Spearfish Bike Races and Trails
605 Loves the Outdoors
Spearfish may be approximately 70.9 miles away from Mount Rushmore National Memorial, but there’s a lot more to explore in the hills and Spearfish has just about what any outdoor enthusiast could want. With Spearfish Canyon right next door and Lookout Mountain and Crow Peak on either side of the town, there’s plenty of hikes and bike trails to explore. The community of Spearfish is working hard to further grow the offering of trails to all who come to the Black Hills.
The non-profit Spearfish Trails Coalition works hard to create and build engaging trail experiences for both local bike riders and visiting bike enthusiasts as well as hikers, runners and anyone who loves to be outdoors. Their mission to offer more trail experiences for all skillsets allows for more outdoor opportunities and moments spent in the beautiful Black Hills.
Big Plans for the Trails
Spearfish Trails Coalition has big plans for some new trails throughout the Spearfish area, with many projects already underway.
The Gravity Trail System is a project that first began in the spring of 2023. With different phases of the construction of the trails already in motion, this trail system will be focused on helping riders build their downhill riding skills.
This trail will be in the city campground above the ice-skating rink. The trail’s design will primarily focus on gravity skills area with a network of downhill trails to help riders build confidence before moving on to more advanced trail descents.
The trail will be a lap-able system with one to two climbing trails that allow riders to get to the top of the hill and then there will be multiple trails to go down. The skillset on these trails is designed for beginners all the way to advanced experts. It is designed so that riders can loop around and continue to grow and build their bike riding skills.
Another trail that is already in progress, through collaboration efforts with the City of Spearfish and the Spearfish Trails Coalition, are the Sandstone Connector Trails (near Lookout Mountain). A perfect spot for those wanting to check out Lookout Mountain. The trails are designed for both beginner and intermediate bikers and hikers alike.
With so many projects underway, the organization has designed a master plan of all the trail systems they hope to implement in the community. With the commitment to expanding the number of trails in and around Spearfish, this opens the doors to expanding your skillset and preparing you for the Ridge Riders Bike Club’s sponsored races. Not to mention, be able to bike along some beautiful areas that are well-maintained and taken care of.
Ridge Riders Bike Races
The Ridge Riders Bike Club is an organization that puts on bike races in the Spearfish area. All throughout the year the Ridge Riders host different events from fat biking in the winter to gravel races in the summer. But they have two big races every year that have become a staple in the Spearfish biking community, with bikers coming from all over eager to take part in the races.
First, there’s the Pine Island Gravel Odyssey held in June. There are three separate distances for bikers choose from: 45 miles, 65 miles or 100 miles.
The Pine Cone Frolic (45 miles) is the only race that allows E-bikes. For riders who just want to have fun, this race is intended to be a non-competitive ride, but a beautiful ride through the canyon.
The Limber Excursion is 65 miles long and is a challenging endurance ride on gravel and dirt roads that takes riders through the Black Hills and into Wyoming.
The 100-mile race is known as the Ponderosa Escapade. Much like the races before, this race takes riders to the Canyon, into Wyoming, and throughout the Black Hills Ponderosa Pine Forest.
Second, The Dakota Five-O, held in September every year, is a mountain bike race that is 50 miles long. The track entails 6000+ ft of climbing and gravel roads, with the majority of the trail being singletrack racing. While the race is the big event, there is also a Night Five-O Pre Party with music, vendors, food and drinks and an after party once the race is completed, with the awards ceremony to follow.
