Black Hills National Forest Biking Overview

Mountain bikers enjoy their sport on several thousand miles of old logging trails and low standard roads, plus some developed trails shared with other users. Most routes are easy, but there are challenging sections for the serious biker. The variety of opportunities for bikers led GORP to dub the area around Custer, South Dakota, one of its biking Meccas beyond Moab. You'll find some great trails in other areas, too. The Bearlodge Trails are the star attraction for bikers. This 50.3-mile system in rugged canyon country is the arena for the annual Fattire Biking Challenge.

If you're looking for a good tour, the George S. Mickelson Rail Trail is a contender. It's an 114-mile trip from Deadwood to Edgewood with gentle grades almost all the way.

Don't worry about packing your bike if you don't want to. You won't have any trouble renting one in most of the towns around the forest.

Biking Trails
Numbers correspond with the map above.

Centennial Trail—111 miles. A landmark trail that stretches across the north-south length of the Black Hills.
George S. Mickelson—114 miles. Rail trail from Deadwood to Edgewood. Gentle grades.
1. Cook Lake Trail & Cliff Swallow Trail—4.5 miles. Good wildlife trail.
2. Bearlodge Trails—50.3 miles. Home of the annual Fattire Biking Challenge for mountain bikers.
4. Big Hills Trails—16.5 miles. Spearfish Canyon rim country.
5. Baldy Trail, Rimrock Trail & Little Spearfish Trail—18 miles. Canyon rims and peak tops.
6. Eagle Cliff Trails—14 miles. Self-guided loop system that was originally developed for cross-country skiing.
8. Deerfield & Lake Loop Trail—28 miles. Gentle trails through scenic canyons.
9. Bear Mountain Trails—16.1 miles. Breathtaking views and lots of wildlife.
11. Harney Range Trail System—50 miles of trails, 14 trailheads, many in the Black Elk Wilderness.
12. Hells Canyon Trail—6 miles. Follows a bench below limestone cliff for outstanding views of Eagle Canyon.