Route

Note: This description is for the 2019 Black Hills Expedition route (460 miles), but the map and GPX files (below) are for the 2024 routes.

Begin at the corner of Hudson and Main streets in downtown Spearfish. The course starts out with a roll through town on the bike path and then up to Tinton Trail for 22 miles of singletrack to the Rod & Gun Campground. Ride some gravel to Savoy and then climb Annie Creek to Terry Peak Ski Lodge. Take gravel and singletrack into Lead, SD, then the new Homestake Trail to Deadwood. Ride the Mickelson Trail to the Dumont Trailhead then to Custer Peak. Roll through Mystic Hills Hideaway on your journey to Sturgis, SD.

Ride out to Bear Butte Lake for the start of the Centennial Trail. Ride this trail for the next 75 miles and pass Dalton, Pactola and Sheridan Lakes. Ride some of the Storm Mountain and Foster Gulch trails before the town of Keystone. Roll by Mount Rushmore National Memorial on blacktop and then ride the famous Pigtail Highway.

Turn onto Iron Creek Trail (#15) and enter Custer State Park. Watch out for buffalo while in the park. Ride or walk around them if they are in your path. Your chance of meeting buffalo on track is almost a certainty. Enjoy 26 creek crossings laced with poison ivy while in the park. Pass by Center, Stockade, Legion and Sylvan Lakes before the climb up gravel to view Crazy Horse Memorial. Roll into Hill City on the Mickelson Trail and up China Gulch and down into Silver City (no services). Ride the Deerfield Trail (#40) up to Deerfield Lake crossing Rapid and Slate Creeks 34 times. Keep your feet dry by using the log beam crossings. (Two of the beams are currently washed down stream.)

Leave Deerfield Lake and climb to the Crooks Tower area, the high point of the course, then down to Eagle Cliff Cross Country Ski Trails. Ride a section of Little Spearfish Trail before climbing to Cement Ridge in Wyoming! Ride the Old Baldy Trail into Iron Creek Lake and follow the famous Dakota Five-O bike route back to Spearfish.

Load the GPX track into your GPS unit and keep it zoomed in on the navigation for the recommended way to follow this challenging course. Plan on walking a bit on this 460 mile 52,000 vertical course. Enjoy!

Black Hills Expedition map

View and interact with this map on Google Maps

Tower 300 map

View and interact with this map on Google Maps

Spearfish 280 map

View and interact with this map on Google Maps

GPX Downloads

Note: These are the updated GPX files as of August 30, 2024

BH Expedition GPX file

Tower 300 GPX file

Spearfish 280 GPX file

Water Sources

This is just a guideline for water resupply points. Some creeks may be dry and some spigots may be turned off. Mileage is not exact. Use at your own risk. You may find other water sources not on this list. (Updated August 18, 2018)