Mickelson Trail, South Dakota

Day 3 - Deadwood to Mile Post 90

Friday, October 5th, 2007

Starting out at the Deadwood, SD trailhead.

Woke up relatively late and ate breakfast at the Hill City Cafe. I then drove to Deadwood to catch the northern end of the trail and backtrack to mile marker 90 from the day before. A gorgeous early morning drive along US 385.

Mining structures near Deadwood.

My left knee was still in hurting status and I nearly considered turning back five or six miles into the ride. However, I couldn't live it down if I gave up so easily.

This ride perhaps was the least interesting of my "sandwich tour" of the Mickelson Trail (i.e., bookend the southern and northern portions of the trail, leaving the middle section for another date).

Unknown raptor flying above the trail.

I stumbled upon the steep alternate section of the trail past the Kirkland Trailhead (sections nearing 17% in grade - had to walk up those sections!) and sweated like a dog pedaling uphill for a good 12 or 13 miles of the 19 mile one-way trip. There was no real wildlife to see this time except for one lone, high flying raptor just south of Deadwood. There were a few cattle along the top of the climb just north of the Dumont Trailhead (at the highest point of the trail).

Around the stream bend from the Wasp and Bismarck mines.

Hitting the Dumont Trailhead seemed to rejuvenate me some. For one thing, it was a relatively short downhill ride and I was only about 2.5 miles away form the 90 mile post marker.

Mining equipment displayed behind the Wasp-Bismarck trail stop.

I made the 90 mile post marker, snapped the obligatory "I was there" photograph and turned around and headed back north. My knee seemed to ache less and things were great once I crested the trail high point and coasted downhill nearly 10 miles without peddling.

I got some great photographs on the way back and even shot a few videos near the Englewood trailhead near the 100 mile post marker.

Trail heading south at the 99 mile post.

From there, it was back towards Deadwood again and, thankfully, mostly downhill. I took the long loop around from the 17% grade route I took and found a few more scenic photo ops along the way.

Surprisingly, I spotted my only group of deer while riding into Deadwood. Must be city deer.

Trail heading south at the 98 mile post marker.

At the end of the ride, I walked around Deadwood for a bit and ate lunch at a restaurant/casino (good reuben sandwich and fries, washed down with several glasses of water and a Budweiser). Then it was a short ride to the cabin.

Trail looking south just north of the Dumont Trailhead.

This day's ride was roughly 41 miles (I misplaced my bike computer, so this is my best estimate).

And so the day ends as I type away on my PC, documenting my impressions of this trip. Ate another freeze-dried meal and have started packing away my stuff with the hopes of getting an early morning start back Colorado Springs.

Although I didn't ride the entire trail (yet), I did cover the southern most 22 miles and the northern most 49 miles. I'll be back in the Spring or next Fall and cover the trail between Hill City and the Lien Quarry. I've just got to. This has been one fantastic bike ride!

Videos

Aspens

This Is Why We Ride


Refreshed

Back at mile post marker 90.   Cattle at the trail highpoint on my return ride north to Deadwood.   View of upper valley looking north between mile post markers 97 and 98.

Aspens near mile post marker 98.   Fresh water pump and bench at the Englewood Trailhead.   Trailside overlook.

Wasp Mine and Bismarck Mine ruins on hillside.   Scenic spot nearing Deadwood.   Deadwood hills fire damage as seen from the Mickelson Trail.

Trail rolling into Deadwood.   Rails left in the Mickelson Trail near Deadwood.   Deer in trail in Deadwood.

The end of the trail in Deadwood.