Riding the Black Hills for a Week
A week in the Black Hills can mean long forest-road loops, rocky trail sections, changing weather, and more route choices than you can fit into one trip. The trick is planning around your machine’s width, seasonal access, permits, fuel, and where you’ll stage each day. This guide helps you build a realistic itinerary without treating every line on a map as an open riding route.
Plan a week around where you are staying
Choose a base before choosing daily routes
The Black Hills cover a broad area, so a good first step is deciding whether you want to stay in one place or move between towns. Deadwood, Spearfish, Hill City, Custer, and Rapid City can all work as bases, but they put you in different positions for trailheads, services, and the kind of riding you’re hoping to do. A base near Deadwood, for example, may make it easier to explore northern Hills routes, while Hill City or Custer can suit a trip focused farther south.
For a weeklong stay, resist the urge to plan a different corner of the Hills every day. A long drive to a trailhead can eat into riding time, particularly if you’re trailering a machine or traveling with a group. Pick two or three riding zones and give yourself time to get familiar with them. If you’re considering the northern Hills, start with [South Dakota ATV Trails Near Deadwood] and then check how the trailheads and lodging fit together.
It also helps to plan for a day when you don’t ride. A storm, a mechanical issue, a family obligation, or simple fatigue can change the week. Keeping a flexible day in your schedule means you won’t feel pressured to ride in poor conditions just to stick to a packed itinerary.
Check access, closures, and permits before you leave
A route shown on an app or a map is not automatically open to motorized use. In the Black Hills, access can depend on the land manager, route designation, seasonal dates, weather, and temporary closures. Before each ride, review [South Dakota Trail Maps and MVUMs] and compare your intended route with current official travel information. A mobile map can help with navigation, but it should support—not replace—checking the rules for the specific road or trail.
Seasonal access can vary across the riding network. Some trails have one opening window while others open later, and closures can happen because of weather, fire danger, maintenance, or other conditions. Look at [South Dakota Trail Closures to Check First] before loading your machine, then check again if conditions change during the week. It’s much better to discover a closure at the planning stage than to reach a signed gate after a long trailer drive.
Also sort out the required trail permit before riding designated motorized trails. The permit is generally associated with the individual machine, not simply the rider, and a road plate does not necessarily take the place of a trail permit. Read [How the Black Hills Motorized Trail Permit Works] and verify where the permit is required for the routes you plan to use. If the decal needs to be mailed, allow enough time for it to arrive rather than assuming you can print a substitute.
Build an itinerary that fits your machine and your group
Match route choices to machine width and riding comfort
A week in the Hills is more enjoyable when the route suits the vehicle you brought. Before you go, measure your machine as the applicable trail rules require and compare that measurement with the restrictions for the route. Side-by-sides can be wider than riders expect, especially once accessories, tires, or other modifications are added. A route that works for a narrower ATV may not be open to a wider UTV.
Use [South Dakota Trails for a Wide Machine] as a starting point if you’re bringing a wider vehicle, but verify the actual route and restrictions before each ride. Don’t assume that a broad forest road and a marked motorized trail have the same width rules. Even when a machine is allowed, tight turns, rocky ledges, steep grades, and narrow pullouts can make a route more demanding than its width rating suggests.
Be honest about your group’s experience, too. A confident rider on a familiar ATV may be comfortable with loose rock or a steep climb; a first-time UTV driver may prefer wider roads and room to stop. If several machines are traveling together, plan around the least experienced rider and the widest vehicle. That doesn’t have to make the day dull. It simply leaves more room for breaks, regrouping, and choosing a route everyone can enjoy.
Use a flexible seven-day outline
Rather than scripting every turn in advance, give each day a purpose and a general riding area. The table below is a planning framework, not a promise that every route will be open or suitable. Adjust it to your lodging, machine, weather, and current access information.
| Day | Planning focus | Practical approach |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival and setup | Unload, check the machine, review maps, and confirm permit and route details |
| 2 | Short local ride | Choose a nearby, manageable route and learn how the machine handles Hills terrain |
| 3 | Longer ride | Start early, plan fuel, and leave time for stops and navigation |
| 4 | Rest or weather-flex day | Use it for maintenance, a non-riding activity, or a ride postponed by conditions |
| 5 | Second riding zone | Move to a different area only if the extra drive makes sense |
| 6 | Favorite route or scenic day | Revisit a route that suited your group, or choose a moderate new loop |
| 7 | Short ride and departure | Keep the plan conservative and leave enough time to load and travel |
For a northern Hills base, [South Dakota ATV Trails Near Deadwood] can help you think through nearby riding options. Whatever area you choose, avoid building a day around a single trail segment without a backup. A closure or a route that proves too difficult can turn a carefully planned loop into a frustrating scramble if you have no alternative.
Give the group a clear turnaround point and an agreed-upon time to reassess. If the ride is taking longer than expected, the smart choice may be to shorten the loop rather than rush the return. The Hills are better experienced at a steady pace, with enough time to stop safely and take in the surroundings.
Ride prepared for Black Hills conditions
Plan fuel, navigation, and communication
Distances can feel deceptively short on a map. A route that looks simple may involve slow travel over rocks, frequent stops, or a longer return than expected. Estimate fuel needs with your actual machine and riding style in mind, and identify possible fuel stops before setting out. [Fuel Between Black Hills Towns] is useful context, but do not count on every small business or station being open when you reach it. Start with enough fuel for your planned route and a sensible margin.
Navigation deserves the same care. Download or save the information you’ll need before leaving reliable service, and carry a paper map or another backup if appropriate. Tools such as onX Offroad can help riders view routes and plan around mapped information, but map data is not the same as permission to ride. Confirm that a route is designated for your machine and currently open. Mark your planned route and an alternative so another person knows where you expect to be.
Cell reception can be uneven, especially when terrain blocks a signal. Read [Cell Dead Zones in the Hills] as a reminder not to rely on a phone call as your only backup plan. Tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. In a group, agree on what happens if machines get separated, a rider has a mechanical issue, or the route becomes impassable.
Pack for changing weather and slow-going terrain
Weather can shift quickly in the Hills, and conditions at a lower-elevation trailhead may not match those on a higher route. Bring layers, rain protection, water, food, basic tools, and the equipment you need to handle a minor issue. A small repair kit won’t fix every breakdown, but it can make a puncture or loose part less likely to end the day immediately.
Road and trail surfaces also change with conditions. Loose gravel, rock, mud after rain, and dust can each affect visibility and handling. Leave more space between machines than you think you need, especially when a lead vehicle kicks up dust. On steep or uneven ground, stop in a safe place before regrouping rather than pausing where another rider may have limited room to maneuver.
A useful pre-ride check is simple: inspect tires and controls, confirm fuel, secure any cargo, check the permit and required equipment, and tell the group the day’s plan. If someone is new to off-road riding, give them time to get comfortable before choosing a longer or more technical route. A slower first day can make the rest of the week smoother.
Make campsites and daily logistics part of the plan
Choose lodging and camping for the kind of week you want
Camping can put you closer to a morning start, but proximity alone does not guarantee that you can ride directly from a campsite onto a legal route. Confirm where motorized travel is allowed, where trailers can be parked, and whether you’ll need to drive to a designated staging area. [South Dakota ATV Camping Near the Trails] can help you compare the practical side of camping with riding access.
If you’re staying in a campground, be considerate about early starts, loading, and vehicle noise. A group can make a surprising amount of sound while hitching trailers and checking machines before sunrise. Ask about local rules, use established parking areas, and keep equipment organized so you’re not blocking other campers or access roads.
Lodging in town may be more convenient if you want restaurants, groceries, and services nearby. It can also make it easier to plan a rest day or handle a repair. The tradeoff is that you’ll likely spend more time driving to and from trailheads. Think about what matters most to your group: quiet evenings, easy access to supplies, shorter morning drives, or a place with room to park a trailer.
Keep the plan flexible and considerate
A seven-day ride is not a contest to cover the most miles. Build in time for meals, fuel, gear adjustments, and the occasional wrong turn. If a group is tired or conditions are rough, shortening the day is a sensible decision, not a failure of planning. The best itinerary is one that allows you to change course without putting anyone under pressure.
Stay on designated routes and follow posted signs, including temporary closures. Do not widen a route to go around a muddy patch or ride around a gate because the mapped line appears to continue. Those choices can damage the land and threaten access for other riders. If you’re unsure whether a route is open to your machine, pause and check before proceeding.
Finally, treat the Black Hills as a shared place. You may encounter hikers, bicyclists, wildlife, work crews, and other motorized users. Slow down when visibility is limited, yield where appropriate, and leave room for others to pass safely. A thoughtful pace and a little patience help keep the week enjoyable for your group—and help preserve the riding opportunities that brought you there.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.
