# The Mickelson Trail - Link: https://mywalkabout.net/the-mickelson-trail/ - Published: 2017-03-18T14:34:00-07:00 - Author: My Walkabout It was a beautiful Autumn morning as I woke up in Deadwood, on the day of the 46th year since my birth. To celebrate, for lack of a better word, I went hiking along the [Mickelson trail](http://www.mickelsontrailaffiliates.com/trail-info) in the Black Hills.[](https://i0.wp.com/mywalkabout.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/4e350-dsc02019.jpg?ssl=1) Originally the Burlington Northern line that took trains from Edgemont to Deadwood, the Mickelson trail is now 109 glorious miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding. As I get started making my way out of town, I see a lone rabbit eating grass along the rivers edge. So intent am I watching this creature that I don’t notice the man coming up alongside me.   He greets me warmly, waving his iron claw hands in the air. A veteran of WW2, he embodies the spirit that I love about this country, it’s freedom and resiliency. He wishes me luck on my journey, and we part ways.[](https://i0.wp.com/mywalkabout.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/c045c-dsc02023.jpg?ssl=1) I’m soon immersed in the beauty of Fall colors on this October day, the sounds of town fading behind me. If time would allow, I’d complete all 109 miles.   I settle for 14 though, and it’s a wonderful compromise. A couple of miles in, I chat with a lady on horseback, a family out for a picnic, and a couple of young mountain bikers. We all have the same grin on our faces from such a perfect day in the mountains.   I swig some water and carry onward.[](https://i0.wp.com/mywalkabout.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/3eb53-dsc02025.jpg?ssl=1) I reach a summit and find a split in the trail, which is lucky for me as the alternate route is a loop that will eventually take me back to Deadwood, instead of having to return on the same route.   Hours later, I run into the same lady on horseback, and we smile as our paths cross again.   I wasn’t aware that I had my camera on the “painting” setting, yet it captured the beauty of the hills perfectly, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results.[](https://i0.wp.com/mywalkabout.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/c2765-dsc02030.jpg?ssl=1) Of all the hiking trails in all of the places in this world, I couldn’t have been luckier to find myself on this trail, on this day, in this place in time. ### Share this: * [ Email ](https://mywalkabout.net/the-mickelson-trail/?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20The%20Mickelson%20Trail&body=https%3A%2F%2Fmywalkabout.net%2Fthe-mickelson-trail%2F&share=email) * [Post](https://x.com/share) * [Share on Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/share) * [ WhatsApp ](https://mywalkabout.net/the-mickelson-trail/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) * [ Nextdoor ](https://mywalkabout.net/the-mickelson-trail/?share=nextdoor) * [ Threads ](https://mywalkabout.net/the-mickelson-trail/?share=threads) * [[ * [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) * [ Reddit ](https://mywalkabout.net/the-mickelson-trail/?share=reddit) ### Like this: Like Loading…