Review Date
November 1, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: slickrockross ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
One of the best trail systems in the area, if you could only ride one trail in the hills this would be it. Pretty easy route to follow, it's marked with orange arrows. At Acme Bicycle's website they have a great map and route description to use. Stop at the gas light in Rockerville after and enjoy a cold one.

Recommended Route:
Follow the orange markers from the parking lot.

Review Date
March 5, 2005

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Every few months

Reviewed by: BruceBrown ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
This is a mountain biking specific singletrack trail that was built several years ago by a mountain biker named Steve Foss. It is maintained by a local mountain biking organization and some of the trail had to be rebuilt following a forest fire in the area. A lof the trail is very narrow singletrack in the 8 to 10 inches width range and demands focused attention for your entire ride.

The trail provides plenty of climb, descents, rocks, wandering through the forest, lots of fun wandering through the forest fire area that you can fight with the surrounding weeds aptly named the Basque weeds by the locals (they jump out at you and get in your face like the Basque Tour de France cycling fans at the TDF). At the bottom of the Storm Mountain trail is the United Methodist Church Camp and Retreat Center. You can continue on into Forest Service land on their trail, or wander around a lot of the trails in the church camp which include some also built by Steve Foss. Either head up the fire road to the parking area where you left your car off of Highway 16 just outside of Rockerville - or turn around and ride the singletrack all the way back - which is my favorite way to experience the Storm Mountain ride.

Recommended Route:
From the parking lot, head out on the trail through the pasture into the pines and ride for 30 - 45 minutes or more depending on your legs and time. Then turn around and come back on the same singletrack to your car. Here's a link to a thread that includes photographs of Storm Mountain Trail that I took: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=57650&highlight=Discovering+Paha+Sapa

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Although there are plenty more, I have only ridden the Centennial, Mickelson and the ever challenging M Hill in Rapid City. Probably one of the better kept mountain biking secrets in the US. Worth the trip and the climate is dry on the humidity side which makes for excellent year round riding in a gorgeous, blue sky setting. Where the Wild West begins.

Review Date
July 21, 2004

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: permnation ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
this trail was the best during my trip to the hills. lots of potential for exploring. the burned out areas give this trail a very unique/eerie feel. watch out for the handlebar-grabbing new growth on the sides of the trail. if i lived in the area, this would be a once a week ride at least.

Recommended Route:
take a right at silver mountain road in rockerville, trailhead 1/4 mile on the right. the trail to the left is the one. my brother and i just went and explored and eventually ended up at the church camp. from there it is a 1.7 mile climb back to the car on a gravel road. ask the dudes at the 2 wheeler dealer for directions. before you leave go across silver mountain road from the trailhead and there is a little section of freeriding obstacles and a nice booter on the way out.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
old baldy

Review Date
June 26, 2004

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Every few months

Reviewed by: ronjones ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
This is a nicely layed out trail that definitely exists for mountain biking. It's all single track--some smooth and some a little rocky.

Other than a couple lookouts, there isn't too much scenery involved. It's pretty much all through the pines.

Here are some better directions. While going west on Highway 16 past Rockerville (if coming from Rapid City) turn right on Silver Mountain Road. There will be one sign saying "Silver Mountain" and one saying "Storm Mountain Center". Just after turning off of the highway there will be a trail head to the right. Park here. Don't take the signed trail to the right of the trail head; that's the Flume Trail and it's closed to bikes. Take the unmarked trail to the left of the trail head.

Recommended Route:
You can wonder all over the place on some good trails. There is a good loop, though, that is about 5 miles long. Shortly after leaving the trail head, there will be a fork in the trail. I prefer to go left at that fork. This will lead you across a gravel road. With a little searching, that loop will lead you around eventually back across that gravel road and back to single track that will take you back to the fork where you started.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Centennial Trail, Victoria Creek.

Review Date
June 13, 2004

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: FNG ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
This trail is lots of fun. Some climbing but always rewarded with fast downhill section. Lots of rock gardens and some technical riding. Great fun would recomend to anyone from beginer to expert. Only problem, it is not well marked. I rode only 6 miles on trail and lost it. Had to finish on foot trail only.

Recommended Route:
I am going to ride this one again next weekend and spend some time looking for the best route (and the rest of the trail). I will post again with details and possibly some pictures.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Deerfield loop; Alkali Creek; Centenial