more stats
2.3 miles
Distance
170 ft
Climb
-739 ft
Descent
00:20:17
Avg time
-569 ft
Altitude change
4,122 ft
Altitude min
4,860 ft
Altitude max
4,692 ft
Altitude start
4,124 ft
Altitude end
-4.6%
Grade
-33.3%
Grade max
31.3%
Grade min
1,539 ft
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
1,421 ft
Distance flat
00:20:17
Avg time

Upper Deadman Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Winter Fat Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
    • Snowshoe
  • Riding Area
    Sturgis Trail System
    Sturgis, South Dakota
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Local Popularity
    60 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 65 in Hiking
    • 5 in Snowshoeing
    • 5 in Winter Fat Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #76489 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #336849 in Trail Running
    • #134304 in Hiking
    • #19735 in Snowshoeing
    • #6346 in Winter Fat Biking
  • State Ranking
    #122 in Mountain Biking · South Dakota [+]
    • #542 in Trail Running
    • #280 in Hiking
    • #37 in Snowshoeing
    • #21 in Winter Fat Biking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Fat
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Green
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes

This is a great trail that winds up through pine trees and has some nice berms to keep the flow smooth and fast. Climbs well and is a fun and fast descent. Mostly shaded through the trees, this feels a bit like a high alpine singletrack in the deep forest.

Once the trail intersects with the Upper Deadman Road, there is a little optional segment out to an overlook. The trail leading out is nothing special, but the view is worth the extra jaunt. The trail fades a bit at the end, but if you continue to the left you can walk out to a cliff drop with a pine tree growing right out of the rock cliff edge. Very unique and interesting with a panoramic view of the valley below.

Tags
AlpineBermsExposureViews

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 14 rides
  • 17 miles avg distance
All
  • 82 rides
  • Last: Oct 29, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
update trails status or condition

Upper Deadman Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jun 1, 2026 @ 7:34am (America/Denver)
Jun 1, 2026
Great trail!
Sep 14, 2024 @ 1:06pm
Sep 14, 2024
Cleaned up a a beautiful trail once again
Sep 13, 2024 @ 7:49am
Sep 13, 2024
Now open
Jun 30, 2024 @ 9:53am
Jun 30, 2024
This trail is currently closed due to logging.
May 24, 2024 @ 7:08am
May 24, 2024
Trail destroyed by logging
more »
Status:
on Jun 1, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.24 (2 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (529)
close
      Directions to upper-deadman trailhead (44.375010, -103.543530)

      Photos

      11 more »
      mtb
      67 |
      Jun 9, 2026 @ 11:02am
      Jun 9, 2026
      mtb
      182 |
      Apr 30, 2021 @ 8:28am
      Apr 30, 2021
      mtb
      206 |
      Aug 15, 2020 @ 11:30am
      Aug 15, 2020
      mtb
      178 |
      Apr 26, 2020 @ 9:16am
      Apr 26, 2020

      Videos

      no videos have been added for Upper Deadman yet, add a video.

      Routes with this trail

      24 miles • 4,026 ft • 9 • Loop •
      Loop covering some of the best descending trails in the Black Hills region (Deadman and Bulldog). Take...
      22 miles • 4,313 ft • 15 •
      Route linking up some of the best climbs and descents that the sturgis area has to offer. Watch out for...
      5.0 ★★★★★
      2 Ratings
      5 ★ 100%
      4 ★
      3 ★
      2 ★
      1 ★

      2 Reviews & Comments

      yopper77 yopper77
      Solid trail - most fun of the way down from the top. Nice singletrack
      Slntwlf
      Fun section of trail. A good workout heading up when connecting from lower deadman and super fast coming back down. A bit sandy at the connection with lower deadman.

      We hope you've been enjoying Trailforks!

      Create a FREE account to view all trail reviews and much more.

      • By k4esterTF Pro BHT & contributors
      • #174486 - 2,622 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Upper Deadman located?
      Upper Deadman is located in Sturgis Trail System, Sturgis, South Dakota, United States. It is part of the Sturgis Trail System trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 44.37501, -103.54353.
      ▼ How hard is Upper Deadman?
      Upper Deadman is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 4.6%. The climb difficulty is rated Green.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Upper Deadman?
      Upper Deadman has 170 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 739 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 4,122 ft to 4,860 ft.
      ▼ Is Upper Deadman a point to point trail?
      Upper Deadman is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Upper Deadman?
      Upper Deadman is 2.3 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Upper Deadman?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Upper Deadman. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Upper Deadman?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Upper Deadman are:
      • September (8 activities)
      • August (6 activities)
      • June (5 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Upper Deadman? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Upper Deadman are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Upper Deadman?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 20 minutes to ride Upper Deadman. The trail is 2.3 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Upper Deadman?
      Upper Deadman is a moderately popular trail. There have been 403 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 529 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

      Hit the Trail

      Open in App

      Get this trail on your phone instantly.
      open trail in app

      Download Trail

      Save to wishlist, Garmin & download.
      save the trail

      Find Related Routes

      Find routes and users activities that include this trail.
      find routes for this trail

      You must enter a description before submitting.