Black Hills Expedition

A 440-mile Bikepacking Race through the Black Hills of South Dakota

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Route

Note: This description is for the 2019 route (460 miles), but the map and GPX file are for the 2022 route.

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!

View and interact with this map on Google Maps

GPX Download

Note: This is an updated GPX file as of August 26, 2022

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)

MileLocationComments
21Rod and Gun Campgroundspigot/creek along road
24Spearfish Canyon Lodgebathroom sink/snacks
31.5Barefoot Lodgeoutside spigot/small store
36Lead, SD all services
43Pluma SDMickelson TH water and bathroom
50Englewood THwater and toilet
56Dumont THwater and toilet
65MysticHillsHideaway.comwater and snacks
91Sturgisall services
97Bear Butte Lake Campgroundspigot
110Alkali Creek THspigot/creek along road
128Elk Creeknormally dry/no water
133Dalton lakespigot might be off. lake/creek filter
140Nemospigot by Guest Ranch. Two stores/restaurant?
150House on left after Silver City RD.outside spigot (bike friendly folks)
156Rapid Creek/below pactola damfilter water from creek
167Sheridan Lakefilter after dam
180Rockerville/.5 off coursethegaslightrestaurant.com
190Battle creekfilter
195Keystoneall services
201Horsethief campgroundclosed but course goes through campground/lk
204Mt Rushmorestore/restaurant pay to enter
213Iron creekfilter
229Center Lake campgroundspigots
236State Game Lodge/campgroundrestaurant/spigots in camp
246Legion Lake .5 mile off route.restaurant spigot in campground
251Horse Campspigot by bathrooms (no camping without horse)
270Creek entering Custer State Park from southnormally dry/no water
278Horse Campspigot by bathrooms (no camping without horse)
279French creekfilter
280Blue Bell Lodge/storecheck for hours of operation
281French creekfilter
288Stockade Lakespigot in campground
289Bismark Lakewater
300Sylvan Lake campgroundspigot in campground
301Sylvan lake storefood etc
317Hill Cityall services
332Silver City ¼ mile off routespigot by community center building with red roof
332Rapid Creeknext 4 miles filter
355Mt Meadows Resortstore/restaurant check hours
356Deerfield lakefilter
396Timon CampgroundSpigot may be off
396Little Spearfish creekfilter
422Iron Creek Lake campgroundspigots have been on
444Crow Peak BreweryTHE END

Black Hills Expedition Resources

  • 2022 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)
  • 2021 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)
  • 2020 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)
  • 2019 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)
  • 2018 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)
  • 2017 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)
  • 2016 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)
  • 2015 Black Hills Expedition Bikepacking.net forum thread
  • 2015 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)
  • 2014 Black Hills Expedition Bikepacking.net forum thread
  • 2014 Black Hills Expedition Ride with GPS map
  • 2014 Live Tracker (trackleaders.com)

Bikepacking Resources

  • Bikepacking.net
  • Bikepackers Magazine
  • Trackleaders

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