Centennial Trail: Alkali Creek to Pilot Knob

Fort Meade Recreation Area (BLM) and Black Hills National Forest (near Sturgis and Nemo)

The Centennial Trail (Trail 89) was built in 1989 for South Dakota’s 100th year of statehood and runs from Bear Butte to Wind Cave National Park. The Forest Service gives its length as 111 miles; Wikipedia and BPRoutes say about 123, and Treeline Review says 125.

The northern stretch, which the Forest Service lists at 37 miles from Alkali Creek to Pilot Knob, climbs from the prairie edge near Sturgis into the Black Hills, through Elk Creek’s canyon and past Dalton Lake and Nemo.

The hike

Alkali Creek Trailhead is in the Bureau of Land Management’s Fort Meade Recreation Area near I-90; Adventures of Lupe describes passing under the interstate through one of two concrete tunnels at this end of the section. Hikers starting at the true northern end walk from Bear Butte State Park through Fort Meade first. BLM calls the recreation area’s section 11 miles, and TrailAddict’s author measured about 6.5 miles from the Fort Meade Trailhead to Alkali Creek, past Fort Meade National Cemetery.

South of Alkali Creek, Adventures of Lupe describes an 11.5-mile climb to the Elk Creek Trailhead: across a field, up a limestone ridge with prairie views, into Bulldog Gulch with several crossings of Bulldog Creek, and along the west side of a ridge. In April 2021 it found the high country mostly dry apart from snow.

From Elk Creek to Dalton Lake, TrailAddict cites 12.8 miles on the trail map. The trail follows Elk Creek through its canyon with steep climbs and switchbacks, and crosses the creek five times without bridges, using ropes strung between trees for balance. Treeline Review warns that if Elk Creek is dry, which it says is possible after early summer with little rain, hikers can face a 24-mile dry stretch between Dalton Lake and Alkali Creek. Jason Brocar, who set a Fastest Known Time on the trail in May 2026, cached water at Elk Creek because of drought.

Past Dalton Lake, the trail climbs steeply on switchbacks, then joins a rocky ATV trail; the Forest Service allows off-highway vehicles 62 inches wide or less between Dalton Lake and Pilot Knob. TrailAddict describes open grassy country with views of the western Black Hills before a descent toward Nemo, which BPRoutes notes has restaurants. The final miles from South Boxelder to Pilot Knob are wide, rutted, and muddy in places, with many side trails, and Brocar found the ATV section “very slick and muddy” after storms.

The trail continues south from Pilot Knob toward Pactola and Sheridan Lake.

Tips

Plan water around Elk Creek. Check flows, and consider a cache at Elk Creek Trailhead in dry years.
Watch for ATVs between Dalton Lake and Pilot Knob, and check junctions; Treeline Review says side roads can be confusing.
Follow the Trail 89 posts. TrailAddict notes bison skull markers on the route.
No dogs at Bear Butte. The state park’s trail guide says dogs aren’t allowed on its trails.
Expect thunderstorms and hail in summer.

Camping

Most of this section crosses the Black Hills National Forest, where dispersed camping is allowed, but the Forest Service says to camp 100 feet from any creek and half a mile from developed recreation sites, and to use designated sites only around developed lakes, reservoirs, and campgrounds. There are no open campfires in the South Dakota portions of the forest (see the notice for the current fire order). Dispersed camping has a 14-day limit (see needs_review for the period).

BLM runs two fee campgrounds at Alkali Creek, the trailhead camp (open year-round) and a horse camp, both with a 14-day limit; BLM says both close for three weeks during the Black Hills Motorcycle Classic. TrailAddict says Dalton Lake has a summer campground. The Forest Service says backcountry camping, permits, and overnight parking rules vary by agency, so check with each manager before you go.

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a specific site were found. A 2018 thru-hiker writing on iNaturalist sheltered from a hailstorm under an overhang at the Dalton Lake campground.

Trail facts

Distance: 37 miles (Forest Service, Northern Hills section)
Route type: Point to point (part of the 111-mile Centennial Trail)
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
Trailheads: Alkali Creek, Elk Creek, Dalton Lake, South Boxelder, Pilot Knob
Campsites: Dispersed on national forest land; campgrounds at Alkali Creek (BLM) and Dalton Lake
Water: Seasonal at Alkali Creek; Elk Creek can dry up; treat all water
Permits: None found for this section; rules vary by agency
Fires: No open campfires; Stage 1 in South Dakota as of Sept. 24, 2026 (see notice)
Motor vehicles: OHVs allowed between Dalton Lake and Pilot Knob
Last verified: October 17, 2026

The Lowdown

Rest after the Elk Creek fords:

Five unbridged crossings of Elk Creek make for a long day on this stretch of the Centennial Trail. See the sleeping pads testers rate for a solid night's sleep.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.