The Heart of the Hills, an artery with no veins

Hill City has long been known as “the Heart of the Hills” for its central location in the Black Hills and the recreational opportunities that come with it. The famed Mickelson Trail has served as a sort of artery, running through the Black Hills since its first stage of completion in 1991.

What is a heart with one artery and no veins? That is exactly what the founders of Hill City Trails thought in 2020 when they sparked the vision for a local network of hiking and biking trails to connect its heart to the hills that surround it. 

“Myself (Pat Wiederhold), Brian Rupert and Eric Lind decided it was kind of weird that Hill City was right in the middle of the Black Hills and there were no hiking or biking trails outside of the Mickelson Trail from Hill City,” said Wiederhold.

Their mission is to create a comprehensive trail system including a variety of sidewalks, paths and single track non-motorized trails to bring more outdoor adventures to residents and visitors of Hill City. 

With guidance from landscape architect Mark Jobman, they have developed a Master Trails Plan—a living document that maps out more than 80 miles of trails over the next two decades. Some highlights of the plan include a paved trail along Hwy. 385 connecting Hill City to Sheridan Lake, a one-mile path around Memorial Park, dozens of miles of single-track trails and making the connection between the Mickelson and Centennial Trail. 

Currently, the group is navigating the bureaucratic steps necessary to begin construction, working closely with the U.S. Forest Service on a Memorandum of Understanding—a non-binding agreement that will outline both parties’ intentions, roles, objectives and responsibilities. 

“Just have to finish jumping through the hoops with the Forest Service and hopefully we can start building something nice,” said Wiederhold. “There’s just some stuff that we’re learning that we didn’t know was part of the process.”

The team partnered with nonprofit Black Hills Trails and has raised around $65,000 for the project. The first phase alone is estimated to cost between $10,000 and $40,000 or $2 to $8 per linear foot, depending on the terrain, infrastructure and volunteer contributions. 

Trail construction will utilize professional trail builders, pseudo-professionals and local volunteers. Each phase is projected to take three to five years, with Phase One already in the planning stages. Phase One will include 19 trails, each one to five miles in length, that will span over 40 miles. These trails will link the Mickelson Trail to properties of the City of Hill City, expanding the local trail network.  

The first trails to break ground will be part of the Storm Hill Trail Complex, a set of seven trails totaling over 11 miles. The route will connect Hill City’s Memorial Park to the former lumber mill on Palmer Gulch Road, “up past the ponds above the ridge of Mitchell Lake and over to the old sawmill property,” said Wiederhold.

They will offer “great views, varied terrain and many different loop options for a wide variety of distances that will be perfect for hikers, runners and cyclists,” according to the information brochure.

“We think it’s a win-win. It’s great for people that live here to be able to have trails that are available, hiking and biking trails, and also for people that are visiting. We think, economically, it’ll be a big deal,” he said. 

For sponsorship or donation inquiries, contact Wiederhold at plwied@gmail.com.