Cycling in South Dakota: Rail Trails, Badlands Roads, and Rides Worth Planning For

Western South Dakota is where most of the cycling energy lives, and it earns that reputation. The Black Hills and Badlands region gives you everything from converted rail trails to rugged singletrack to open road routes with views that stretch for miles. You won't run out of options here.

The Mickelson Trail is the centerpiece. It runs 109 miles through the heart of the Black Hills, and it's unique to this part of the state in a way that's hard to explain until you've ridden it. It follows the old Deadwood Central Railroad corridor, which means the grades are manageable and the scenery changes in a way that keeps you moving forward. You don't have to ride all 109 miles at once. Most folks do sections over a few days.

The Badlands offer a completely different kind of ride. The landscape there is raw and almost otherworldly, all pale ridges and open sky. A private guided bicycle tour of Badlands National Park is available for six or more hours, which is a solid option if you want someone else handling the logistics while you just ride and look around. It's one of those experiences that earns its time.

Rapid City anchors the whole region and serves as a natural base. The city and its surrounding trails give you easy access to everything, and it's where Adventure Cycling's multi-day inn-to-inn Black Hills tour begins. Lewis and Clark Lake in eastern South Dakota also lists biking as an available activity, so if you're crossing the state, it's worth a stop.

Where to Ride in South Dakota's Black Hills and Badlands

The Black Hills are not flat. That's the honest answer. They're rolling to hilly, with elevation changes that will make you work if you're not used to it. The Mickelson Trail is gentler than most of the region because of its rail trail origins, but you'll still feel the climbs on a warm afternoon. Go in knowing that, and you'll be fine.

The Badlands are a different story. The terrain there is more about exposure than elevation. You're riding through open, dry landscape with very little shade, and the roads can feel relentless on a hot day. Early morning rides in the Badlands are genuinely pleasant. Mid-afternoon in summer is a different situation.

For mountain bikers, the Far East and Lower Rim Black Loop is listed as the most popular and most difficult mountain biking trail in South Dakota, with a 4.5-star rating from 91 reviews on AllTrails. It's not a beginner ride. But if you or someone in your group is ready for a challenge, that rating reflects a trail that delivers. AllTrails also lists 10 best road biking trails and 10 best paved trails in South Dakota, which gives you good starting research for whatever surface you prefer.

Following History on Two Wheels

The Mickelson Trail follows the route of the old Deadwood Central Railroad, which ran through the Black Hills in the late 1800s. Riding it, you're tracing the same corridor that once carried ore, timber, and passengers through one of the most storied landscapes in the American West. That history is quiet but present in the old tunnels and trestles you pass along the way.

Adventure Cycling's Black Hills Inn-to-Inn tour connects towns that carry their own weight in history. The route runs from Rapid City to Deadwood on day two, a 48-mile stretch that takes you through terrain tied to the gold rush era. Day three covers 50 miles from Deadwood to Hill City, and day four continues to Hot Springs. Deadwood alone is worth a slow morning before you ride out.

Riding between these towns rather than driving between them changes how you understand the distances and the landscape. You feel how far Deadwood actually is from Rapid City. You notice the elevation. The history of this region stops being abstract when you're moving through it at 12 miles an hour.

Guided Tours Worth Booking

If you'd rather have someone else handle the route planning, South Dakota has solid guided options. Adventure Cycling runs a multi-day inn-to-inn guided tour through the Black Hills, starting in Rapid City and moving through Deadwood, Hill City, and Hot Springs over several days. You stay in inns each night, which means no camping gear to haul. It's a well-structured way to do a big ride without the logistics stress.

For the Mickelson Trail, private guided one-day bike adventure tours are available and listed among the top South Dakota bike tours. That's a good option if you want an introduction to the trail before committing to a multi-day ride. A private guided tour of Badlands National Park by bicycle is also available for six or more hours, and it covers ground that's genuinely hard to appreciate from a car window.

Guided tours are also just easier when you're traveling with a daughter or a friend who's newer to cycling. You're not the navigator and the encourager at the same time. Someone else holds the map, and you get to just ride.

Gear Tips for Riding in South Dakota

South Dakota's climate swings hard, especially in the Black Hills. Summer mornings can be cool and afternoons warm quickly. Layers matter. A light wind jacket that packs small earns its place in your bag on nearly every ride here, especially at elevation in the Black Hills where the temperature drops faster than you'd expect.

Sun protection is not optional in the Badlands. There's very little shade on those open roads, and the reflected light off pale rock and dry grass adds up fast. A good cycling cap under your helmet, quality sunglasses, and sunscreen applied before you leave your car are the basics. Don't skip any of them.

For the Mickelson Trail, a hybrid or gravel bike handles the surface well. The trail is crushed limestone, not paved, so road bikes with very narrow tires aren't ideal. Comfortable saddle time matters on a 109-mile trail, so if you're doing more than a short section, make sure your bike fit is dialed in before you go. Hydration is serious business out here. Carry more water than you think you need.

Essential Gear for South Dakota