On this five-day tour you travel the entire length of the magnificent George S. Mickelson Trail, one of the most historic and scenic rail-to-trail conversions in the U.S. For nearly a century, the Burlington train transported passengers, freight, mail, and livestock through South Dakota’s Black Hills on this route. The train stopped running in the mid-1980s, and just a few short years later, Governor Mickelson helped create the state’s first rails-to-trails project here.

On this tour, you pedal 109 miles on a crushed limestone and gravel trail. The route crosses more than 100 railroad bridges and passes through four rock tunnels. As the route follows a former railroad line, a majority of the trail is, at most, a gentle 4% grade — though there are a few strenuous sections. You pedal aside meandering creeks, through narrow gulches, past sprawling meadows and ranches, and among dense stands of forest. Numerous interpretive signs along the route convey the rich history of South Dakota’s famous Black Hills.

During the tour, you spend the night in just two hotels. In addition to exploring the Mickelson Trail, you also visit Mt. Rushmore, see the Crazy Horse Memorial, and enjoy the pristine beauty of Sylvan Lake and the nearby granite pillars known as the Needles.