Black Hills Veteran March and Marathon
Join us for this year’s Black Hills Veterans March and Marathon and embark on a journey through the scenic and beautiful Black Hills.
Honor our veterans as we trek popular trails like the Mickelson Trail, Rochford, and Dumont Trailheads.
Test your abilities with three challenging marches: the 110-Mile March, Full March, Mini March and Virtual March.
Don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience! See below for this year’s march details and be part of a meaningful tribute to our nation’s heroes.
Event Details
Honor our veterans with challenging marches through the Black Hills' most popular trails.
September 17-20, 2025: 110-Mile 4-Day Endurance March
This endurance march will take you across 110 miles of scenic beauty in the Black Hills.
September 20, 2025: Full March (26.2 Miles)
Starting at Rochford Trailhead at 8:00 AM. Join us for a 26.2-mile challenge!
September 20, 2025: Mini March (16.1 Miles)
This 16.1-mile trek starts at Dumont Trailhead at 10:00 AM. A beautiful journey through nature.
How to Get There
To get to the Rochford and Dumont Trailheads from Deadwood:
- 1. To get to Rochford and Dumont Trailheads from Deadwood take 385 South to 256 to 17.
- 2. Ride the provided shuttle - Full March buses load up 15 minutes to departure and will depart from Days of ‘76 Fairgrounds at 7:00 a.m.
- 3. The Mini-March bus will load 15 minutes prior to departure and will leave from Days of ’76 Fairgrounds at 9:00 a.m.
- 4. No registration or packet pickup available on March Day.
- 5. All participants must in-process and pick up packets (with number/chip) the day before the March or at our early packet pick-up which is on September 15th and 19th. Early packet pick up on the 15th at Lost Cabin Taproom (605-718-5678), and Registration/packet pick up at Deadwood Visitor Center on the 19th from 12-8pm.
- *For safety concerns, all participants are required to be off the trail by 5pm on the day of the march.
Awards Ceremony
The awards ceremony will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 20 at the Deadwood Rodeo Grounds.
Trophies will be awarded to the first-place finisher in each category, and second place will be awarded if more than 15 registrants are in the category.
Important: To be included in the awards ceremony, participants must finish by 4:00 p.m.
Endurance March
Edgemont to Deadwood following the entire Mickelson Trail!
Forge friendships, build confidence, and test your physical and mental endurance in this team-concept 110-Mile endurance march through the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota from Edgemont to Deadwood on the scenic George S. Mickelson Trail. This is an exciting and challenging foot-march through beautiful pine forests containing more than 100 converted railroad bridges and 4 rock tunnels over a trail surface composed of crushed limestone and gravel.
This march is extremely challenging, but incredibly rewarding. The memories and friendships made on the trail are priceless!
Overview
The Black Hills Veterans March – Endurance (BHVM-E) is a team event completed in segments over four (4) days.
The first three days are all self-supported, meaning teams are responsible for their nourishment, hydration, lodging, medical support, and transportation.
The fourth day runs concurrent with the 1-day Black Hills Veterans March and Marathon. On this day there are many organized rest stops providing food, drinks, and a competitive spirit with many people along the route cheering you on to the finish line.
Team Concept
The BHVM-E team-concept is critical for the safety and success of marchers. For your own safety, teams MUST register and participate with a minimum of three (3) marchers and one (1) support person each day of the march.
YOU MUST REGISTER AS A TEAM!!! NO INDIVIDUALS CAN REGISTER FOR THIS CATEGORY!!!! EVERYONE MUST COMPLETE THE ENTIRE 4 DAYS AND 110-MILES OF THIS CATEGORY!!!!
Teams
Teams must start each day with a minimum of 3 participants. The team concept is designed so that team members take care of each other to ensure the entire team gets through the day. Teams may be a mix of civilian and military marchers. No maximum team member limits, however, teams must have adequate support personnel to accommodate the needs of the team. During registration, you must submit the name of your support person(nel).
Support Personnel
Each team must start each day with at least 1 support person. The support person is responsible for shuttling team members to and from the start/finish points each day. Typically, support personnel designate points along to ensure team members have support throughout the day. Support personnel may provide the team with additional water, sports drinks, food, and medical supplies, minimizing the amount of equipment marchers have to carry with them on the trail. The support person should maintain team accountability/tracking throughout the day and serves as a means for emergency medical evacuation.
Weeks in advance, marching team members and their support personnel should plan together, and tailor planned rest stops, sustainment, and support to the individual needs of team.
Route Overview
Day 1 (32.1 miles) begins at the Edgemont Trailhead in Edgemont (located on the south end of Main Street), and finishes at the Pringle Trailhead in Pringle, SD (located on the west side of Hwy. 385 in the center of the town).
Day 2 (28 miles) begins at the Pringle Trailhead and finishes at the Burlington Northern Hill City Trailhead in Hill City, SD (located in Tracy Park east of the High School).
Day 3 (23.7 miles) begins at the Burlington Northern Hill City Trailhead, and ends at the Rochford Trailhead in Rochford, SD (located on the east side of Rochford near the fire station.) *To extend the Mickelson Trail (108.8 mi.) route, an additional 1.2 miles is added on Day 3 for a complete 110-Mile march.
Day 4 (26.2 miles) begins at the Rochford Trailhead and ends at the Deadwood Days of ’76 Complex and Rodeo Grounds in Deadwood, SD.
Start time each day is 5:00 A.M., and all marchers must finish by 6:00 P.M. each day. On the 4th day, marchers must complete the event by 5:00 P.M.
Full March & Marathon
The Full March and Marathon is 26.2-mile march on the Mickelson Trail. The March begins at 8:00am at the Rochford Trailhead and ends at the Days of ’76 Rodeo Grounds in Deadwood. There are multiple rest stops (one every 3-5 miles) along the way for refueling on food, drink, and motivation. Buses load at 6:45am and depart the Rodeo Grounds 7:00am SHARP.
Challenge Yourself
Test your limits with our selection of Full March difficulty levels including:
- Full March Individual (26.2 Miles)
- Full March Heavy (35 lbs Pack)
- Full March (Uniformed Military)
- Full March (Veteran)
- Full March (Civilian)
Mini March
The Mini March isn’t so small! This 16 Mile event starts at the Dumont Trailhead at 10:00am and continues down the beautiful Mickelson Trail, through the city of Deadwood and Ends at the Days of 76 Rodeo Grounds.
The rules for the Full March apply here, with separate categories for teams and individuals. Buses load at 8:45am and depart at 9:00am!
Virtual March
Participate from anywhere in the world! Complete the march in your own time and location, and honor our veterans while pushing your own limits.
Rules and Participation
- Everyone is welcome to participate!
- Set your own time and pace, but must be done in one day.
- You can complete this event from 1 September until 20 September 2025.
- Participants are encouraged to take pictures and tag #BHVMM2025 on Facebook so we can share your experience!
- There is only one virtual category 26.2 miles, no trophies will be awarded for this event.
- However, you can see how your times match up to the rest of the participants when the official results are posted on www.blackhillsveteranmarch.org.
How to Receive Your Packet and Coin
Sponsor a Rest Stop!
The Black Hills Veteran March ensures that marchers stay hydrated, fueled, and rested with six rest stop locations along the George S. Mickelson Trail. Your support helps keep marchers energized and motivated!
Rest Stop Standard Operating Policies
Find out more about sponsoring and the minimum requirements for each rest stop: Rest Stop SOP
Minimum Requirements
- Tent
- Water
- Sports Drink
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Water Coolers
- Volunteers
Other Suggestions
- Trail Mix
- Cookies
- PB&J Sandwiches
Depending on the number of marchers, our approximate investment for each rest stop is between $300-$500. The approximate number of marchers will be provided one-month prior to march.
Rest Stop Locations
Here are the six rest stops along the trail:
Rest Stop #1
Intersection of Rochford Road and Nahant Road
Take 85 South out of Deadwood and pass through Lead for 2 miles. At the junction of 85 South and 14A take a left and go 3.4 miles to Rochford Road. From the intersection of highway 14A and Rochford Road drive 9.9 miles. Approximate GPS Coordinates Latitude 44.180388, Longitude: -103.758144 Approximately six miles into the race and approximately twenty miles left. This rest stop must be set up thirty minutes after the start of the race.
Rest Stop #2
Dumont Trailhead (the intersection of Rochford Road and Juso Road)
Take 85 South out of Deadwood and pass through Lead for 2 miles. At the junction of 85 South and 14A take a left and go 3.4 miles to Rochford Road. From the intersection of Highway 14A and Rochford Road drive 6 miles. Approximate GPS Coordinates Latitude 44.227980, Longitude-103.786082 Approximately ten miles into the race and approximately sixteen miles left This rest stop must be set up by forty-five minutes after the start of the race.
Rest Stop #3
The intersection of Rochford Road and Rochford Ridge Road
Take 85 South out of Deadwood and pass through Lead for 2 miles. At the junction of 85 South and 14A take a left and go 3.4 miles to Rochford Road. From the intersection of Highway 14A and Rochford Road drive 3.9 miles. Approximate GPS Coordinates Latitude 44.251009, Longitude -103.796768 Approximately twelve miles into the race and approximately fourteen miles left This rest stop must be set up within one hour after the start of the race.
Rest Stop #4
Englewood Trailhead (the intersection of Englewood Road and Brownsville Road)
Take 85 South out of Deadwood and pass through Lead for 2 miles. At the junction of 85 South and 14A take a left and go 3.4 miles to Rochford Road. From the intersection of Highway 14A and Rochford Road drive .4 miles to Brownsville Road. At Brownsville Road turn left and drive for 0.7 miles. Approximate GPS Coordinates Latitude 44.296901, Longitude -103.784591 Approximately sixteen miles into the race and approximately ten miles left This rest stop must be set up within one hour after the start of the race.
Rest Stop #5
Kirk Trailhead
As you leave Deadwood take Highway 385 South to Kirk Road (.2 miles), turn right on Kirk Road and drive 1.6 miles to Yellow Creek Road. Turn left on Yellow Creek Road, turn right at the railroad crossing sign. Approximate GPS Coordinates Latitude 44.342638, Longitude-103.758042 Approximately twenty-one miles into the race and approximately 5.2 miles left This rest stop must be set up within one hour and thirty minutes after the start of the race.
Rest Stop #6
Deadwood Trailhead(Sherman Street parking lot)
At the intersection of Sherman Street and Charles Street. Approximate GPS Coordinates Latitude 44.371194, Longitude -103.727599 Approximately 24.5 miles into the race and approximately 1.66 miles left This rest stop must be set up within two hours after the start of the race.