Distance is one measure of a hike. Elevation gain is the one that decides how your legs feel the next morning. We pulled every trail in South Dakota with a measurable elevation-gain tag — out of the 847 entries OutsideAtlas tracks here — and ranked them by total vertical. The result is a roster of climbs that punch above their mileage.
South Dakota's Black Hills in the west (with Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and Wind Cave) and the Badlands provide quietly serious hiking terrain. Black Elk Peak (7,242 ft) is the state high and the highest east of the Rockies — a notable benchmark. Lightning on exposed peaks, bison in Custer SP and Wind Cave NP, and rattlesnakes in the lower Badlands.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 847 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in South Dakota — but the data has limits worth being honest about. Elevation-gain figures depend on the surveyor and the digital-elevation model used. Some trails are missing this tag entirely and are excluded from the list. Treat numbers as approximate but directionally reliable.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #6. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Presidential Trail
Presidential Trail ranks #1 for vertical gain, sitting near Hill City in Pennington County. Expect concrete surface on a genuinely demanding grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Presidential Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Cabin Trail
Cabin Trail ranks #2 for vertical gain, sitting near Marsland in Dawes County. Expect dirt surface on a genuinely demanding grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Cabin Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Old Baldy Summit Trail
Old Baldy Summit Trail ranks #3 for vertical gain, sitting near Spearfish in Lawrence County. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Old Baldy Summit Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Saddle Pass Trail
Saddle Pass Trail ranks #4 for vertical gain, sitting near Interior in Jackson County. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in South Dakota, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Saddle Pass Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Spire access
Spire access ranks #5 for vertical gain, sitting near Hill City in Custer County. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Spire access trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Deer Run
Deer Run ranks #6 for vertical gain, sitting near North Sioux City in Woodbury County. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Deer Run trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your South Dakota trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for South Dakota. May-October is the practical window; winters bring serious cold and blizzards; afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Lightning on exposed peaks, bison in Custer SP and Wind Cave NP, and rattlesnakes in the lower Badlands.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More South Dakota hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our South Dakota coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in South Dakota — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Best beginner hikes in South Dakota — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in South Dakota — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in South Dakota — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in South Dakota — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in South Dakota — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in South Dakota — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in South Dakota last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
