- George S. Mickelson Trail
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One of the many tunnels along the trail.
The George S. Mickelson Trail is a rail trail in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.
The main trail route extends 108.8 miles (175.1 km), from Edgemont to Deadwood, with approximately nine miles of additional branch trails, including a three mile (5 km) paved link from Custer to the Custer State Park completed in 2007. Intermediate points along the route include the towns of Custer and Hill City, and a short branch provides access to the city of Lead.
Nearly all of the trail follows the route of an abandoned railroad branch line constructed by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1890-91 and last operated by the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1983. The trail's route is mountainous, forested, and scenic, traversing the heart of the Black Hills and largely within the boundaries of the Black Hills National Forest.[1] The trail alignment includes four tunnels and more than 100 converted railroad bridges. There are fifteen established trailheads spaced along the route. The trail surface is packed gravel.
The trail is maintained by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission. The first segment of the trail was opened in 1991, and the entire route was completed in 1998, and is the first rails to trails project in South Dakota. The trail is named after George S. Mickelson, the South Dakota governor who helped spearhead the project.
See also
References
- ^ "Biking in South Dakota". South Dakota Office of Tourism. http://www.travelsd.com/thingstodo/biking.asp. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
External links
Protected areas of South Dakota Federal National historic sites:Huron WMD • Karl E. Mundt • Lacreek • Lake Andes • Madison WMD • Sand Lake • Sand Lake WMD • Waubay • Waubay WMDState Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve • Bear Butte • Custer • Fisher Grove • Fort Sisseton • Hartford Beach • Lake Herman • Lone Pine • Newton Hills • Oakwood Lakes • Palisades • Roy Lake • Sica Hollow • Union GroveState recreation areas:Angostura • Beaver Creek • Big Sioux • Big Stone Island • Burke Lake • Buryanek • Chief White Crane • Cow Creek • Farm Island • George S. Mickelson Trail • Indian Creek • LaFramboise Island • Lake Alvin • Lake Cochrane • Lake Hiddenwood • Lake Louise • Lake Poinsett • Lake Thompson • Lake Vermillion • Lewis and Clark • Little Moreau • Llewellyn Johns • Mina Lake • North Point • North Wheeler • Oahe Downstream • Okobojo Point • Pease Creek • Pelican Lake • Pickerel Lake • Pierson Ranch • Platte Creek • Randall Creek • Richmond Lake • Sandy Shore • Shadehill • Snake Creek • Spirit Mound Historic Prairie • Springfield • Swan Creek • Walker's Point • West Bend • West Pollack • West WhitlockCategories:- Rail trails in South Dakota
- South Dakota state parks
- Black Hills
- Protected areas of Custer County, South Dakota
- Protected areas of Fall River County, South Dakota
- Protected areas of Lawrence County, South Dakota
- Protected areas of Pennington County, South Dakota
- Burlington Northern Railroad
- Long-distance trails in the United States
- National Recreation Trails of the United States
- South Dakota geography stubs
- United States trail stubs
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