Reply to grade and difficulty out of Deadwood

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.