The Black Hills Spine

Download GPX Open in the app

137.7 km

Length

+2,157 m

Ascent

−1,766 m

Descent

1,792 m

Highest point

8.6%

Max gradient

3h 04min

Drive time (approx.)

Weather on the road

At the highest point · 1,792 m

14 °C partlycloudy

wind 4 m/s · clouds 84%

At the start

19 °C partlycloudy

wind 1 m/s · clouds 73%

	Min	Max	Precipitation	Wind
Friday 23 Oct	11 °C	19 °C	0.0 mm	9 m/s	partlycloudy
Saturday 24 Oct	0 °C	14 °C	0.0 mm	8 m/s	clearsky
Sunday 25 Oct	-0 °C	4 °C	2.8 mm	3 m/s	cloudy

Weather data by MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Updated 10/23/26, 12:47 AM

Terrain and when to go

Landscape: High mountain road
Surface: asphalt 27%

Roads nearby

The Nemo Road

45.8 km
Length: +336 m
Ascent

Wind Cave

63.9 km
Length: +747 m
Ascent

Vanocker Canyon Road

26.0 km
Length: +738 m
Ascent

137.7 km · 1,792 m

Elevation profile

What does The Black Hills Spine look like?

West Custer Township, SD, USA - panoramio (2) · Idawriter · CC BY-SA 3.0

US18 West Left - US385 North Ahead Signs - Hot Springs · formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.0

Evans Hotel - Hot Springs · formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.0

Building One of Battle Mountain Sanitarium in Winter · Justin Gausman · CC BY-SA 3.0

Homestake Mine, South Dakota, 1900 · Detroit Publishing Co. · Public domain

Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown; each opens its source page.

Start

Hot Springs

43.43164, -103.47521

Finish

Deadwood

44.35880, -103.74015

Stages

Stage 1 69.9 km
Stage 2 67.8 km

Along the road

Restaurants and cafés

The Kitchen Ink 0.2 km · 1,048 m

Silk Road 0.3 km · 1,047 m

The 309 General 0.3 km · 1,048 m

China Wok 0.5 km · 1,049 m

Whiskey River 0.6 km · 1,052 m

Mornin' Sunshine 0.6 km · 1,052 m

Springs Coffee 0.8 km · 1,052 m

Dale's Family Restaurant 1.3 km · 1,059 m

Dew Drop Restaurant 2.0 km · 1,068 m

Hitchrail Bar & Restaurant 32.1 km · 1,483 m

Espresso & More 48.8 km · 1,630 m

Cowboy Cafe 48.9 km · 1,626 m

27 more

2 unnamed places along the road, from 0.0 km to 129.0 km.

Parking

120

Hill City Train Depot 71.9 km · 1,518 m

119 unnamed places along the road, from 0.0 km to 137.7 km.

Toilets

12 unnamed places along the road, from 0.3 km to 95.8 km.

Fuel

Phillips 66 1.4 km · 1,058 m

Sinclair 49.0 km · 1,626 m

Exxon 49.1 km · 1,625 m

Conoco 49.7 km · 1,622 m

Exxon 71.7 km · 1,521 m

Steel Wheel 128.2 km · 1,604 m

3 unnamed places along the road, from 1.4 km to 128.2 km.

EV chargers

Tesla Supercharger 49.9 km · 1,621 m

1 unnamed place along the road, from 49.0 km to 49.9 km.