On Sunday, June 30, 2019 at 7:30AM, Chris and I set out on our longest biking adventure yet; The Mickelson Trail in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Burlington Northern built the rail line over 100 years ago to accommodate the miners who had rushed to the area to pan for gold. In 1983, the rail line was abandoned and this incredible trail was envisioned. After years of planning, hard work, and determination the trail became a reality. Mile 109 begins at the Deadwood Trailhead in the Northern Hills lush with pine and steep elevations! Our first day, also our hardest would take us from Deadwood to Hill City, 48 miles and nearly 3,000 ft of climb. Our pace, 8.2 miles per hour was respectable.
Chris and I suspected we would encounter some rain along the way. An afternoon thundershower is a regular occurrence in the hills. Our ponchos came in handy for the passing storm. Just 1.5 miles of the entire trail had rain.
Some bikers elect to tent camp on the trail. Chris and I were glad we opted for more comfortable accomodations. We recommend Black Hills Trailside Resort. http://trailsideparkresort.com/ Located immediately off the Mickelson, our cozy cabin was sparkling clean, comfortable bed, kitchenette, cable tv, and remodeled bathroom. After 6 hours of riding, this was a welcomed stop.
Day 2 was our “Light Day” with only 15.5 miles to go from Hill City to Custer. Our Light Day started with 10 miles of climb, 850ft. elevation out of Hill City. We enjoyed reaching the peak of the climb (at Crazy Horse Memorial) and coasting into Custer for lunch. This was a perfect weather day. 76 degrees, no rain.
Chris and I highly recommend the Bavarian Inn in Custer, SD for a weekend get-a-way. The service was spectacular, rooms very comfortable and plenty of great outdoor space. Our sore legs especially enjoyed the hot tub. http://www.bavarianinnsd.com/
Day 3 brought another long leg of miles 45 and the last of the trail. Although a similar distance to Day 1, the Southern part of the trail says fair well to the sweeping peaks of the hills and hello to the open prairie only a 650 ft. change of elevation! This portion of the trail is very much underrated. With less focus on pushing uphill, your eyes get to leave the trail and enjoy the sights around you. There are stunning visuals around Pringle South Dakota and vast lush prairie just north of Edgemont. At this time of year, the fields are filled with sweet clover. One my favorite areas was Sheep Canyon. The narrow trail drops on either side into a low area.
The trail ends with little fanfare the Edgemont City Park. Because of the downhill nature of the end of the trail, we hit our stride at 12.2 mph, getting us into town 3 hours before estimate. While there we enjoyed the Edgemont Museum. https://edgemontmuseum.com/ The area’s rich history boasts train, uranium mining, munitions, and lumber economy. We hope to do the trail again soon, maybe in 2 Days!
Anne's Blog 
Nice.
LikeLike