George S. Mickelson Trail
SD · Black Hills / Lead to Edgemont
11361 Nevada Gulch Road, Lead, SD 57754
George S. Mickelson Trail has the kind of South Dakota presence that immediately slows the day down in the right way. In Black Hills / Lead to Edgemont, this is the South Dakota trail you plan when you want rhythm, mileage, and the pleasure of a route that lets the day unfold gradually instead of all at once. It feels especially strong for riders who want landscape, access, and a destination with real local character rather than a generic public-park loop. If your ideal horse day starts with a clear sense of place before you even tack up, this is one of the state’s more memorable entries.
Riding guide
Highlights
A long-form Black Hills classic that gives riders rail-trail mileage, easy grades, and one of the state’s best point-to-point equestrian experiences.
Riding
The beauty of the Mickelson is not technical difficulty but flow. The grade stays approachable, the surface rides consistently, and the scenery changes enough to keep the long miles interesting—bridges, tunnels, pines, open views, and old rail-corridor history all stacked into one very usable equestrian route.
Rideable terrain
109 miles
Trailer parking
The trail offers multiple staging choices through 15 trailheads with parking, pass stations, vault toilets, and tables. Riders should choose trailheads with the easiest trailer maneuvering for the mileage they want to cover.
Horse regulations
A trail pass is required for users age 12 and older, and riders should never use the trail when it is wet enough to damage the surface. Stay on the trail corridor where it crosses private land, and use weed-free forage as required.
Getting here
Use 11361 Nevada Gulch Road, Lead, SD 57754 as your planning reference and build the arrival around the horse, not around generic parking. The trail offers multiple staging choices through 15 trailheads with parking, pass stations, vault toilets, and tables. Riders should choose trailheads with the easiest trailer maneuvering for the mileage they want to cover. That matters because the first hour sets the tone: when unloading, tacking up, and heading out feel organized, the whole ride immediately feels more polished and less stressful.
Planning your visit
Trailhead choice shapes the experience here more than almost anything else. Check conditions before you go, carry more water than you think you need, and plan for limited cell service in parts of the Black Hills. The riders who enjoy this most are the ones who treat it like a route, not just a trailhead stop.
Where to stay
Think of the Mickelson as a ride you pair with local lodging, shuttle planning, or nearby horse camps rather than as one contained campground destination. Its luxury is in access and continuity: you can build a polished riding itinerary around mileage goals rather than around one park loop.
Trails
No trails synced for this park yet.
Campgrounds
No campgrounds listed for this park.
Photos
Stay near this park
No horse-friendly stays listed near George S. Mickelson Trail yet. Know a great barn or property? Help fellow riders by listing it.
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