Tinton Trail

The Tinton Trail is an 8.8-mile Black Hills singletrack beginning just southwest of Spearfish, accessible right from town off Tinton Road near Black Hills State University. From the highway, follow Tinton Road past the stop sign and the area formerly used as a wildlife sanctuary, cross the cattle gate, and park in the lot on the left, where the trail starts just beside the logging road. Winding through ponderosa pine, aspen, and birch, it climbs steadily toward ridge-top views over Spearfish Canyon and serves as a popular gateway into the wider Tinton trail network, linking to routes like the Rimrock and Old Baldy trails. Used by hikers, mountain bikers, and trail runners, it's especially scenic in fall when the aspens turn gold, and it forms part of the route for the annual Dakota Five-O mountain bike race over Labor Day weekend. Bring water and a map, since several intersecting trails and logging roads can make the route easy to lose.