The Family of BackBone Bikepacking Routes

Ooh, you're simply the best

Better than all the rest

Better than anyone

Anyone I've ever met

Simply The Best, Michael Donald Chapman & Holly Knight (1988) 

Black Hills BackBone roads - simply the best.

This time of year I regularly field questions from folks planning to explore the Black Hills by bicycle.

For bikepackers, here's the progression of my family of Black Hills BackBone bikepacking routes (90, 205, 424 and 902 miles), with links to posts with descriptions, images, and RideWithGPS files. For these rough road bikepacking loops, I would start and finish in Hill City, which is an easy half hour drive from Rapid City.

1. BackBone BreakOut (90 miles)

For a 2-3 day ride (at 30-45 miles/day), I suggest the BackBone Breakout, a 90 mile loop out of Hill City. A 2 day/45 mile per day rider can camp at USFS Black Fox Campground. A 3 day/30 mile per day rider can camp at USFS Castle Peak Campground and then USFS WhiteTail Campground at Deerfield Lake. Of course, the BreakOut is also a great one day, 90 mile ride on an unloaded bike. BackBone Breakout; BackBone Breakout - RideWithGPS file. 

2. BackBone Buffet (205 miles)

For a 4-5 day ride (at 40-50 miles/day), I suggest the BackBone Buffet, a 205 mile loop out of Hill City that follows the first 50 miles or so of the BackBone Breakout before venturing deeper into the Hills. Introducing The BackBone Buffet; BackBone Buffet Update - It Gets Better; BackBone Buffet Update v.2 - New Single Track; BackBone Buffet - RideWithGPS file.

3. BackBone Bonanza (a work in progress, currently 424 miles)

For an 8-10 day ride (at 40-50 miles/day) or a 6-7 day ride (at 60-75 miles/day), I am finalizing a new route to be called the BackBone Bonanza, a 424 loop out of Hill City that combines parts of the BreakOut, Buffet, Grande, and Double Grande with new connectors. The Bonanza follows the first bit of the Breakout and Buffet, bursts out of the Northern Black Hills on the Grande, sling-shots around and back into the Black Hills on the Double Grande, stretches further into the Southern Black Hills, and eventually climbs back to Hill City on the Grande and Buffet.  I'll post detailed information and maps as I confirm this route over the Summer.

4. BackBone Grande & Double Grande (902 miles)

For an 18-22 day ride (at 40-50 miles/day) or a 12-15 day ride (at 60-75 miles/day), I suggest the BackBone Grande/Double Grande, a 902 mile loop that combines the Grande (NE border to ND border) with the Double Grande (ND border to NE border). To make the start/finish of this loop more accessible than those remote border spots, I suggest starting from Hill City, ride northbound on the Grande to the ND border, connect to the Double Grande to ride southbound to the NE border, and then re-connect with the Grande to climb northbound back to Hill City. Of course, one could start from Custer or Spearfish, or even Edgemont or Buffalo, or anywhere else on the loop, for that matter.

The BackBone Grande/Double Grande is the granddaddy of them all. 

It's what I consider to be the best of the best of Black Hills rough road bikepacking. 

BackBone Grande & Double Grande Page; BackBone Grande & Double Grande + Alternative - RideWithGPS files.

The Black Hills BackBone family of bikepacking routes.
BackBone BreakOut, BackBone Buffet, BackBone Grande & Double Grande, and all their alternatives.
The BackBone Bonanza will be added later this year.

Simply The Best, Tina Turner (1989)

Simply The Best, Jimmy Barnes & Tina Turner (2013).