Day on the Mickelson Trail – Deadwood to Sugarloaf
The George S. Mickelson Trail is a 109-mile path for hikers and bikers that spans nearly the entire length of the Black Hills. It was created after the Burlington Northern rail line from Edgemont to Deadwood was closed in the 1980s and is South Dakota’s first completed rails to trails project. This trail is especially popular among bicyclists who want to enjoy a peaceful bike ride in the hills, but I have been curious about hiking the Mickelson Trail for a while. So, I recently decided to start by driving to Deadwood and walking five miles down the trail to see what it was like.
There are actually two places in Deadwood where you can park and step onto the trail. One is the official start/end of the trail located near the center of town. This parking lot is also a good starting point if you want to hike the Homestake Trail to Lead. And this is where you will need to get your Mickelson Trail Pass if you don’t already have one. It’s $4 per person for one day or $15 for a year. The passes can be purchased from a self-service station at any of the main trailheads or they can be purchased online. Simply fill it out, tear off your copy, place the money inside the envelope, and leave it in the fee drop. Just make sure to keep your copy of the pass so you’ll have it with you on the trail.
The second trailhead parking area is called the South Gateway Parking Lot, which is on Highway 85 at the southern edge of town. In addition to being an access point for the Mickelson Trail, it also has the Pluma Welcome Center with public restrooms and visitor information about Deadwood. There are several interesting information signs about the history of this part of town, too. Did you know that at one time Pluma was its own community between Deadwood and Lead?
Since I was more interested in exploring the trail outside of Deadwood, I decided to begin my hike at the South Gateway Parking Lot. After crossing Highway 85, I followed the trail a short distance until it crossed Highway 385 and continued behind a small neighborhood. It took a few more minutes of walking to finally leave the buildings behind and become mostly surrounded by nature.
I followed the trail as it meandered between and sometimes across a mountain stream and Kirk Road. At about two miles into my hike I passed the Kirk Trailhead. In another 1.5 miles or so, the trail emerged on the south side of Lead where it ran alongside Highway 14A. I walked beside Highway 14A for about three quarters of a mile before finally reaching the Sugarloaf Trailhead. By this time I had traveled just over 4.5 miles, so I decided to make this my halfway point turned to head back to Deadwood.
This ended up being one of the more relaxing 9-mile hikes I have ever done. My first impression of the Mickelson Trail is that this is probably the best trail in the Black Hills for casual hikers or beginner hikers. Because it was built on top of the old train tracks, the path is almost completely flat and very easy to walk. Its gravel surface is smooth and perfect for walking in just about any kind of shoes. If you want to explore parts of the Black Hills but are intimidated by some of the more challenging trails in the area, this is a perfect route to take. This is also a great path for beginner hikers to use to get more experience. Before you try to tackle a 5- or 10-mile hike on a more challenging trail, try to go that far on an easy trail like this.
In addition to all of the beautiful scenery, it was interesting to see some of the structures and remnants associated with the old Homestake Mine and the current Sanford Labs. You can see buildings perched on top of the mountains and near the trail. Plus there are still sections of old pipes that run along the side of the mountain just above the creek.
I even thought it was neat to see the old steel rail of the Burlington Northern line peeking through the dirt on some parts of the trail. It’s always amazing to think about all of the history in this area when I’m out for a hike like this.
I really enjoyed hiking this section of the George S. Mickelson Trail and I am already looking forward to exploring other parts to see what else it has to offer.
Read about my hike from Sugarloaf to Englewood here.
