Bone Collector Trail

The Bone Collector is a unique biking and hiking trail in the Black Hills, with rock slabs, drops, step-ups, v-slots, corridors, bridges, whale backs, and spines — most of which are optional, making it a fun intermediate ride accessible to a wide range of skill levels. The trail is marked by bones hanging in the trees, giving it one of the most distinctive personalities of any trail in South Dakota. The loop covers 4.1 miles with 574 feet of elevation gain and takes most riders and hikers between 1.5 and 2 hours to complete. The singletrack trail winds through lush forest and open meadow sections with panoramic landscape voews, and wildflowers (lupine, columbine, and Indian paintbrush) line the route in spring and early summer.  The trail is located near Blackhawk, off Log Porch Road (FSR-173 ) via Highway 44 west of Rapid City, and is most often ridden as part of a larger loop from one of four nearby trailheads. The easiest access is to park at the small lot on FSR-173 at the start of the Bone Up Trail. Dogs welcome on leash. Download a map as portions can be tricky.