Hiking in Rapid City and the Black Hills

Ponderosa Pine forests, granite crags and an abundance of wide-open spaces make hiking in the Rapid City a favorite activity among visitors and locals alike. Hikes in and around the city range in length and intensity. You’ll also find a variety of both nature walks and hiking trial in the surrounding Black Hills National Forest. Since the temperatures can fluctuate as you climb, be sure to layer your clothes and pack plenty of water so you can enjoy the view.

Day Hiking Trails in Rapid City

Hansen-Larsen Memorial Park Trail Network - View Trail Map

Hansen-Larsen Memorial Park, formerly M Hill or Cowboy Hill, is the closest thing to being in the Hills, while still being in Rapid City. With over 18 miles of developed trails, the Park has many trails that fork off of just one.

Trail Length: 9.62 Miles
Elevation Gain: 920 ft / 2182 ft
Trail Type: Many Options
Trail Level: Easy to Moderate
Directions: This trail is directly north of Skyline Drive. Parking at Founders Park on Omaha or turn north onto 12^th St (near the Executive Golf Course), continue across bridge, which becomes Founder’s Park Dr. Parking lot on left side.

Skyline Drive - View Trail Map

Nice hiking trail less than a mile from downtown. There are many spurs to this trail as it winds through a fairly small overall area. Trail development continues.

Trail Length: 3-6 Miles
Trail Level: Moderate to Strenuous

Directions: Access the trail in various locations:
1. From Mt. Rushmore Rd.:
     a) Main entrance: Take Quincy St west to Skyline Dr. and go past Dinosaur Park. Just before the first switch-back there is a pullout on the east side of the road. The trail is just through the fence.
      b) Take St. Cloud St west and continue until the street dead ends.
      c) Take St. Patrick St west until it dead ends. There is a fence at the dead end and the trail begins here.
      d) Take Franklin St west up a steep hill, becoming Palo Verde Dr. Near the top of the hill the trail is to the left or west in between to driveways that go in opposite directions.
      e) Take Florman St. west to top of hill.
2. From Sheridan Lake Rd., turn east onto W Florman St. Continue to end of street and turn right onto Cerro Ct.

Day Hiking Trails in the Black Hills

NORTHERN HILLS

Bear Butte State Park Trails - View Trail Map

Rising 1,200 feet above the plains, Bear Butte stands as a landmark, pointing the way for many early day “hikers,” trudging across the prairie in search of wild game, gold, furs, or homesteads in the Black Hills. In actuality, Bear Butte is the remains of a volcano that did not erupt. Geologists call it a laccolith. Legend says that Bear Butte received its name, Mato Paha (Sioux), because from a distance it looks like a sleeping bear. Bear Butte is the northern terminus for the Centennial Trail, which courses more than 100 miles through the Black Hills.

The Lake Trail (2.5 miles) circles Bear Butte Lake adjacent to the campground. This trail is considered easy.

The Summit Trail (1.85 mi) is a Registered National Trail. A trek from the base to the peak of the sacred mountain, the trail winds through a pine forest; many tree branches are draped with prayer flags and ceremonial objects. The summit offers a grand view of the Black Hills and Sturgis and the vastness of the plains to the east.

Nearby City: Sturgis
Length: 3.7 Miles (Loop)
Elevation Gain: 1,026 ft
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Skill Level: Moderately Strenuous to Strenuous
Duration: 2 to 3 Hours
Season: Best Late Spring Through Fall
Top Elevation: 4,426 ft
Directions: From Rapid City drive west on I-90 to Sturgis, Exit 32. Bear Butte is located approximately 6 miles northeast of Sturgis, SD. Merge right onto Junction Ave. Continue to Lazelle St and turn right. Lazelle St becomes SD Hwy 34/79. Continue east for 3.7 miles. Turn left or north onto SD Hwy 79 for 1 mile. Bear Butte main parking is on the right, access to the Lake on left.

Crow Peak Trail #64 - View Trail Map

This trail provides excellent panoramic views, making it a popular hike. The trail winds up to the mountain’s top, providing sweeping vistas at the summit. Crow Peak is so named because of a battle once fought here between the Crow and Sioux Indians. Appropriately, the mountain in Sioux tongue, Paha Karitukateyapi, translates to “the place where the Sioux killed the Crow.” Crow Peak is an igneous intrusion and was formed in the same manner as Bear Butte and several other peaks in the area. Eons ago molten magma filled limestone and sedimentary layers, which then cooled to form the hard igneous rock. Erosion and washing away of sedimentary deposits continues to re-form the hills in the area

Nearby City: Spearfish
Length: 3.2 Miles (one-way) with .5 Mile spur trail to Beaver Ridge
Elevation Gain: 1,560 ft
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Skill Level: Moderately Strenuous to Strenuous
Duration: Most of a Day
Season: Best Spring Through Fall
Directions: To access the Crow Peak Trail, travel from Spearfish southwest on FSR 214 approximately 7 miles to the trailhead on the west side of the road.

CENTRAL HILLS

Flume Trail - Spring Creek Loop Trail - View Trail Map

The trail winds through woods on a ridge above Spring Creek and can be hiked on its own or as part of the Flume Trail.

Nearby City: Hill City/Rapid City
Length: 3 Miles
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Easy and Flat
Duration: 2 to 4 Hours
Season: Best Late Spring Through Fall
Directions: From Rapid City, take Sheridan Lake Rd. southwest. Park at the Upper Spring Creek Trailhead, 390, which will be on the left or south side before you reach the Sheridan Lake Recreation area.

Iron Mountain Loop Trail (Black Elk Wilderness) - View Trail Map

A loop hike in the Black Elk Wilderness area. The trail goes from mountaintop to forest floor while threading over streams, into small valleys flanked by rock formations, and through park-like settings cut by beaver dams, providing glimpses of many facets of the Black Hills. In the fall, the leaf colors intermingle with the dark green of the ponderosa pines, lending even more drama to the igneous rock. The hike is easy to moderate, taking up to four hours, and provides a peaceful, beautiful trek.

Nearby City: Keystone/Hill City/Custer
Length: 5.1 Miles with use of Centennial Bypass 89B, Centennial 89, Grizzly Bear Creek #7A, , and Iron Mountain #16.
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Easy to Moderate
Duration: 4 Hours
Season: Best May Through October
Directions: To get to the trailhead, take US Hwy 16A or Iron Mountain Road south from Mount Rushmore/Keystone about 3 miles. Drive until you see Iron Mountain Picnic Area and park here.

Willow Creek Loop Trail - View Trail Map

An easy loop trail with periodic vistas of Harney Peak. Willow Creek Loop Trail provides vistas of Harney Peak, a bird’s-eye view of the spires of Elkhorn Mountain, and a stroll through stands of some of the Black Hills’ largest ponderosa pines.

Nearby City: Hill City
Length: 2.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 100 ft
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Moderate
Duration: 1.5 to 2 Hours
Season: Best Spring Through Fall
Directions: From Rapid City, take US Hwy 16 South through Hill City. Just south of Hill City, turn left or east at Hwy 244 to Mt. Rushmore. The trailhead will be located on the south side of the road in the area across from Mt. Rushmore KOA.

CUSTER STATE PARK

Badger Clark Historic Trail - View Trail Map

A walk back in history, great for the whole family, to visit the historic cabin of the first poet laureate of South Dakota. The area was once home to poet Badger Clark (1883–1957), best known for his poem “Cowboy’s Prayer." Clark lived alone for thirty years in this pristine setting, inspired by nature’s bounty. He first built a one-room cabin, where he lived for ten years while building a slightly larger cabin just up the hill. The trail winds through a mixed pine and hardwood forest and along rocky hillsides - a portion of the rock-lined trail was built by the poet himself. Interpretive signs along the trail further explain the trail system.

Nearby City: Custer
Length: 1 Mile
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Moderately Easy
Duration: 1 to 2 Hours
Season: Best Late Spring Through Fall
Directions: From Rapid City, take SD Hwy 79 south to SD Hwy 36 at Hermosa. Turn right or west onto SD Hwy 36. Continue into Custer State Park, Hwy becomes SD Hwy 36/Hwy 16A. Turn left or south onto Badger Clark Rd., t rail is 1/2 mile south.

Creekside Trail - View Trail Map

This hard-surfaced trail in Custer State Park follows Grace Coolidge Creek and passes the State Game Lodge, Peter Norbeck Visitor Center, Coolidge General Store and the park office. Several bridge crossings are bike and rollerblade friendly. The trail is fairly level except for a section near the park office where bicyclists should walk their bikes. This trail is wheelchair accessible, easily walked, and safe for energetic children.

· Nearby City: Custer

· Length: 2 Miles (one-way)

Elevation Gain: Minimal
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Skill Level: Easy
Duration: 1 to 2 Hours
Season: Best Spring Through Fall
Directions: From Rapid City, take SD Hwy 79 south to SD Hwy 36 at Hermosa. Turn right or west onto SD Hwy 36. Continue into Custer State Park, Hwy becomes SD Hwy 36/Hwy 16A. Parking and trail access available at any of the following locations: Grace Coolidge Campground, State Game Lodge, Peter Norbeck Visitor Center, Coolidge General Store, and park office.

French Creek Natural Area Trail - View Trail Map

This trip in its entirety is long (12 miles), and many trekkers often camp for one night. Therefore, we suggest making this a trip of only 1.5 miles one-way. The trail is marked from the east and west terminuses for this length; after that, hikers must make their own way through the 2,200 acre Natural area. The trip travels along a gorge of unique rock formations, intersected by many stream crossings. French Creek exposes layers of ancient rock in colorful canyons. Near here one of Lt. Col. George Custer’s men discovered gold in 1874. Fishing here (South Dakota fishing license required) is good for brown and rainbow trout. Poison ivy is abundant all along the trail. Wildlife and wildflowers are abundant here, as well as an amazing geological phenomenon. Near the east end of the trail, the waters of French Creek disappear for several hundred yards, providing an excellent example of “sinkhole” topography. Primitive, overnight camping is allowed along the trail. Open fires are prohibited in the area.

Nearby City: Custer
Length: 12 Miles (one-way)
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Skill Level: Moderate
Duration: 2 Hours
Season: Best Late Spring Through Fall
Directions: From Rapid City, take SD Hwy 79 south to SD Hwy 36 at Hermosa. Turn right or west onto SD Hwy 36. Continue into Custer State Park, Hwy becomes SD Hwy 36/Hwy 16A. This is the East entrance, nearest to the State Game Lodge. The East End Trailhead is 4 miles south of the State Game Lodge on the Wildlife Loop Road.
To reach the West End Trailhead continue through the Park on US 16A, turn left or south onto SD Hwy 87 to Blue Bell Lodge. From the Blue Bell area, turn left onto North Lame Johnny Road (CSP 4) for approximately 3 miles.

Grace Coolidge Walk-in Fishing Area Trail - View Trail Map

A beautiful, fairly flat walk terminating or beginning at Center Lake or Grace Coolidge Campground that parallels (with many crossings) Grace Coolidge Creek. The Grace Coolidge Walk-in Fishing Area trail is actually an old, overgrown logging road. It is an easy and refreshing hike, and the numerous crossings over the narrow, sometimes deep, creek add to the fun. Six low-head dams exist along the way, some with deep dark pools lying beneath granite rock formations. Walking this trail is a fun outing for the entire family. In the summer the trail is alive with the vibrant colors of wildflowers; in the fall the bur oak and birch tree leaves add a startling go