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Home › South Dakota › Horsethief Lake Trail to Grizzly Bear Creek Trail
About the Trail
This hike leads into a remote area of the Black Elk Wilderness Area. The trail is named after the lake at the trailhead and goes by granite spires, forests and an old mine near the beginning.
Map
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Directions
From Hill City, SD drive south on Hwy 385 for 3.3 miles and take a left onto SD 244. Drive on 244 for about 6.6 miles and take a right on to the road to the Horsethief Lake Trailhead. Parking is at the end of the road. From Keystone, SD drive 16A for 1.1 miles and stay straight on SD 244. Drive SD 244 for 3.9 miles and take a left on to the road to the Horsethief Lake Trailhead. Parking is at the end of the road.
Description
From the parking area at the end of the road, hike back down the dirt road to the trailhead. The trail enters the forest and follows a small brook to the left of the trail. Soon a mine is reached to the right. After this, the trail goes by some tall rock spires to the left before reaching a junction with the Centennial Trail. Take a right and then proceed straight by another junction with the Centennial Trail. After this, the Horsethief Lake Trail goes by a spring that lies below a tall rock spire to the left. Now the trail starts ascending in a mixed forest of pines and aspens with occasional views of rock spires. Finally, the trail reaches the top of a wooded pass before descending about 300 ft to a junction with the Grizzly Bear Creek Trail. There some very nice views of cliffs during the descent. Turn around or explore some of the Grizzly Bear Creek Trail.
| Hike Facts | Trailhead Facts | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥾 Trail Features: | Forest, rocky pinnacles, cliffs and a mine | 🥾 Parking: | A paved parking area with car 19 spots and 1 handicap spot. An additional 6 car spots are available on the dirt road right at the trailhead. There is no trailer or RV parking available at the trailhead. | 🥾Nearest Services | Keystone, SD the closest town with services like food and gas. |
| 🥾 Milage: | 5.4 mi/ 8.69 km roundtrip | 🥾 Acccess Road: | A short dirt road. | 🥾 Nearest Lodging: | There are lodging options in Keystone, SD. Hill City has lodging as well but is slightly farther away. |
| 🥾 Elevation Gain: | 1112 ft/ 338.9 m total | 🥾 Trailhead Features: | Parking, signs, a vault toilet and fishing access | 🥾 Nearest Camping: | Horsethief Lake Campground is across the lake. |
| 🥾 Trail Use/Surface: | 🥾 Trailhead Elevation: | 5010 ft/ 1527.02 m | |||
| 🥾 Pets: | Yes | 🥾 Park Hours: | Day use only | ||
| 🥾 Crowds: | No | 🥾 Fee: | None | ||
| 🥾 Bugs: | Yes | 🥾 Best Season: | Spring, summer and fall |
Handicap Acccessibility
No
Tips for a Great Hike
🥾 Carry plenty of water and wear proper footwear.
🥾 Horses are not allowed on the first 0.6 miles because the trail is in a watershed area. However, equestrians can use the Centennial Trail to access the rest of the Horsethief Lake Trail.
🥾 This trail will mainly interest locals, those who want a quieter trail and backpackers.
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