Mickelson Trail Forum

I will be doing the Mickelson north to south and will then be connecting to the cowboy trail in Nebraska. I'm considering cutting off the southern part of the Mickelson to go to Hot springs. How bad is highway 18?

Also, does anyone know how bad 385 south of Hot springs into Nebraska would be? It looks like it's fairly busy which I don't necessarily mind if it has a large shoulder, but based on street view the shoulder is just okay.

Any thoughts on that? Is Dead horse canyon not worth missing?

Thanks!

18 to hot springs has a good shoulder and is not bad for biking. 385 once it joins 79 is like being on interstate 90. If you don't mind the noise and being pushed by draft of fast trucks it’s basically safe but not fun.

I really liked Dead Horse Canyon and the area immediately south with the scenic view of the valley you descend into before Edgemont. I felt like the only area I thought was disappointing was the last three to four miles into Edgemont where the trail is right next to the highway and meanders around a little. Nothing wrong with the town itself, just that stretch by the highway due to noise, not original railway section, sometimes the trail is below the highway, etc.
About that Cowboy Trail: I have read quite a few reviews that are critical of the trail surface being very rough and resistant to good rolling. Many people also received more than their share of flats because of goats head thorns. The Cowboy is immediately adjacent to the highway and apparently the trail surface is so unpleasant that many of the reviewers opted to ride on the highway shoulder instead. Most of the reviewers did mention how awesome that bridge was at one end of the trail….This is just food for thought, perhaps dive deeper for your own consideration. I have not done the Cowboy, but after reading so many negative reviews I thought there might be some merit to it. Perhaps more people need tubeless tires or armored tires like Schwalbe Marathon Plus or similar.
I personally want to ride the Mick again and also the Needles highway by bicycle due to the speed limit being so low….and the sights. Another consideration in the area is Custer State Park which has an excellent and newly repaved wildlife loop, plus numerous gravel roads in the park. I actually wanted to ride to Mt Rushmore but due to time and safety concerns on the highway I deferred. I recently saw a YouTube video where the guy figured out a safer way to bike from the Mick to Rushmore by taking Old Hill City Road east from Hill City, then turning south on Palmer Gulch….into the KOA then turning onto highway 244. This reduced the highway 244 miles from 9 to 6. I looked closely at the map, used streetview when possible and figured out how to shave even more highway 244 miles off….by continuing further east on Old Hill City road to the Centennial Trail, then taking the trail one mile south to 244 then east to Mt Rushmore. I don’t know if the Centennial is rideable or if hike a bike is required. I don’t mind riding highway if it can be made safer via a shoulder. I do have flashy taillights and a rear radar.
Here is a link to the YouTube video I saw. If you prefer to search for it, the video name is “Cycling to Mount Rushmore”
https://youtu.be/THClfN7EwQk?si=9EpxxZ-VRqLs3oKF

In case anyone doesn’t know: The Sturgis motorcycle rally brings hundreds of thousands to the state of South Dakota, not just Sturgis. There are people staying, eating, seeing the sites throughout the region. They deserve their fun too. Just know if you decide to ride the Mick during and immediately before/after, you’ll pay more to stay/camp, compete with others for seeing stuff, dining out, etc. There will be many side by side UTV’s on the roads and AUTHORIZED trails (not the Mick) so be prepared to encounter them as they are street legal in the state. Many of them are rental units. I planned my August trip to avoid the crowds.

After reading the info about the Cowboy, I've got to respond, having just returned from my annual ride from end to end and returning to the east end. I first did it 8 years ago and yes, it was rough due to the problems mentioned. That said, it was a great adventure such that I've made it a part of each summer since. My brother started 7 years ago and was also hooked. About 4 years ago trail conditions improved and have steadily improved, such that it's now, in my humble opinion, an equal to any non-paved trail in the midwest, and I've done most of them. There are two great bridges on the trail, and although parts of it parallel the highway there is plenty of the trail out in the isolated sand hills. So don't count the Cowboy Trail out because of outdated information

Thanks everybody for the advice! Having done the ride I was asking about now I feel that I should come back to close the circle.

I rode highway 18 from the Mickelson to Hot Springs and the shoulder was quite large for almost the entire trip, and traffic was minimal. I felt very safe the entire time, so if there's anyone else thinking of doing that I wouldn't hesitate.

The next day I rode 385 into Chadron. I took a few short detours on dirt roads along the same corridor, which were delightful if anyone has a little bit more time than I did, but 385 itself was no problem at all to ride on. The traffic that there was was going fast, but everybody moved over and the shoulders are quite large. Maybe this would be different in the core of tourist season, but in early September when I did it it was absolutely fine.

As far as the Mickelson trail versus the cowboy trail surface, based on prior reports, I was expecting the cowboy trail surface to be extremely bad to the point where I wasn't expecting to be able to ride the entire thing on my 42 mm gravel tires, or to end up with a bunch of flat tires due to goatheads. While I think that the Mickelson surface was still slightly better, the cowboys maintenance must have stepped up quite a lot over the last few years. There were a few deeper sand spots that I had to navigate carefully, and a few spots where you would get bogged down by slightly deeper gravel, but most of the surface was extraordinarily good. I saw a few patches of goat head vines along the side of the trail in one area, but absolutely none in the trail and had no flat tires the entire way.

One definite edge the Mickelson has is the number of trailheads that all have water and bathrooms. But the cowboy trail has many more small towns and nearly all of them had nice little city parks to camp at very inexpensively. That was a definite edge over the Mickelson, where you had to plan where to camp a little bit more and they tended to be more expensive RV parks (though not always).

I thoroughly enjoyed both trails and wholeheartedly recommend either.

Thanks for the follow up. Dougt I’m glad you described the improvements over the last few years. I will be looking further into this and perhaps I can start considering it once more. Jason, that is a LOT of miles in seven days! I think adding a ride through Pine Ridge Indian Reservation would make it even more interesting…..there is a great coffee shop in the town of Pine Ridge. My drive home brought me through the sand hills of Nebraska. They would be even more enjoyable on a bike.

I am wondering
-when is the best time to travel on this trail
-are there any rattlesnakes
-is it windy
-are there a lot of cyclists at one time on the trail

Here is Northern Idaho we have the Centennial Trail which is a 72 mile trail that goes from Plummer to Mullen. It is never crowded and the wildlife includes moose, deer, eagles and herons. Looking for more trails like this and considering Mickelson Trail.

Just my opinion but mid to late September is my favorite time to go. Cooler weather and except for Trail Trek weekend, it’s not real crowded.

There are prairie rattlesnakes in the Black Hills, but on my 3 trips to the trail I’ve never seen one. I do try to be alert.

I’ve found the windy area to be on the southern half of the trail south of Hill City. I’ve seen people walk their bikes a few times it was that windy. But I’m guessing that’s the exception and not the rule. I really never experienced anyone to speak of north of Hill city. But of course, every day is different. I think the southern half of the trail is more windy because it’s very wide open where the northern half is a lot more wooded. Just a guess.

I forget when the fall Trail Trek weekend is this year. But other than that it’s not terribly crowded.

I don’t know how strict they are enforcing the new restrictions on E bikes where only class one is allowed. But in any case watch out for the very big E bikes. Some are modified to go faster than 28 mph and I’ve seen a lot of them do that myself. But as long as you keep things in your rearview mirror, you should be fine. Have a good ride.

In late September, I am planning to ride the trail from Plummer over to Mullan. If things work. It’s been on my list for a long time.

I would suggest avoiding the trail and anywhere within 100 miles of it during the Sturgis motorcycle rally and probably one week before and after. I have no problem with the riders or rally, you should realize the event draws hundreds of thousands of people to the region. This influx will crowd the attractions, any/all camping or lodging, restaurants, etc. Many will bring or rent side by side ATVs and those are lawfully on the roads, highways and may often cross the trail. It just seems like you’ll have a better Mickelson experience by planning around Sturgis. Again, I’m not opposed and I hope they also have a great experience. The rally brings a great deal of revenue to the state. It’s usually the first full week of August, but use your google skills to verify.
I don’t recall seeing many posts about snakes in general, but if you are paying attention they should be easy to see and thus avoid.
The Mick crosses under the paved driveway leading to the Crazy Horse Memorial. It’s worth riding up to and touring the museum. They charge a vehicle admission fee, including bikes. In the parking lot there is a highly visible bike rack across from the museum entrance.
I rode southbound on a Thursday and Friday in late august, trail traffic was light. I had a good experience at Chalet Motel. Don’t miss Purple Pie Place.

Wait….72 mile Centennial Trail? Do you mean Trail of the Couer D’Alenes? I want to ride that one day along with the Route of the Hiawatha. Ideally I want to do the 300k Bitterroot route, just need to minimize the two lane highway riding west of St Marie’s.

If you are riding the Plummer to Mullen Trail and want to spend the night, lodging and food in Wallace is much better than Mullen!

Are motorized trikes, E- trike aloud in Mickelson trail?

I don't think the recently passed law regarding the Mickelson Trail distinguished between E-bikes and E-trikes. At least in my reading of the legislation, I couldn't find any difference.

As long as your bike meets Class 1 restrictions, I think you'd be okay.

Class 1 is:

1. Maximum assisted speed 20 mph
2. Maximum motor power 750 watts, or less
3. Throttle not permitted

Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes are not allowed since the new law was passed.

If I'm wrong about that, I hope someone will correct me. Thanks.

Are e-bikes allowed on Mickelson Trail, specifically class 2.

The Mickelson Trail bill allows only the slowest class of e-bikes, Class I, on the trail.

The governor signed the bill approved by the state legislature on March 13th. You can read the link below.

https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/13/south-dakota-governor-larry-rhoden-signs-school-cash-mandate-mickelson-trail-ebike-limits/82366367007/

I guess we won’t be visiting your great area due to your limiting laws on e-bikes. Mine is assist-only but not class 1. We’ll spend our dollars elsewhere.

Like many other issues in life, the few ruin things for the many. But children (and even adults) have been injured by Class 2 and 3 bike riders on the trail going way too fast. I know from personal experience.

When you add the higher speeds and the higher weight of e-bikes (some up to 70#), Class 2 and 3 bikes are just not safe on this particular trail. They do rent traditional bikes and Class 1 bikes for those who want to ride on the Mickelson.

When I've ridden the trail, there were a few places between Deadwood and Hill City where electric assist would have been nice. But not a necessity in my opinion.

I can understand why some will want to spend their dollars elsewhere. But the law was passed after considerable study and debate.

Have a great ride wherever you go...

Curious to know how that law is monitored. Don't judge!!! Wondering if I could sort of sneak on the trail ! :)

Well, I won't judge you, if you won't judge me. :)

I guess I'm kinda "old school" on things like this. Just because you CAN do something (e.g. sneak on the trail), doesn't mean you SHOULD. If we were all free to ignore the rules and regulations that we don't like...well, I'm not sure that's a world I'd want to live in. Some may have a different opinion. My opinion is that the new law was passed for specific safety reasons and I will follow them until the law is changed.

I know there are monitors on the trail, but I have no idea how they are going to enforce this new law. I'm assuming fairly strictly because maintaining safety on the trail is their primary reason for being there.

I do know if my children were seriously hurt by an e-biker that was not designated for the trail, that person better have a good lawyer. Knowingly breaking the law resulting in personal injury can be very expensive.

Again, please don't judge me as I won't judge your decision to "sneak onto the trail." As I said, I'm "old school" on many subjects. I'm just one person giving you my personal opinion. But if the new law doesn't keep Class 2 and 3 e-bikes off the trail, I'll spend my dollars elsewhere - as one other commenter stated.

My (serious) question to you is: Would you want to live in a society where each individual follows only the rules and regulations that they like?

(Somehow I know I'm going to get blasted for my opinion by the majority on this forum and that's okay. But you asked and I gave my honest opinion. PLEASE DON'T JUDGE ME!!)

I ride the Mickelson every week. I have never seem any problems with E-bikes. In towns I have but not on the trail. Safety on the trail is about etiquette. The biggest safety issue on the trail are joggers wearing ear buds with unleashed dogs. I would not recommend breaking the rules, but don’t hesitate giving our State Capital a call and let them know how you feel about the rule. They are very responsive. I know they have had many inquiry’s.

We plan on riding the trail in mid September and have class 2 e-bikes. They will not exceed 20mph under electric power and we will disable the throttles which will essentially make them class 1.

Everyone says, "I'll just disable the throttle on my Class 2 bike." Except most never do. "Oh, I forgot" is the usual answer. If you actually disabled your throttle, I don't know if you would still be fined, or not. The Trail stewards should post their policy on that. Assuming they have one that moderates the wording of the law.

Between hikers, horses, and young children there are others to consider when riding the trail. If you are in an accident (and there are more than a few each season) whether you caused the accident, or not...are you prepared for the consequences of breaking the law?


The law specifically states only Class 1 e-bikes for a reason -- no matter how people try to justify going around it. As I said earlier, I don't want to live in a society where we are all free to ignore the laws we don't like. That sounds like chaos to me. But I'm just one voice in the minority.

The good news is the $500 fine isn't all that much with inflation these days.

As I've admitted before, my injury on the Trail caused by two e-bikers has me VERY jaded about e-bikers. Had they injured my wife or children in the way they injured me, I'd probably be living in free state-provided housing for a few years. Or more.

So, feel free to ignore my rant! I'm an old grumpy senior citizen and I still enjoy real bikes powered by me. :)

P.S. I'd buy the idea that e-bikes help seniors and other physically challenged riders. But 75%, or more, of the e-bikers I see on the trails all over the country are young people who need the exercise more than the electric assist.

https://www.consumershield.com/injuries-accidents/bike-accidents/compensation

Just to set the record straight, there is only one diff between class 1 and 2 ebikes and that is the throttle. Both are limited to 20 mph. Neither is more dangerous than the other. If the legislature was educated, they would have limited trail speed. I can surely say that a decent gravel bike or light weight mountain bike will hit speeds well over that of any class 1 or 2 ebike on most parts of the Mickelson.

I've ridden the Mick many times and plan on doing so again next week with a group of friends. I'm really hoping that our ride is not subjected to irresponsible e-bike riders who don't have the necessary skills to ride safely and/or are going to fast.

It's a shame that so many of our trails have become motorized by either "e-bikes" that exceed power, mechanical assist speed or are actually e-motos. Many e-bike manufacturers actually market the ability of their machines to exceed maximum allowed speeds.

Class-1 laws are an attempt to enforce some semblance of good behavior on what are supposed to be non-motorized trails.

If you can't follow the rules that are there because of past poor behavior by others, please stay off the Mickelson, you don't belong!

Thanks DK, your comment regarding E-bikes is much appreciated. If only I could express the same sentiment as well!

Enjoy your group ride. I'm hoping to get there by the end of September, or the first week of October.

I’ll be out in the Hills, and plan to ride Custer to Deadwood either Monday August 4th or Tuesday August 5th. I ride a gravel bike…if anyone would like to join, let me know. I am a somewhat experienced rider, I should be able to ride it in about 5.5 hours…but who know.

The usual time for fall colors in the Black hills is the end of September. Our weather varies a lot. This the northern hills have been green and lush while the southern hills are dry and brown. The only problem with late September is the chance of snow. But you are always near towns on the trail and if we have snow it would be gone in a day.
I hope you get a chance to enjoy the trail.

Sorry, I meant to post this on the Fall Color post.

Greetings folks! How ridiculous would it be for me to attempt to ride my recumbent (non-electric) trike for the full mileage? Thanks in advance for your advice!

I am planning on writing my recumbent trike late September from Edgemont to Deadwood and back I don't think 50 or 60 miles a day will be difficult

Thanks so much! We actually just finished a few days ago and it went perfectly. I’m thinking about writing a trip report on the whole thing (we bike-packed it over 3 days).

We’re staying in Custer next weekend. If we did a 50 mile out and back, which direction should we go from Custer? We are experience MTB and Gravel bikers. Can we rent a gravel bike in Custer (for my wife)

Thanks!
Tim

My preference would be head north from Custer, short climb up to crazy horse, then a long decent…north of Hill City is very pretty!

I will be riding up for the rally, but I planned on riding around the area on my gravel bike (I haul it on my Harley). I will be in a cabin south of lead. Would be willing to ride south until we link up and then head back. It would have to be on the 5th though as I won’t get there until the 4th.

MY Buddies and I are thinking staging in Custer and leaving Tag/camper Safe?
and riding 50 miles each way and staying in deadwood one night and edgemont one night and reversing rides. We come from altitude and if trail is relatively flat is 50 mile days doable on fast gravel bikes?

Thanks and cheers . we did Katy trail self supported over 1 week 2 years ago!

Sounds like you have the experience and good bike choice. I did Deadwood to Custer on day one, plus a side trip up to Crazy Horse. That day was 66 miles, 3524’ of elevation climbed and 6:10 riding. The hardest part of the ride is the lengthy uphill segment out of Deadwood….12 miles maybe. In the Lead area there are two Mickelson trail routes. I suggest the shorter/steeper route going northbound because of the two short hills that are hike-a-bikes for some riders. Heading south take the longer flatter route closer to Lead.
My day two was Custer to Edgemont, 45 miles, 526’ climb, in 3:13. The initial climb from Custer was the only challenge. Deadhorse Canyon and just beyond it was a highlight before descending into the flats before Edgemont. The last few miles before town was pretty blah. I have RidewithGPS links if you want me to send later, but the trail is pretty straightforward. I imagine if you stay somewhere in Custer a night or two you could arrange to leave a vehicle longer. Do not miss Purple Pie Place.

For your consideration…I saw a recent YouTube video from a guy who found a way to ride to Mt Rushmore somewhat safely. He reduced the time on highway 244 from I think 9 miles to 6 miles. He rode out of Hill City taking Old Hill City Road to Palmer Gulch Road then south to the service entrance to the Mt Rushmore KOA. Then he got onto 244. This was interesting to me, so I did some map exploration and figured out one could ride even further east on Old Hill City then turn south on the Centennial Trail. It’s only one mile via trail to 244, then 3 miles to Rushmore with rideable shoulder most of the way. I was not able to figure out what the trail was like, but suspect it’s walkable at least. That video title is Cycling to Mount Rushmore, and it’s by Dave Kline. Not sure when I will return to ride the Mick again, but want to ride this, the Needles Highway and the Wildlife Loop Road at Custer State Park.

Hello, eyeing this area for Sept- Oct this year and also wondering about leaving toy hauler for a few nights while I stay out on trail… so, following! :).
Wish I had your experience level but, got to start bikepacking somewhere sometime

We're thinking of biking the trail in the fall for the colorful leaves. Can someone point me to a "better time" for seeing the colors? Thanks!

1. With the elevation that this route does have, is it better to do East to West, or opposite?
2. Best time of year for Western SD?

I think you mean North to South. I believe most people start in Deadwood on the north end and finish in Edgemont on the south end. You'll be going downhill from Hill City to Edgemont most of the way at the end of the trail which will probably be a nice change at that point.

I totally knew the N-S! LONG day and from another recent 12hr drive, I am lacking brain power today!

Oh, and as far as time of year, I know it's been pretty hot in late July/August when I've been on the trail. If I go again, I'll probably try the first few weeks of September, as I like the cooler weather. But if you don't mind heat, any time from now through August should be great.

Im swinging thru next week and will have only time for a 25 mile out, then back. I can start from pretty much any trailhead. Where\what direction would be my best bang for my buck thinking bridges\tunnels\cool stuff?
No wrong answers.

If you start in Hill City at mile marker 60 and go north to Rochford at mile marker 82 that would get you close to the mileage that you are looking for. I also think north of Hill City is more scenic than south of Hill City, but I guess that's subjective and just my opinion.

Going north from Hill City to Rochford, you will go through Tunnels A, B, and C...and you could get to the last Tunnel D north of Rochford by adding just a few more miles to your trip.

Deadwood at mile marker 108 (the northern end of the trail) south to Rochford at mile marker 82 would also get you the mileage you're looking for.

I think either of the two suggested routes above would be great. I'm assuming you'll be on gravel type tires. The crushed limestone can be very loose in some areas. Road tires...well, I wouldn't go on any tire narrower than 35c. Although, I know some have.

Below, I have attached a map showing you the distances and the elevation. I like to be going downhill at the end of the day. But at some point, you'll have some hills to climb. Not extreme, but they are there. The map I've added will show you where the elevation gains are, the distances, and other relevant information.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XFs2s09xrtDfwRGwJZe5G62P2crsyW4l/view

Good luck.

Thank you. Helps me a ton!

Great, hope I helped. I just noticed that Tunnel D at mile marker 85 is exactly 25 miles north of the Hill City trailhead at mile marker 60. So, there's your 25 miles out and back.

And that particular section is fairly flat with some nice views.

Dan, let us know what you end up doing. Will be headed that way from WI in August

What parts of the trail are paved? I have an urban lectric bike and do not think the tires are appropriate for unpaved trails.

I'd say 95% of the 106 miles is crushed limestone. You will find a little pavement as you ride through Hill City and a few other places, but not very much. Worth the trip even if you have to rent a bike...which you can.

Good luck.

Here's a video that I put together of my ride on the trail, showing the trail conditions pretty much the entire way. It's a great ride.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdvmpHyPPEI

Here's the longer version without any music, that REALLY shows a lot of the trail:
https://youtu.be/Yo2W0mdD2oI