Your Next Adventure
Your Next Adventure
Mickelson Trail & Black Hills Bike Tour
Trip Overview
This South Dakota bike tour from Badlands National Park, through the Black Hills, along the Mickelson Trail and up to Devils Tower will take you through a diverse and unique landscape that is rich in both Native American culture and iconic North American wildlife.
You pedal along the Wildlife Loop viewing some of the largest herds of American bison (informally called buffalo) in existence today. Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park are also home to pronghorn antelope, elk, prairie dogs, deer, mountain lions and bighorn sheep. The area you ride through on this tour is one of the most geologically unique and diverse areas in North America.
Visit Mount Rushmore, the famous mountainside sculpture depicting our U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Your route takes you to the Crazy Horse Memorial, currently being constructed, depicting the Oglala Lakota warrior, Crazy Horse. Toward the end of the tour, you ride across the Wyoming border and up to Devils Tower National Monument.
During the course of the week, you visit some of our favorite restaurants in the Black Hills area. The lunch spots chosen on this tour serve pleasing and healthy meals with locally sourced ingredients.
Surfaces for this tour: 70% Paved and 30% Gravel.
Itinerary
From start to finish, check out the route.
The trip begins with an 8:30 a.m. meeting at a hotel in Rapid City. Bring your luggage and be ride-ready. After brief introductions, take the van and trailer and shuttle for a brief stop and orientation at the legendary Wall Drug before heading on to start the ride at the Pinnacles Entrance Station in Badlands National Park. Cycle through the rugged, dramatic landscapes of Badlands National Park — known as one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Dinner is at the Cedar Pass Restaurant. Off-bike activities: Badlands is known for sunsets and sunrises, stargazing, hiking.
Today's route begins in Wind Cave National Park. Start by exploring the Visitor Center there (depending on whether they have completed repairs). Then, you have the option for a 1-hour guided tour of the cave. After the cave tour, you shuttle to start your ride in Custer State Game Park ... to view herds of bison, prairie dog town, donkeys, and herds of antelope! The route takes you along the Wildlife Loop — 18 miles of open grasslands and hills, appropriately named for its plentiful wildlife. Guests love the rolling nature of these roads and the stunning scenery. Dinner is at the Custer State Game Lodge Restaurant. Optional off- bike activities: Custer State Game Park Visitor Center or an off-road Jeep safari. Dinner is at the Custer State Game Lodge Restaurant.
Two of the main roads today were built for the sole purpose of enjoyment. You start directly from our lodging, riding through Custer State Game Park, to Iron Mountain Road, noted as one of the most unusual and captivating roads in America. Iron Mt. Road is home to the famed “pigtail bridges,” … log-built bridges that spiral down, multiple tunnels that frame Mount Rushmore, and sections of rolling single lane pavement through the woods that’s sure to leave you grinning ear to ear. Your lunch destination today is Lakota Lake Picnic area. From here, you can ride or shuttle the hills, tunnels and switchbacks to Mount Rushmore. Dinner is at the Custer State Game Lodge Restaurant. Optional off-bike activities: Custer State Game Park Visitor Center or an off-road Jeep safari.
This is a beautiful day of riding through buttes and red sandstone cliffs up to the majestic Devils Tower National Monument. Shuttle to Aladin for a look at a fun general store and then on to Hulett for the ride to Devils Tower. You have the option for a short hike near Devils Tower and then ride to Hulett for lunch. Next, shuttle to Deadwood in the afternoon. Dinner is on your own at the Six String or Santana’s. Optional off-bike activities: Deadwood trolley car shuttle, Wild Bill Hickok shooting and legendary trial of Jack McCall (street re-enactment), shopping, Broken Boot Gold Mine tour.
Optional off-bike activities: Deadwood trolley car shuttle, Wild Bill Hickok shooting and legendary trial of Jack McCall (street re-enactment), shopping, Broken Boot Gold Mine tour.
One of the premiere Rail-to-trails in the U.S., the Mickelson is a 109-mile trail that uses the old Black Hills Railroad line, which used to supply the Homestake Mine for many years. Today you ride the trail from Deadwood, a town known for its gold rush history, to the ghost town of Mystic. This section of the trail includes numerous bridges and tunnels and runs through one of the most beautiful areas of the Black Hills. Dinner is at Alpine Inn.
Your final day of cycling features a section of the Mickelson Trail from Hill City to Custer, where you will find decorative painted buffalo statues all through the downtown. Today you ride near the Crazy Horse Memorial with a great view of the monument. In the afternoon we offer a shuttle back to Rapid City.
Map
Dates & Pricing
Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). Single supplement for private room is listed at the top of this page. A deposit of $750 holds your reservation for most tours. For tours less than 6 days, the deposit is $500.
What’s Included
5 nights’ lodging, 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners (you are on your own for 1 dinner). National Park entrance fees, Wind Cave tour, and amphitheater night sky ranger talk. We also include detailed maps and itineraries, experienced guides, full van support — plus use of a bike and helmet. Airfare is not included.
Dates & Pricing
Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). Single supplement for private room is listed at the top of this page. A deposit of $750 holds your reservation for most tours. For tours less than 6 days, the deposit is $500.
What’s Included
5 nights’ lodging, 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners (you are on your own for 1 dinner). National Park entrance fees, Wind Cave tour, and amphitheater night sky ranger talk. We also include detailed maps and itineraries, experienced guides, full van support — plus use of a bike and helmet. Airfare is not included.
Inns
Where you stay along the way.
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Gallery
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