George S. Mickelson Trail
Hill City Trailhead, Hill City, SD
Hill City, SD
The old Burlington railroad grade reborn as a gentle 109-mile path through pine forest and granite, running right past Hill City between Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse.
The George S. Mickelson Trail is the Black Hills the slow, quiet way. Running 109 miles from Edgemont in the south to the gold-rush town of Deadwood in the north, it follows the entire grade of an abandoned railroad, which means it climbs and falls at the gentle pace a loaded steam train could manage rather than the steep grades of the surrounding mountains. That old-railroad math is the trail's secret: it carries you deep into rugged country over pine-shaded miles that never feel truly hard.
Along the way the path threads four rock tunnels blasted for the trains and crosses well over a hundred rebuilt trestles and bridges, all surfaced now in crushed limestone for walkers, riders, and horses. It passes within a few miles of Mount Rushmore and runs just north of the Crazy Horse Memorial, and Hill City sits squarely on the route, with a trailhead in town that makes it one of the easiest places to hop on for an hour or a whole day.
What Guests Love
- A gentle, mostly downhill-either-way grade the old trains needed, so the riding is far easier than the mountains around it look
- Four dark rock tunnels and more than a hundred rebuilt railroad trestles and bridges along the way
- Riding through ponderosa pine, mountain meadows, and granite country between Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse
- A trailhead right in Hill City, so you can start from town and turn around whenever you like
Worth Knowing
- A trail pass is required for riders over a certain age; self-serve pass stations sit at the trailheads, so bring small bills
- The surface is crushed limestone, best on a hybrid, gravel, or mountain bike rather than skinny road tires
- Trailheads offer parking and shelter but limited services, so carry water, snacks, and a spare tube for the longer stretches
- You do not have to ride all 109 miles; pick a segment between towns like Hill City and Custer for an easy out-and-back
Details
Hill City, SD
Learn about George S. Mickelson Trail
The High Line railroad
The trail traces the old Chicago, Burlington and Quincy branch line, the Burlington, which pushed a route from Edgemont up to Deadwood in the early 1890s to serve the mines and mills of the booming Black Hills. Crews built the whole line in less than a year, an astonishing pace, threading it through the granite by tunnel and trestle. Railroaders nicknamed it the High Line for the glimpses of mountain it offered as it climbed.
For decades the line hauled ore, timber, and passengers through the heart of the Hills. But by 1983 the traffic had dried up, and the Burlington abandoned the corridor. Rather than let the grade grow over, South Dakota saw a rare chance: an unbroken, gently graded right-of-way running the length of its most beautiful country, ready to become something new.
From abandoned grade to Hall of Fame trail
Converting the derelict line took far longer than building the railroad had. Through the late 1980s and 1990s, volunteers and the state pulled rails, rebuilt more than a hundred bridges, and laid a smooth crushed-limestone surface, one hard-won mile at a time. The finished trail opened in September 1998 and was named for George S. Mickelson, the South Dakota governor who championed the project and died in a plane crash in 1993 before it was done.
The result earned a place in the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame and became the backbone of Black Hills recreation. Fourteen trailheads dot the route at towns and old rail stops, each with parking, a shelter, and a self-serve station where riders buy the trail pass that helps keep the path maintained. From any of them you can ride a segment and turn back, or string them together for a multi-day tour.
Riding from Hill City
Hill City makes an ideal base because the trail runs right through it. From the town trailhead you can roll south toward Crazy Horse and Custer or north toward Mystic and the high country, and because the grade is so gentle you can go as far as you like and coast back. The scenery shifts from open mountain meadow to deep ponderosa forest to narrow rock cuts, with the dark, cool tunnels as memorable landmarks along the way.
The trail's easy grade makes it welcoming for families, casual riders, and anyone who wants a big-country experience without big-mountain effort. Bring a bike with tires suited to crushed limestone, carry water and a repair kit for the stretches between towns, and pick up your trail pass at the trailhead before you start. It is one of the best ways to feel the scale and quiet of the Black Hills, moving at the unhurried pace the old railroad set more than a century ago.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Hill City
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
About 12 miles
The four presidents carved into the granite face of the Black Hills, with a viewing terrace, museum, and a short presidential trail below the sculpture.
Crazy Horse Memorial
About 12 miles
The colossal mountain carving of the Lakota leader, still in progress, with a large Native American cultural center and museum at its base.
Custer State Park
About 15 miles
A vast park famous for its free-roaming bison herd, the scenic Needles Highway and Wildlife Loop, and granite spires and lakes.
1880 Train
In Hill City
A heritage steam railroad running vintage trains between Hill City and Keystone, a living link to the rail history the Mickelson Trail is built on.