Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Lead, South Dakota

Recharge your soul with this great part of the South Dakota Landscape. This is one of the most beautiful drives overlooking the cities of Lead and Deadwood. Keep an eye open for all the wildlife…
Learn more about Lead and Deadwood Overlook

Spearfish Mountain is one of the three peaks that make up the mountains surrounding Spearfish. It is the only one accessible by off road vehicles. A short drive down Christensen Drive will lead you to…
Learn more about Spearfish Mountain

Another fantastic historical site in the Black Hills National Forest is the China Wall. The waypoint on the track shows exactly where the hike begins, and it's only about 600 yards to the wall. It's…
Learn more about China Wall Trail

FS 206 into Besant Park is one of those low-key gems -- narrow in spots, winding through thick timber, and then suddenly opening up into wide meadows that feel like they've been hidden for decades.…
Learn more about Besant Park Road - FS 206

This is a great way to access trails in the area. It is a wide gravel road with several unloading areas. The traffic can get heavy at times. Beware of dust and wash boards.
Learn more about Tinton Road

Leaving Spearfish Canyon from Savoy, you'll find yourself on Roughlock Falls Road, a well-maintained gravel road that leads you up to Cement Ridge Fire Lookout, which boasts expansive views of the Black Hills Forest and…
Learn more about Cement Ridge Fire Lookout

Game farm is a local favorite in the Spearfish Area. The area is a game preserve for the South Dakota Fish and Game Department. It can be accessed from Higgins Gultch Road, or from Tinton…
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This dirt bike only trail takes you from many of the trails west of Highway 385 back toward the other trail system east. The trail has some intermittent rocks and roots but is quite wide…
Learn more about Boxelder Ridge Wooded Hills Cut Through

This dirt bike only trail in a moderate combination of roots, small water puddles, and rocks. There are some sharper rock sections but overall the trail is tame with no clear large obstacles. There are…
Learn more about Boxelder Ridge Cut Through Final Leg

Ride from downtown Sturgis, and within just 2 miles, you're on dirt. This is a fun hilly rocky trail that takes you into the Black Hills National Forest without having to travel busy Highway 14A.…
Learn more about Black Hills Forest Access from Sturgis

This dirt bike trail has many different surfaces and sections. Part of the trail will almost appear as a full-size truck trail while other sections have narrow pass-throughs between large rocks. There are some rocky…
Learn more about Benchmark Trail

Moses Hill is a scenic point-to-point trail in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is named for a very steep portion that gets you to the top of the mountain, which is tree covered,…
Learn more about Moses Hill

Don't sleep on 231.5 -- this is a full-on 12-mile run through classic northern Black Hills country, starting muddy and tight in subalpine fir and opening up as it drops toward Black Fox Campground. It…
Learn more about South Rapid 231.5

FS 231.4 is a short but well-maintained spur off the main 231 corridor, offering easy access deeper into the hills without much challenge. It's solid gravel with good drainage, typically passable year-round unless snowed in.…
Learn more about FS 231.4

This dirt bike route was a rather smooth and flowy trail. I did not notice many rocks or roots and the bulk of the trail was not overly narrow. One thing that may trip people…
Learn more about Crystal Mount Single Track

This is a snapshot of the much longer Experimental Forest Road on the map. This trail appears to be a major access road for all sorts of other trails and potentially dispersed camping if allowed.…
Learn more about Experimental Forest Road

FS 231 is a well-maintained Forest Service road that acts more like a scenic backbone through this part of the Black Hills. Graded and wide enough for two vehicles in most places, it's the kind…
Learn more about FS 231

Bombard Draw kicks off just west of Black Fox Campground and works steadily uphill into a narrow valley that feels tucked away from just about everything. It's a solid Forest Service road with a few…
Learn more about Black Fox Camp Road

This is a scenic trail with some beautiful views. It's a great trail to see the fall colors. The only real challenge to the trail comes when meeting oncoming traffic, as parts are on a…
Learn more about Bulldog

This short 0.7-mile trail is an offshoot of Bulldog Trail, quick, and easily accessible from Vanocker Canyon. Upon leaving the highway, you will be presented with two choices. The left trail is Veterans Peak. This…
Learn more about Veterans Peak Trail

Boles Canyon is an easy route from South Rapid to Highway 85, which you can connect to Tinton Road. There is a 400-foot elevation change during this 4.9-mile route. It's a single-lane road that is…
Learn more about Boles Canyon

Crystal Cave is a very easy ride to the end of the trail where you will find an overlook to what many call the "Mini Grand Canyon" of the Black Hills. The trail is a…
Learn more about Crystal Cave Trail

This is a beautiful winding trail up through the trees to the top of a high point overlooking Bear Butte State Park. The only real challenges are when you meet oncoming vehicles, as it is…
Learn more about Bulldog

From Bear Mountain Lookout to Pactola Reservoir, this gravel road will show you the best the Black Hills National Forest offers. Take your time along the expansive alpine meadows & while driving along Lightening Creek,…
Learn more about Bear Mountain Lookout to Pactola Reservoir

White tail peak is five miles of pure scenery along a fun, gravel road. This route will take you along some of the Black Hills limestone canyons. As you traverse your way down the trail,…
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This dirt road is a pretty typical unmaintained road for the black hills. Some surfaces are gravel while others can be a mixture of dirt. This does not require high clearance, most vehicles could easily…
Learn more about East Gimlet Trail

Trebor Draw starts off Forest Service Road 631 and winds through the heart of Trebor Draw in the Mystic Ranger District. It's a beautiful stretch--tight pine forest gives way to big, open plains the higher…
Learn more about Trebor Draw - FS 631.2

This dirt bike only trail has a few obstacles and an expansive trail. Parts of the highway can be seen from the trail throughout the ride. There are some mildly exciting rocky sections with some…
Learn more about Dirt Bike Friendly Highway 385

This route is a more scenic route to go between the towns of Mystic/Rochford than traveling on Mystic Road and Rochford Road. The route is not a maintained road like Mystic/Rochford Road. Part of the…
Learn more about Pony Gulch, Divide, & Bloody Gulch (FS 184.1)

Castle Creek Forest Service road is very scenic and travels along Castle Creek which runs through a gulch in almost the middle of the Black Hills National Forest. There are several locations where you cross…
Learn more about Castle Creek