BackBone Grande Visual Tour (4) - Hill City to Hanna CG (miles 163-225)

And it makes me wanna take a back road

Makes me wanna take the long way home

Put a little gravel in my travel

Unwind, unravel all night long.

Take A Back Road, Rhett Atkins & Luke Laird (2011).

Cresting a ridge on USFS Low Standard Road 389.1D.
(image by Paul Brasby)

The BackBone Grande is my 420+ mile backroad bikepacking route across the State of South Dakota along the spine of the Black Hills and through the surrounding prairie. Inspired by my experience riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, I designed it to create that type of experience here in my back yard. Tracking rough roads that showcase the best of our scenery, history, culture, and wildlife, the BackBone Grande is a great ride on its own and as a shakedown for the GDMBR.  For a collection of my stories all about it, go the BackBone Grande Page.

For those more visual learners, I've selected images along the route from various scouting trips, the first through-ride, and other rides. Here is my fourth installment of the BackBone Grande Visual Tour, from the town of Hill City to the USFS Hanna Campground (miles 163-225).

After the relative hustle and bustle of the touristy area between Custer and Hill City, the BackBone Grande heads back on the back roads. To get out of town, it takes the Mickelson Trail, then Burnt Fork Road past Gold Mountain Mine, and onto a few Low Standard Roads that eventually land at Horse Creek Road, which returns back to the Mickelson Trail, just in time for a couple of hard rock tunnels. 

From the Mystic Trailhead of the Mickelson Trail, it's a steady climb up winding Castle Peak Road, down to the village of Rochford for re-supply at the iconic Moonshine Gulch Saloon and The Small of America, back on good gravel up South Rapid Creek Road, the more rugged Black Fox Camp Road, and then even rougher unnumbered Low Standard Roads, to eventually emerge on good gravel on Long Draw Road for a pleasant spin up to USFS Hanna Campground, which offers a Hiker/Biker camping area.

Back on the back roads. Unwind, unravel all night long.

Here's a photo gallery of the BackBone Grande route from the town of Hill City to USFS Hanna Campground (miles 163-225). Also, here are links to prior blog posts about this section. Introducing the BackBone Grande - Heart of the Hills; The First Through-Ride - Rain; The First Through-Ride - Low Standard and Lower; 2024 Bounty - Back On The Grande; BackBone Breakout - First Day of an Overnighter.

Also, here are links to prior Visual Tour posts:  Nebraska Border to Buffalo Gap (miles 0-95); Buffalo Gap to Custer (miles 95-135); Custer to Hill City (miles 135-163 & alternative).

The Mickelson Trail through Hill City is paved.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Riding north out of Hill City on the Mickelson Trail.
(image by Paul Brasby)

A little further north on the Mickelson Trail. (image by Paul Brasby)

Short pitch up to the refurbished Gold Mountain Mine just off Burnt Fork Road (USFS 389).

Mining structures and discarded equipment, explained with interpretive signs at Gold Mountain Mine.

Back to back roads on Burnt Fork Road (USFS Low Standard Road 389).
(image by Paul Brasby)

Further north, Burnt Fork Road narrows and wears less gravel.

Now, it's just dirt, although here it's wet dirt. USFS Low Standard Road 389.1F.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Onto winding USFS Low Standard Road 530.1A.
From the ridge line, look south for Harney Peak views.

Dropping on USFS Low Standard Road 530.1A toward Horse Creek.

Early winter along Horse Creek Road (USFS Low Standard Road 530).

Mickelson Trail bridge.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Mickelson Trail tunnel leading to Mystic.

Regrouping in the shade of a Mickelson Trail tunnel.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Spinning toward Mystic on the Mickelson Trail.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Castle Peak Road (USFS Low Standard Road 181) winds alongside Castle Creek.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Castle Peak Road sprouts a few rocks.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Castle Peak Road is often pocketed with water-filled pot holes.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Creek to the left. Cliffs to the right. Here I am, riding up the middle on Castle Peak Road.

Climbing out of Castle Creek on USFS Low Standard Road 181.1C.

Convenience store snacks at the Small of America in Rochford.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Beverages and bar food at the iconic Moonshine Gulch Saloon in Rochford.

Bucolic South Rapid Creek Road (USFS Primary Road 230) stretches toward O'Neil Pass.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Loading up at USFS Black Fox Campground.

Black Fox Camp Road (USFS Secondary Road 233) follows a beaver-dammed creek. 

Cliffs close in further west on Black Fox Camp Road.

Getting back there on USFS Low Standard Road 189.

Rocky pitch up USFS Low Standard Road 189.

USFS Low Standard Road 189 is not all uphill.

Steady climb on Long Draw Road (USFS Primary Road 206).

USFS Hanna Campground.

Hiker/Biker area at USFS Hanna Campground.

Take A Back Road, Rodney Atkins (2011).