We rent e-bikes on site, and because the George S. Mickelson Trail cuts straight through our property on the edge of Hill City, you can pedal away from the rental without loading a bike onto a car. Rates and time blocks are shown when you book. Summer bikes go out fast, so it is worth locking in a reservation a few days ahead in July and August. The appeal is simple: the trail's old railroad grades are long and relentless rather than steep, and pedal assist evens out a group where a ten-year-old, a parent and a grandparent all want to ride together.
What is the trail actually like?
The Mickelson Trail is 109 miles of converted rail bed running from Edgemont in the south to Deadwood in the north, with crushed limestone underfoot, more than 100 rebuilt railroad bridges and four rock tunnels. Because trains needed gentle grades, nothing on the route is steeper than about four percent. That does not mean it is flat. Out of Hill City you can climb for miles at a stretch, and that steady drag is exactly what wears people out on a regular bike.
Which direction should we ride from Hill City?
North toward Mystic is the ride most of our guests take. It is roughly 15 miles one way through pine and spruce along Slate Creek, with the Mystic townsite and its old church at the end. Strong riders carry on another dozen miles or so to Rochford, where the Moonshine Gulch Saloon is the traditional turnaround. South is gentler going out: Oreville trailhead sits about six miles along, and Custer is a full day's ride at roughly 15 miles each way, with the Crazy Horse Memorial mountain visible through gaps in the trees.
Plan your turnaround on battery, not on legs. Use half your charge heading out and keep the rest for the return. Higher assist levels, headwinds and a loaded trailer all pull the range down faster than people expect.
Do we need a trail pass?
Yes. Riders 12 and older need a Mickelson Trail pass, sold daily or annually at self-service stations at the trailheads. The Hill City trailhead is a short ride from our sites, and there is a station there.
E-bike or regular bike?
If you ride regularly and want the workout, bring or rent a standard bike — the surface suits a hybrid or gravel bike fine, and skinny road tires are the only thing that really struggles. Choose pedal assist if your group has mixed fitness, if you want to reach Mystic and get back before dinner, if you are towing a child, or if altitude is bothering you. Hill City sits near 5,000 feet, and visitors from lower elevations notice it on the first climb.
When is the riding best?
June through September is the main season. Mornings in midsummer are cool and quiet, and afternoon thunderstorms are common enough that we suggest early starts. Late September into early October is our favorite window — aspen and birch turn gold against the pines, the trail empties out, and shoulder-season rates at the campground are lower. Bring a layer; it can be 40 degrees at 8 a.m. and 70 by noon.
Where does this fit in a Black Hills trip?
Guests use our Hill City SD campground as a basecamp and ride on the days they are not driving. Mount Rushmore is about ten miles away, the 1880 Train depot is four blocks off, and downtown shops and restaurants are a five-minute walk down the trail. Whether you are in one of the full hookup RV sites, a tent site or a cabin, the trail is right there when you wake up — which is the whole reason people book Mickelson Trail lodging in the first place.