2025 Black Hills Bounty (Day 3) - Gravel Goodness

On Day 3 of the Black Hills BackBone, we awoke at our Red Bird Canyon dispersed campsite to a layer of frost on everything left outside. A chilly morning on a short day, more like a half-day, not surprisingly made for a slow moving, late start involving multiple cups of coffee. 

Once back on the route, we pedaled uphill right from the start, but today that meant just a mile on a relatively benign Low Standard Road and another mile on a USFS Primary Road. After that, we simply rolled on a mix of Forest Service roads all the way back to Deerfield Lake. Just a relaxing, peaceful spin through the bucolic western Black Hills on a delightfully sunny autumn morning.

Nothing crazy, after the last two days, other than the occasional rancher rounding up cattle. One rancher even stopped to chat with us for awhile, as he was marshaling a posse of cowboys on horseback, UTVs, and trucks. He noted that his losses this year were higher than normal, which he attributed not to predation, but rustling. Yes, rustling is still a thing in the New West.

The first stage of the 2025 Black Hills Bounty was complete.

Ready to roll up the rest of Red Bird Canyon on USFS Low Standard Road 284.5A.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Thick layer of frost on our tents on the morning of Day 3.

A frosty morning.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Everything moves a little slower on a brisk morning.

More movement around camp as the sun peeks over the canyon wall.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Final check before leaving our dispersed campsite in Red Bird Canyon.
(image by Brit Flinchbaugh)

Cruising toward Deerfield Lake on Boles Canyon Road (USFS Primary Road 117).
(image by Mark Almer)

Homeward bound on sweet Boles Canyon Road.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Final uphill stretch on South Castle Creek Road (USFS Secondary Road 294)
(image by Kevin Fox)

Riding alongside Deerfield Lake, closing in on USFS White Tail Campground.
(image by Kevin Fox)

RideWithGPS map of Day 3 of the 2025 Black Hills Bounty.