I'm in the process of building a cabin up by Deerfield Lake. hope to take the quad out next summer.
i talked to the folks at the ranger station and they told me that riding in the Natl. Forest is permitted except in a couple areas like Norbeck Preserve and the Rushmore Monument area. i asked about off-trail riding and they said as long as you don't tear up the ground, riding is permitted pretty much anywhere you want to go.
also, since the elevation is @6000 ft, i was wondering how i should re-jet my carb.

Beer's on me so come on out and pound a few nails, pound a few beers and let's ride![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I was out there in 96 with my son and my friend and his boy,they had a banshee and a cr80 dirtbike,the two strokes definately felt the altitude,they said the quad and bike felt a little doggy,but they didn't want to rejet. My four stroke ran fine, back then my son was barely 6, and just putting around on an LT80, so can't say how it was,seemed to run fine. Lots of trails, some old logging roads or access roads,so you have to watch some corners for car and truck traffic,but back in the woods is just quads and bikes. Very pretty scenery,found old mines and caves we could drive into a little ways and check out (nice and cool on a hot summer day). Found some big hills, almost small mountains with winding trails all the way to the top,got some great views. Depending on where you ride,some of the forest is free range cattle area, if you find a gate, close it behind you, and beware the bovine land mines !!!!! All in all, a nice place to ride,lots of miles of available trails, might go back sometime now that my son is older and drives a lot faster than 20 mph ( had the throttle limited on the LT80 back then). For out -of - state people, quite a few attractions to see,whether you stop going to ,or from the Black Hills- lots of caves, the Reptile gardens, Bear country, Custer park (don't pet the buffalo, and don't let the wild donkeys get their head in your window,you'll regret it !!) Hope this gives you some of the info you were looking for,just letting you know how I saw it when I was there.

 

thanks for the reply 95wolv.
i'm pretty familiar with the area. wife & i have gone camping out there a lot. lived in Hill City for about 1.5 yrs but couldn't make a decent living so we moved back to Ia.
a few yrs back, we bought a 4 acre lot and i've been slowly putting a little cabin together. no water or electricity yet but it's far enough along that we can stay there when we go back out next spring.

 

We were out over 4th of July weekend - but we spent more time preparing and getting there then we did riding. Wife broke her leg on Spearfish Peak 3 hours into the first day.

Two things - First, check with the Park Rangers as I think the rules have changed for off trail riding. We were told no off-trail riding is allowed. None - period. Also - they are really really really worried about fires. We were up in the Deadwood area just as they got the fires under control. Burned a lot of forest and exhausted what looked like thousands of fire fighters.

The second issue is booby-trapped trails. The folks with cabins/lots off the main roads have booby trapped the trails with shards of glass imbedded in the tire tracks for the quads. Boards burried with nails were found also. And I'm not talking just a few instances, but rather several. It seems some people dont want other people enjoying the public property. They have their plots and SUV's to get there - everyone else should be riding bicycles I guess.....


OK - a third thing.... THere are areas you can ride - and areas you cannot. Without a map and possibly some help from someone who understands the maps and there 8 or so different coded areas - you could get into deep weeds with the rangers... All the Forestry people were very helpfull and cooperative in helping us identify where we could and could not ride.

Good Luck!