Itinerary

Day 1: Visit The Mammoth Site. Ride the Mickelson Trail from Edgemont to Pringle.

Meet in Rapid City in the morning. Our first stop is in Hot Springs at The Mammoth Site, an active paleontological dig where we pay a visit to the fossils of 61 woolly mammoths from the Ice Age. In Edgemont, at the south end of the Mickelson Trail, we hop on the bikes to ride the trail to the tiny town of Pringle (pop. 112).
Meals: Lunch and Dinner. Lodging: Red Rock River Resort
Distance: 33 miles (or less), Elevation: +2026 ft / – 606 ft.

Day 2: Visit Wind Cave National Park and continue on the Mickelson Trail.

In the morning visit Wind Cave National Park, location of one of the longest and most complex caves in the world. The Lakota (Sioux), who live in the region, spoke of a hole that blew air, a place they consider sacred as the site where they first emerged from the underworld. In 1881, brothers Tom and Jesse Bingham heard wind rushing out from a 10-inch hole in the ground. According to the story, when Tom looked into the hole, the “wind” (exiting cave air) blew his hat off of his head. A mining company purchased the land but when it turned up no valuable mineral deposits the project turned to tourism. This was the first cave in the world to be designated a national park. Continue on the Mickelson Trail from Pringle to Legion Lake for the night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Lodging: Legion Lake Lodge
Distance: 20 miles, Elevation: +1141 ft / – 987 ft.

Day 3: Ride to Crazy Horse Memorial before heading to Hill City.

This morning, ride the car-free trail to Crazy Horse Memorial, the world’s largest mountain carving. Lakota leader Crazy Horse led a war party to victory against Federal Government troops at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. This fascinating memorial has been under construction since 1948 and receives no government funding. It’s so large that if Mt. Rushmore could be moved, it would fit inside Crazy Horse’s shoulder! Ride onward to Hill City. Hop in the van for the transfer up the hill to Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Sylvan Lake Lodge, Custer State Park’s ‘Crown Jewel’ and our home for the next two nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Lodging: Sylvan Lake Lodge
Distance: 16 miles, Elevation: +677 ft / – 986 ft.

Day 4: Hike Black Elk Peak this morning. Visit Mt. Rushmore this afternoon.

Hike Black Elk Peak this morning. At 7,242 feet, Black Elk Peak stands prominently as the highest point in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Standing sentinel over the Black Hills, Black Elk Peak is topped by a stone fire tower that provides a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape. This afternoon, explore Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. Gaze in awe at the 60-foot sculptures of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.
Meals: Breakfast. Lodging: Sylvan Lake Lodge
Elevation: +1384 ft / – 1380 ft.

Day 5: Ride from Hill City to the gold-rush-era town of Rochford and then on to Deadwood.

Ride from Hill City, the first settlement established in conjunction with the discovery of Black Hills gold in French Creek to tiny Rochford (pop. 26). It’s home to the Montezuma Mine, the Moonshine Gulch Saloon and the ‘Small of America.’ After lunch, bike or van onward to Deadwood, onetime home of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Plan for time to explore! Stay at the Deadwood Mountain Grand tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Lodging: Deadwood Mountain Grand
Distance: 22 miles, Elevation: +1365 ft / – 1079 ft.

Day 6: Ride the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway.

Enjoy a leisurely ride through Spearfish Canyon this morning. Older than the Grand Canyon, the spectacular 1000-foot walls and limestone palisades of this creek-carved gorge offer some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Black Hills. Finish riding at the city park in Spearfish where we’ll celebrate the completion of the tour with lunch before returning to Rapid City in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.
Distance: 19 miles, Elevation: +255 ft / – 1911 ft.

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Lodging

Mickelson Trail bike tour

Red Rock River Resort
Legion Lake Lodge
Sylvan Lake Lodge
Deadwood Mountain Grand
The hotels, Inns, and B&B’s we use are always among the finest the area has to offer. Our smaller group sizes(max. 13) allow us to stay at some award-winning places that can’t handle groups of 25 or more. We work closely with the innkeepers to make sure they understand your needs and ours, whether that is having a place to store your bike, an early morning breakfast or a convenient place to park the van, they are as committed to your vacation experience as we are.

Lodging is based upon two people to a room with a private bath. If you’re traveling solo on any of our trips, we’ll assign you a roommate of the same gender and often of the same age bracket. There is no extra charge if we can’t find you a roommate, even if you sign up the day before the trip starts. You can guarantee yourself a private room and bath if you pay the Single Room Fee. Occasionally a room with two beds consists of one bed plus a roll away bed or sofa bed.

Included:

• Deluxe lodging
• Road bike or Hybrid included in the price, E-bike for an extra fee
• Helmet and Wahoo GPS device
• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners, except one lunch and one dinner on your own.
• Snacks and beverages between meals
• Hiking, Mammoth Site, Crazy Horse, Mt Rushmore and Wind Cave
• Park and other entry fees

Not included:

• Flights from and to the tour
• Nights before and after the tour
• Alcoholic beverages at meals
• Gratuity guides

Pricing / Tour dates

Extra option rental E-bike $200.-pp
Tour price 2025: $ 3198.- pp single fee $ 863.-
Tour dates 2025:
08 Jun – 13 Jun, guaranteed
15 Jun – 20 Jun, guaranteed
11 Aug – 16 Aug
18 Aug – 23 Aug
25 Aug – 30 Aug
01 Sep – 06 Sep
08 Sep – 13 Sep

Conditions

Deposit 25%
The deposit payment for a tour must be paid within two weeks after the booking is confirmed.
The remaining payment is due 90 days before the start of the tour.
For tours that are booked within 90 days before the start of the tour you will pay 100% of the tour price

Information

Meals and dining:
We know how important breakfast is to make sure your day starts off right. Most breakfasts are served at the inn where we spend the night and are either a set menu or a continental breakfast buffet. But if there is a local restaurant with a reputation for a great breakfast, we can guarantee we will find it and you will be treated to a nutritious meal to start the day.
Lunch is provided at a state park or similar scenic setting midway during the day’s ride. Guests are always surprised at the variety and quality of lunches we prepare. Besides sandwich fixings and cold drinks, we offer fresh fruits and vegetables and hot lunches such as tortellini with pesto or veggie burritos. If you prefer a certain item of food or drink, just let your tour guide know and we will be sure to prepare just the right lunch to keep your energy up for the rest of the day.
During the day water, fruit juices, soft drinks, energy bars, fruit, and snacks are available from the van. A cold beer from our cooler waits at the end of the day, and you can relive the day’s highlights at our wine and cheese party before dinner.
Dinner is eaten together at the best restaurant in the area. At most restaurants, you order what you want from the menu. Except for alcohol, everything is included, even appetizers, salad, soup, and dessert. If we have to shuttle everyone a short distance to get to that special place, we do it. We like to eat well.

If you have any special dietary requests, please let us know in advance. We regularly accommodate vegetarians and other restricted diets. All of our meals are carefully selected to provide you with the unusually high nutritional and caloric needs of your body on an outdoor adventure.