For 2022 we will be issuing a set of routes every month from April to October.  These routes will take you to new places so that you can experience unique Black Hills Gravel on a day that suits you.  Ride it with friends, ride it alone, during the week, over the weekend, day or night. 

Read on for more information about the routes and the ROTM.  

• Routes
• Navigation
• Start / Finish Locations

• Routes

  Regardless of where you are on your cycling journey, the Route of the Month gravel series has a route for you!  For now, there are three different route options to choose from each location.  These are Green, Blue and Black and increase in length and difficulty. 

  GREEN: Routes will be 10-15 miles in length and will feature minimal elevation gain (<1000'). These routes are designed for getting someone new into gravel riding or pulling kids or dogs in a trailer.  The navigation and roads on these routes will be kept fairly straightforward. 

  BLUE: Routes will be 25-30 miles in length with 1500' to 3000' of elevation gain and are perfect for getting out on your bike with some friends and earning that post-ride reward!  

  BLACK: Routes will be around 50-60 miles in length and can have elevation gain ranging from 2500' on prairie gravel to over 5000' in the heart of the Hills. 

• Navigation

  We started the gravel series with cue sheets and hand-drawn maps and that had it's own sense of adventure tied to it. But in an attempt to make the routes more accessible for all, we use RideWithGPS (RWGPS) to plan and distribute the routes.  

  All you have to do is create a free account with RWGPS and sign up for the Black Hills Gravel Club.  With that, you'll have turn by turn navigation through Ride With GPS and access to any GPS file you may need for your Garmin, Wahoo or other device.  The cue cards and maps are still there if you prefer to kick it old school. 

   

• Start / Finish Locations

  Start and finish locations are selected on several key factors.  We strive for a combination of great access to gravel for all route lengths, ample parking, and options for food and beverages after the ride. 

  We hope you stick around after the rides to socialize with your riding pals old and new! 

You've likely seen the bicycle sculpture in Pringle, but these routes take you far beyond to enjoy new Southern Hills roads or at least familiar roads but combined in a new recipe. 

Green and Blue courses will look familiar to those that rode the 2021 Custer Black route, but they are indeed all-new for the short and mid distance.  These loops utilize the Mickelson trail for a warmup and then onto well-developed and lightly traveled gravel roads for optimal experience. 

The Black course takes you on an quite adventure out through Hopkins Flats, up a secondary forest service road and finally tops out on top of Custer Limestone with views of Crazy Horse on clear days.  

There are no water stops on course for any of the routes, so be prepared.  Also, cell service can be spotty so bring a friend or tell someone where you are headed.  

Points of Interest on this route include: 

• Cruising down Carroll Creek
• Lots of sweet rock formations 
• Just being "out there"

We recommend parking at the Mickelson Trailhead in Pringle.  Make sure you have a valid trail pass!  There are restrooms here at the trailhead, but no water.  Should you feel thirsty I would check out the Hitchrail Bar in Pringle.   

Use the map below to trace each route, and review the length and elevation profile.  Once you have chosen click the link to full route for download options. Enjoy!

Scroll down for previous ROTM Routes. Ride anytime. No expiration date. 

April's selection brings you rolling foothills through the heart of ranchland with silhouette views of the Black Hills.  You'll be able to see Terry Peak, Crow Peak and Bear Butte from these routes.

These roads are fast-rolling, some event with a pavement-like "blue-groove." Don't let the elevation profile fool you; there are several decent hills to climb and wind always seems to play it's hand. 

Points of Interest on this route include: 

• Sale Barn Minimum Maintenance Road - Impassable when wet. Really. 
• Dane Church - Originally constructed in 1889
• St. Onge Old Stone House 

We recommend parking at the Derosier Memorial Park on 1st Street, just east of HWY 34.  Take a quick spin through downtown and admire the stone buildings from the early 1900s.  There are no restrooms here at the park, but if the St. Onge Bar is open across the HWY, you might want to try there.  The St. Onge Bar has a small offering of convenience store items and a full bar and cafe.  Do not park in their lot while you ride as it is a small lot, but toss them some business for your post ride snack. 

Use the map below to trace each route, and review the length and elevation profile.  Once you have chosen click the link to full route for download options. Enjoy!