HomeSouth DakotaSturgis › Ft Meade Recreation Area Park

Ft Meade Recreation Area Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 97 Google reviews · Running trail in Sturgis, South Dakota · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Ft Meade Recreation Area Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

ScenicDog-friendly

Park with opportunities for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and jogging.

What runners say about Ft Meade Recreation Area Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (97 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 3 mentions

“It was awsome the trail was well kept and their where plenty of intresting ruins of old Fort Meade”

🏞️ beautiful scenery 9 mentions

“Beautiful open spaces for walking, running, hiking, bike riding, or horseback riding.”

Best trail system in the state accessible from multiple locations. Two trailheads, Fort Meade and Alkali Creek, as well as a horse camp near Alkali Creek, which is also a campground.

★★★★★ — Samuel , Sep 2018

This area has a ton of Mountain biking trails. Best to ride in the spring while it’s clear and there’s no off leash dogs and horse/cow poop everywhere. Mountain bike funding fixed this place up, but the locals want to ruin it with horses and cow grazing. Go ride it while you can.

★★★★★ — Matt , Aug 2025

Beautiful open spaces for walking, running, hiking, bike riding, or horseback riding. It is maintained BLM land on Fort Meade. I love to explore the cemetery there... and the wildflowers are beautiful in the spring and summer! It's rich with history, if you are a history buff

★★★★★ — Ralph , Jul 2024

Pretty area with lots of history and couple cool hiking trails. The centennial trail goes through this area. During fall when the leaves are changing color, this is a very pretty area.

★★★★☆ — Dawson , Oct 2021

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 97 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 10 mentions

“Beautiful open spaces for walking, running, hiking, bike riding, or horseback riding.”

More trails like this →

🐕 Dog-friendly 4 mentions

“Best to ride in the spring while it’s clear and there’s no off leash dogs and horse/cow poop everywhere.”

More trails like this →

Plan your run at Ft Meade Recreation Area Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websitesturgis-sd.gov
  • Phone+1 605-347-3916

Hours

Monday 5 am–10 pm
Tuesday 5 am–10 pm
Wednesday 5 am–10 pm
Thursday 5 am–10 pm
Friday 5 am–10 pm
Saturday 5 am–10 pm
Sunday 5 am–10 pm

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Ft Meade Recreation Area Park

SD-34, Sturgis, SD 57785

Get directions

Running trails near Sturgis

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Centennial Trail Ft. Meade Trailhead

4.9 ★★★★★ 10 reviews

FORT MEADE, SD

Scenic

under a mile away

Bear Butte Trailhead

4.7 ★★★★★ 21 reviews

Vale, SD

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

5.7 miles away

Bear Butte State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 682 reviews

Sturgis, SD

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Mountain, state park and site of Native American ceremonies, offering a challenging trail to the summit with panoramic views.

6.0 miles away

Camp 5 Trailhead

4.8 ★★★★★ 61 reviews

Sturgis, SD

Natural surfaceScenic

6.6 miles away

Little Elk Creek Trailhead

4.9 ★★★★★ 174 reviews

Piedmont, SD

ScenicDog-friendly

Kid-friendly area with an out-and-back trail through the woods to Dalton Lake.

11.2 miles away

Deadwood Trailhead George S. Mickelson Trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 148 reviews

Deadwood, SD

MixedScenic

Hiker-friendly trail offering scenic views and several trailheads.

12.1 miles away

All running trails in Sturgis, SD →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.