Mickelson Trail Shuttle

A 109-mile trail that only works one way

The George S. Mickelson Trail runs 109 miles from Deadwood to Edgemont on an old Burlington Northern rail bed, over more than a hundred converted trestles and through four rock tunnels. The grade never exceeds what a train could pull, which is why people of every fitness level ride it. The catch is the one nobody mentions until the end of the day. Whatever you rode out, you have to ride back, unless something is waiting for you.

That is the whole service. We are the something.

How a shuttle is quoted

Tell us two trailheads and a finish time. We drop your group and your bikes at the top end, you ride the descent, and we collect you at the bottom. Because Deadwood sits at the northern terminus, most riders out of here go south and finish somewhere between Rochford and Mystic, which is a comfortable half day.

The pair is quoted as one trip, agreed before you set off.

Where our riders usually start and stop

Dumont is the high point of the trail and the classic place to be dropped. From there it runs down past Rochford, where the Moonshine Gulch Saloon is the traditional stop, and on to Mystic. Deadwood, Englewood and Rochford all have trailhead parking, and the Mickelson Trail Marathon runs this same northern section every June.

Trail passes and the practical bits

Riders over 12 need a trail pass, sold at self-service stations on the trail and at the trailheads. We do not sell them and we cannot buy them for you. Water is scarce between Rochford and Mystic, and the tunnels are cold even in August.

What to know

• Book the collection, not just the drop. The drop is the easy half.
• Signal dies between trailheads. Fix a time and a place before you ride away.
• Tell us how many bikes. It changes what we send.
• Card or cash. Flat price, quoted before you ride.

Book a Ride Ahead