Homestake Trail is a 5.7 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Lead, South Dakota that offers the chance to see wildlife and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October.
birding
hiking
mountain biking
nature trips
trail running
walking
forest
rails trails
views
wildlife
We only had 30 minutes to hike so went up for a quick leg stretch (just hiking 15 min in, 15 min out). Got to see the huge cut of the mine, which was really cool and an abundance of deer and wildflowers.
Fun, relatively easy trail with beautiful views of Deadwood and Lead. Lots of great kiosks along the trail with information about the history of area.
The unmarked trailhead on the Deadwood side is nearly impossible to find unless you’ve hiked the trail through from Lead. It’s a short walk up from the Mickelson Trail trailhead, just a bit past the little exercise station at the Powerhouse Park trail. It cuts sharply back up the hillside and runs nearly parallel to the Mickelson Trail, so be looking to your right and a bit behind you to locate the trailhead.
The trail is much easier to find & follow from the Lead side. It begins at the Lead Dog Park. Take the steep path up to the dog park, then pick up the trail from the gate at the far side of the park.