Dead Ox Trail - Cross Country Skiing

Well, we are back on Dead Ox trail! We were in the area, with our cross country gear, and wanted to spend a little time back on the Dead Ox trail in Lead, SD. It was such a beautiful winter day that we just couldn't help ourselves. Being back on this trail in skis makes this a whole different experience. We only had an hour so we were unable to complete the loop we wanted to when we were out here in December BUT we didn't run into any people and no snow this time around, so that was a treat!

The snow was packed perfectly for cross country skiing and we made good time! My fiance is in this video demonstrating the trail conditions! ​

The Eagle Cliff trails are well known in the Black Hills for a prime location to cross country ski. The trails were developed by local skiing enthusiasts in the mid 1980's but is used for many other purposes (hiking, biking, etc). There are 21 intertwining loops and dead-end trails. The trail difficulty ratings are based on cross-country skiing but other users may find them less difficult. The trails are maintained by the USDA Forest Service and the Eagle Cliff Ski Association. They ask that snowshoers not use the groomed ski trails since it  damages the tracks that the ski club works hard to maintain. A map for snowshoeing is shown here. 

There are a variety of groomed cross country skiing areas in the Black Hills. I have not been to all of them, though they are on my list to check out! 
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For more information on where else to cross country ski or snowshoe in the Black Hills check out the Forest Service's webpage.

Eagle Cliff Trails
Lead, SD
Trail Map

​Blog post written by Amy Karras
Unnamed Adventures

Directions: From Spearfish, take Hwy 14A south through Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway to Hwy 85 at Cheyenne Crossing. Take Hwy 85 southwest for 7.4, 8.4, and 9.4 miles to the trailheads.