Big Mick gets big honor
It couldn’t happen to a nicer trail.
The George S. Mickelson Trial, the 119-mile railbed-turned-bike path, has been named to the Rails-To-Trails Hall of Fame. It’s one of just 25 trails from among 1,600 nationwide to be named to the Hall of Fame, and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy raved about the trail, locally known as the Big Mick.
“In selecting the trails, we wanted to highlight some of the granddaddies of the movement; trails that helped inspire the development of thousands of other pathways in communities around the country,” says Karl Wirsing, communications manager for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. “Among the first to get built, and certainly among the most distinct and rich with natural beauty, the Mickelson Trail is the product of great determination on the part of its supporters. Few trails can rival its backdrop in the Black Hills, or the charm of the towns it passes.”
The trial, created from the abandoned Burlington Northern rail line that ran along the spine of the Black Hills, has been around about 20 years ago. It runs from Deadwood to Edgemont, and it takes riders past some of the most beautiful sights in the Black Hills. There are tunnels, bridges, hilltop views, interesting little towns such as Custer, Hill City and Rochford. And in recent years, spur lines have extended to places such as Custer State Park.
And each year ,more visitors come to the Black Hills in search of outdoor experiences beyond sight-seeing. They bring their bikes, their kayaks, their hiking boots and their snowshoes. The Mickelson is a good fit with that type of advernture traveler. It gets a lot of use from locals as well.
By the way, the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks is holding a ceremony on Thursday, May 13, at 10:30 a.m. to mark the trail’s induction into the Rails-To-Trails Hall of Fame. It will be at the Homestake Mansion in Lead.
Also, you won’t need a trail pass to use the Mickelson Trail during the week of May 21-23, and communities along the trail will hold events, offer discounts and give away prizes that week.
