South Dakota
Centennial Trail, Black Hills
About this riding route
The Centennial Trail runs 111 miles through the Black Hills from Bear Butte in the north to Wind Cave in the south, and it is open to horses for most of its length. The middle section, between Dalton Lake and Sheridan Lake, is the classic Black Hills riding: ponderosa forest, granite outcrops and reservoir shoreline. Pactola is the largest reservoir in the Hills and sits roughly halfway along this segment.
The middle of South Dakota’s 111 mile Centennial Trail, Dalton Lake past Pactola to Sheridan Lake.
Highlights
What earns the trip
- A 111 mile through-trail with this as its most accessible middle third
- Pactola Reservoir, the largest lake in the Black Hills
- Granite outcrops and ponderosa through the whole segment
- Trailhead parking at both ends sized for trailers
Stops
- 1
Dalton Lake
Northern trailhead and campground for the segment.
- 2
Pactola Reservoir
The largest lake in the Black Hills, roughly midway.
- 3
Sheridan Lake
Southern end of the segment, with trailer parking.
When to go
Best time to go
June through September. Snow lingers in the high central Hills into late spring.
Planner estimate for the mapped line: 2h 19m
Before you go
Know before you go
- Horses are prohibited on the Centennial Trail inside Wind Cave National Park at the south end.
- Certified weed-free feed is required in the Black Hills National Forest.
- Summer thunderstorms build fast over the Hills. Ridge sections are exposed.
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