Medicine Mountain Road

Medicine Mountain Road (Forest Service Road 297) is an easy 7.1-mile gravel route through Black Hills National Forest, suitable for standard passenger vehicles. The road begins wide, narrows to a single lane as it winds through pine forests and valleys, and passes a historic one-lane bridge and an old corral. It widens again near Forest Service Road 301 before ending at Gillette Prairie Road. Located west of Hill City, the route ranges from 5,808 to 6,361 feet in elevation, with dispersed camping nearby. The road is best traveled late spring through autumn, as winter snows make it impassable. Watch for occasional potholes, washboarding, and shared traffic.