gaps between bollards at road crossings will be wide enough for a bike trailer.

Does anyone know if there is parking/trail access available at the Red Fern Rest Area (just south of Mystic)? Same question for the Daugherty Trailhead just a few miles north of Red Fern?

Not absolutely sure, but it looked that way when I drove past there last year. However, you may want to know where I was driving TO, which was the Whitetail trailhead just 3 miles north of Redfern. Whitetail is officially a trailhead for the Deerfield trail, but I used it as a trailhead for the Mickelson, which is right across the road.

This will be my first visit and am looking for recomendations for the best bike choice. Road vs Gravel? I have a 29er MTB bike available.

Is this trail paved, crushed rock or a combo?

Thanks in advance/

The trail surface is packed crushed limestone and gravel. You might find a few paved sections in towns like Hill City, but for the most part the trail surface is limestone and gravel.

I guess you could ride parts of the trail on a road bike, but I certainly wouldn't try it for most of the trail. I road it on a Trek Checkpoint with 40c tires and I really appreciated that tire width on most of the trail. There are some really loose sections on the trail that thin tires would dig into, I think. 25c or 28c wouldn't be something I'd recommend.

The last time I was on the trail I saw many E-bikes with up to 50c tires. In my opinion, 35c width is the smallest I'd go with.

Of course, I'm sure many have ridden the entire trail on a road bike with narrow tires. I just don't think that's ideal.

Watch out for the E-bikes. They are becoming prevalent on the trail. They go a lot faster than they should IMO and the trail stewards really don't do anything about it.

Good luck and enjoy the ride.

We rode last Fall and my partner and I did nearly the entire length of the trail on gravel bikes with 40c pathfinders. The trail surface was amazing and I think a road bike with 30c is manageable and perhaps faster but not as comfy.

I've ridden well over half the Mickelson and would say you could probably ride it on a road bike if you're comfortable with it on fairly smooth gravel, but it would not be the most enjoyable way go. It would be a lot more pleasurable (and likely just about as fast) on a cyclocross, gravel or hybrid bike with at least 35mm tires and some tread.

Looking for suggestions for company to rent 2 standard hybrid adult bikes from. Need to be directly along/very close to trail and looking for a four day rental in June.

Banning Class 3 bikes has become pretty common for recreational trails around the country, and is emerging as a nationwide standard. Banning Class 2 is a bit unusual, because they don't go any faster than Class 1 - and maybe more importantly, because almost no Class 1 bikes are sold in this country! Nearly everything is Class 2 or Class 3. I won't be surprised if the Legislature revisits this AGAIN in another year or two to rectify this.

It will be interesting to see how GFP enforces this and how the rental outfits respond, since the Mickelson sees so many rental e-fatbikes that are probably Class 3. Most should be "downgradeable" to Class 2 via the control panel by setting the max speed to 20 (even my lower-budget Class 2 Aventon e-bike has a menu-adjustable max speed setting). Also, most can become Class 1 by doing this plus simply removing/disabling the throttle: I have actually done this on my own rig, not to comply with any laws but simply because I prefer to pedal and never use the button. But I suspect that very, VERY few bike owners will actually do that.

Whether or not you have a throttle is a fairly meaningless distinction, so I suspect that enforcement will be mostly focused on the Class 3 bikes.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a safe place to park out truck and fifth wheel trailer for the three days that we are cycling the Mickelson Trail. We would want to park it in Edgemont as we will be getting a shuttle from there to Deadwood.

Hi,

I've been trying to find a shuttle from Edgemont back up to like Rochford. You mentioned taking a shuttle north from Edgemont. Would you mind telling me what company you are using for that?

Thank you,
Jeannie

Hello Jeannie, I've been in touch with Stacey Phillips (skphillips@midconetwork.com) for out shuttle needs.

My wife requires an e-bike to comfortably ride a trail with hills. I was wondering if she will be able to ride her class 3 bike there, or should we cancel our trip? We would be riding in a group of 4, and 3 of the bikes wouldn't have motors.

The South Dakota House and Senate just passed a bill two weeks ago limiting the trail to Class 1 e-bikes only. Waiting on the Governor's signature for final approval. The bill's sponsor gives some good reasoning behind the need for the bill in the link here:

https://kbhbradio.com/house-passes-bill-limiting-mickelson-trail-to-class-1-e-bikes/

No disrespect to you or your wife, but personally I hope the bill is signed. The speeds on the trail are becoming dangerously high via Class 3 e-bikes (up to 28mph) and modified/unlocked e-bikes that can go even faster. I was run over by 2 e-bikers two years ago on the trail. They never even stopped to help knowing how fast they were going. I don't know how fast they were going, but way too fast for the conditions. I was able to coast downhill 12 miles to Hill City to an urgent care only to find it closed at 2pm! I had to drive my SUV 30 miles to Rapid City to get the closest help. Very nice people there. Fortunately, my SUV was parked at Hill City or I don't know how I would have made it to Rapid City. (My bike was fixable when I got back home, but at a significant cost.)

Before long someone is going to be seriously injured not just by the speed of e-bikes, but due to the fact that some weigh as much as 70# compared to many trail bikes weighing less than 30#. Being run over by a 200# male on a 70# e-bike at 30mph or more...well, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I think that fact is why the bill was passed in the SD legislature.

I realize many people can only enjoy a trail like the Mickelson with some assist (my wife would be one of them for sure.) I realize e-bikes are the future. My personal experience has me jaded, I guess.

I hope I answered your question without being negative. We'll see if the Gov. signs the bill here shortly. I haven't heard what his/her position is. I know there are a lot of voices on both sides of the issue. If Class 3 bikes are allowed, I'd find other trails to ride. Too dangerous at those speeds, loose gravel, dark tunnels, blind curves, etc.

Mark,
Thank you for your comment. It seems a bit strange to me to outlaw a bike that goes faster than they wish us to go. We don't do the same for Cars. It should be the responsibility of the person on the bike to be safe and ride at, or under a posted limit. There will always be people who break the rules and ruin everyone else's good time. I don't think we should punish the other folks simply because they purchased the wrong bike.

Maybe we should start banning other things that we deem dangerous, like large pickup trucks. They are way too dangerous for pedestrians. Maybe sports cars, they have no need to go that fast. We could ban guns because the people who own them can't be trusted to use them safely. I could go on and on.

My point is they could just post a speed limit and stick to that. Fools will be fools, and that shouldn't dictate the laws of the land.

My friends and I have recumbent bikes. We are all older and I have a disability. My sister‘s lungs are compromised. My bike is a class one, but others are class 2.
Do you know if there will be any exceptions to this law?
We have biked the Mickelson Trail for several years and absolutely love it. One of my friends can’t ride their class two recumbent bikes there we will be out.
I have called several places in pier game Fish and Parks Mickelson Trail office, but no one answers and the other people don’t seem to know

SK, I'm pretty sure speed limits are posted along the trail, but my memory isn't what it used to be, ha-ha. I know they are posted at all the trailheads.

I believe the fees to ride the trail (daily and annual) are supposed to provide for Trail Stewards to help enforce the speed limits and help you out if you need help. But I've never seen a single trail steward yet. Not one. I'm not saying there aren't any, but I've never seen one on all my times on the trail. I know from the time I got run over between Deadwood and Hill City and my coasting into Hill City (about 12 miles) there sure wasn't one to help me.

I think the other issue is that the trail is for horseback riders and hikers, too. Horses get spooked and that causes danger for the horses, their riders, and the bikers. Keeping the speed down mitigates that danger, I presume.

For sure, people like your wife and mine aren't the problem. Actually, they are the ones most in harm's way by the all-too-common excessive speeds. Loose gravel on many parts of the trail also poses risks the faster you go.

Yes, in an ideal world, people would be responsible and look out for the safety of others. We're not there yet.

I haven't heard if the SD Governor has or is going to sign the bill restricting the trail to Class 1 e-bikes. If he does, you could rent a Class 1 bike in Deadwood or Hill City. Or at least you could last year. Good luck whatever you decide.

By the way, you didn't say when you were going. I think Summer Trek is June 20-22 and Trail Trek is September 19-21. I've never signed up for either one of those and I really don't want to be on the trail with hundreds of riders at the same time. But that's just me. Oh yeah, the Sturgis Annual Motorcycle Rally is August 1-10 this year. I was in Rapid City and the Sturgis area once when this was going on. Nice people, but I'm never doing that again! On top of that, hotel rates were insane.

(Sorry for the long answer. Again, be safe!)

Have rode many years, a few "centuries" and long distance bike trips, could in my younger days exceed 26 mph on flat ground for short distances. The "E" bike riders need to ride responsibly, its potential speed should not be a factor. My car has the capability of speeds over 100 mph but I don't drive that way.

"Its (e-bike) potential speed should not be a factor."

Well, using that same logic from North Tonawanda below, why not allow mopeds on the trail? Could we just ask moped riders to "ride responsibly" before someone gets hurt? Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Some of these e-bikes have unlocked speeds well over 30mph. I've seen them. Those riders didn't override the original bike's speed limitations for nothing. They want to go as fast as they can. Unfortunately, most are young healthy adults who really don't need the electrical assistance. But that's a separate topic.

ONLY CLASS 1 LEGAL AS OF MARCH 12th, 2025

I see that the South Dakota governor signed the bill limiting the trail to Class 1 on March 11th. Whether it gets enforced is another question.

https://southdakotasearchlight.com/briefs/rhoden-signs-bills-including-school-cash-mandate-mickelson-trail-e-bike-limitation-911-surcharge/

I agree with Mark. I have bikepacked many bike trails and am glad the governor signed the bill. I don't have an e-bike- I have a me-bike. (I make it go.) I am 76 and an e-bike may be in my future. Almost all e-bikers around here are 20-somethings. Class 1 seems appropriate. Bike trails are not highways!

You are allowed to park at this trailhead overnight but no camping allowed. Do contact the Custer County Sheriff's Office at (605) 673-8146 and inform them you will be leaving a vehicle so they know it is not abandoned.

Sorry meant to have this post linked to the Custer trailhead, did not realize I needed to select the trailhead from the drop down menu

We are looking for a legit service that will drive our minivan from Deadwood and drop it off in Edgemont, for a fee of course.

Thanks in advance

I've ridden 400 miles in four days, with 200 of those 400 miles on gravel.
Is late April or early May to early in the season to ride the Mickelson trail?

Well, personally, I wouldn't try it that early in the season.

March is normally the snowiest month in the Black Hills. The average highs and lows in Deadwood and Hill City even the first week of May are 60 and 30. If there is a lot of show in March, I'm guessing it may not be melted by early May. Even if it is, much of the trail will be sloppy and you won't ride the 100 miles each day as fast as you normally would. If there is still considerable snowpack, you'd probably be walking your bike in some places. Even without snow, riding at 30 degrees early in the morning or late in the day isn't my preference. I'd rather ride at 100 degrees than 30! But that's just me.

The first "Trail Trek" in 2025 isn't until June 20-22. That gives the organizers time to get the trail in order. For this year, I'm planning a late May or early June up and down 2-day trip.

Now, I'm not saying you couldn't or shouldn't try it in late April or early May. I'm just saying the odds are that it would be difficult. Whenever you decide to do the ride, all the best.

P.S. Locals might be able to give you a better answer than I have. But this is what I'd tell anyone I know. Wait until late May or early June to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the trail. You may never pass that way again!

What direction would be the easiest way, North to South or South to North?
Not sure yet but we may take our RV should would also need shuttle service.

Hi Diane,
It is easier to ride North to South. But both ways are a good challenge. Coming from Texas, we stayed in Edgemont and shuttled to Deadwood. I highly recommend this beautiful route!

Thank you Cindy for your reply. That is the direction we will go.

Hi,
What shuttle company did you use to shuttle you and your bikes from Edgemont up to Deadwood? I'm having trouble finding one that does that.

Thank you,
Jeannie

I'm looking for information on where to leave our car during our four-day round trip on the trail. Is there a secure parking lot at the Deadwood Trail head? Thanks.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, I'd never go out on a limb to say any parking place is "secure" anywhere. But when I rode the trail from Deadwood to Edgemont and back in 2023, I parked at the trailhead in Deadwood. It is literally next to the Mickelson Trailhead sign at mile marker 109 in Deadwood. Off US 85. If I recall correctly, there are about 250 free parking spots there in an open parking lot. Other than my Kuat bike rack and some clothes, I didn't leave anything of value in my SUV. Everything was fine when I returned. I'm assuming there are cameras there, but I don't know that for a fact.

I believe you can park at some of the casino farther down Hwy 85, but I believe they all charge a daily fee. Same with some of the local hotels.

When I go back to ride again this summer, I plan to use the same parking lot I used before - right next to the trailhead. And hope I have the same luck. Good luck to you.

Thanks for the info Mark.

Thanks for the info Mark.,

Ny wife and I are considering riding the entire trail this summer from Deadwood to Edgemont. Is there a service that will pick up your luggage from your hotel each morning and transport it to your next stop on the trail so that it is there when you arrive? Thanks.

I got a message some time back from I don't know who about an updated edition of the Mickelson Guide, but for the life of me I can't locate it. The current edition is from 2013 and I would much rather get an updated version to plan my trip. Can anyone help with this? The Amazon version appears to be from 2013.

Basics were disappointing this year, Got to Mt. Rushmore brewery at 6:30 , got registration packet, and went to use 1 free beer ticket, keg empty and never replaced, so we ended up paying for beer at the bar inside, seriously, couldn’t bring out another keg. Then the $10 hill city/custer bucks and Deadwood Dollars, try to find anyone to honor it. Good Luck out there guys, don’t look for any goodies. Missed this jersey this year too but we got a handlebar bag, I don’t know, go for the ride only guys, keep expectations low, it is a beauty!

Right on the trail. Clean restrooms and showers.

I was trying to leave a comment on the campground in hill city. So anyway…

Does anyone know the grade out of Deadwood and how difficult it is? I understand its a 15 mile long grade. If I can get that 15 miles done, does it get easier the rest of the way south? I'm 65 and I ride a lot but that 15 mile uphill has me concerned. Planning on next week. I'll be on a Carbon Gravel bike with a rear rack and trunk bag. Bike is lighter but load is heavier! thx.

There is an elevation chart elsewhere on this site that gives the specifics, but my experience from riding the trail both ways a few weeks ago is that the grade in the area you are asking about is very manageable for anyone who rides a decent amount -- somewhere in the 1 percent to 3 percent grade for the most part, with maybe a few areas where it bumps up a little. It does last something like 13 miles, but there also are some downhill sections that allow you to cover 8-12 miles without ever touching the pedals, so there is a payoff for the climbing.

The only part of the trail where I had any issues with the climbing was on the alternate loop near Lead where the section near the railroad trestle was so steep that I had to hike the bike up the hill (a very short distance). For context, I was on a bikepacking bike that weighs about 30 pounds when bare, with an additional 20 pounds or so in my panniers.

I (69 years old) just rode the trail from Deadwood to Edgemont with a friend in three days, carrying all tools, supplies, water clothing, etc. While we had trained--and he is a more experienced, younger (late 50s)rider--we both thought the emphasis on this being an "easy, relatively flat" trail a misnomer. We're from the flat Midwest, so we know relatively flat when we see it. This was not that. The ride out of Deadwood until you crest the high point (about 15 miles) took us three hours. Then, there was a long period of flat and downhill, which we thoroughly enjoyed. After lunch we then encountered another long (not steep, but steady incline) for about 7 miles, after which we comfortably rode into our first stop in Hill City. This is indicative of the trail--nice flats and downhills, but the inclines--especially in the afternoons would take their toll. The trail is in great shape, most rest stops had a full cistern to refresh water supplies--much needed, and we hardly encountered anyone, much less the dreaded (see below) "e-bike invasion". Everyone was wonderful everywhere we stopped for lunch and overnight. It seemed that at the start of each day, there was an incline up out of town--not a leisurely after breakfast saunter. I guess they located the towns in the valleys way back then.
All-in-all, a great ride. But, don't fool yourself to think it will be "relatively flat and easy" the whole way. Just make sure you are in decent shape.

I agree! We actually skipped the Deadwood climb, opting to start in Dumont in order to complete the trail in two days. Riding north to south is indeed the "downhill" direction, but there are two long uphills between Dumont and Custer. One is seven miles long and the other is ten miles long. While they are by no means steep, they are continuous. By the end of day one we were glad we had skipped that first climb out of Deadwood!

Just completed the trail with my wife. Day 1 we road from Rochford to Deadwood, then I road back to Rochford to get the car. My Garmin indicated about 1800 feet of climbing from Deadwood to the last cattle gate near Durmont.

We recently took two days to ride the Mickelson trail from Dumont to Edgemont. Thanks to a post I read from Eric McCollum, I reached out to Black Hills Discovery Tours about having someone drive our car from Dumont to Edgemont. Vince Tschida has taken over the shuttle business and now runs it as Black Hills Shuttle. He was very responsive, easy to work with, even sent us a photo of our car when he parked it in Edgemont. It was waiting for us when we came off the trail. It isn't cheap, but we factored it into the cost of the vacation and decided it was worth it!

The contact number for Black Hills Shuttle is 605-645-9521.

I also recommend Rocket Motel in Custer. It's close to the trail and the people running it are really nice. They keep a barrel of cloths and a hose out front for riders to clean off their dusty bikes. Rooms are small but super clean. Mount Rushmore Brewing is across the street for dinner, and the Purple Pie Place is a block away for dessert.

This was a great trip!

Comparing the trail option regarding Sugarloaf. Can anyone explain the difference in grade, scenery, etc Thanks much!

I rode one year ago in August, southbound from Deadwood. The most scenic section which is what you asked is also the least traveled because in that section there are the two steepest climbs of the 109 mile trail in that area. This segment is also two miles shorter than the main or original trail that is closer into the city of Lead ( pronounced LEED) The two steep climbs are short and somewhat steep, one may require hike a bike for a minute or two. I felt this section was worth the short climbs and worth the extra effort even though it was shorter…..very scenic and there was a trail stop with displays and interpretive signs. If you are a northbound rider this section would be downhill……one of those short hills might be technically challenging for less skilled riders since the gravel is somewhat looser in this area. I suggest facebook group Mickelson Trail Black Hills SD for more information and pictures.

Thanks Eric - that is exactly what I needed to know!

My Husband and I are planning to ride the Mickelson this May (26 - 29) and I heard that they don’t turn the water on at the rest stops until June 1st. Is that True?

I'm hoping somebody will answer the water question. I am planning early May

I just talked to the Trail Office in Deadwood today (5/16) and she said the water should be on now.

Rode from Edgemont to Hill City today and all of the pumps I stopped at were working - Pringle, Mountain, Harbach Park (Custer), and Tracy Park (Hill City). Riding into Deadwood tomorrow and then back to Edgemont 5/21-5/22. I’ll update on the northern taps tomorrow. Southern portion of the trail is in good shape, though heavy rain forecast for the next couple of days.

All pumps working on the northern section, too. Trail is in good shape. Enjoy.

There is no "turning the water on" option. They are all cisterns that are replenished by the trail administrators. Every cistern we encountered in mid-August had plenty of water

Hello, I would like to come out and bike this trail. What is the closest airport to fly into from NY? How close to the trailhead would I be? Where’s the best place to rent a Hybrid bike? When I get to the other end, is there a train, shuttle, or do I have to rent a car to get back?

Rapid City is the closest airport. Getting from there to Deadwood requires a shuttle. There seems to be a number of shuttle companies to help. Lots of places rent e-bikes--they are many times right next to the trail. I presume they have non motorized bikes as well. Call Deadwood Chamber of Commerce.