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South Dakota rankings · Outdoors

Towns with the most trails in South Dakota

Ranked by miles of mapped hiking and walking trails per square mile of town. 27 towns with 2,500+ residents.

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JavaNot on this list

Java has fewer than 2,500 residents, the floor for SD lists.

Dakota Dunes2.8 mi / sq mi · Trail miles 7.8 mi

Union CountyBig Sioux1.9 mi / sq mi · Trail miles 22.4 mi

Lead1.9 mi / sq mi · Trail miles 3.7 mi

All 27 towns

Trail miles per sq mi, highest first.

#TownTrail miles per sq miTrail milesParks & preserves

1 Dakota Dunes3,936 people 2.8 mi / sq mi 7.8 mi1

2 Big SiouxUnion County · 4,917 people 1.9 mi / sq mi 22.4 mi2

3 Lead3,006 people 1.9 mi / sq mi 3.7 mi1

4 Spearfish12,930 people 1.5 mi / sq mi 25.0 mi19

5 Hot Springs3,548 people 1.4 mi / sq mi 6.0 mi8

6 Hartford3,478 people 1.2 mi / sq mi 4.3 mi2

7 Pierre13,948 people 1.0 mi / sq mi 13.4 mi4

8 Yankton15,540 people 0.9 mi / sq mi 8.4 mi6

9 Huron14,385 people 0.9 mi / sq mi 10.0 mi8

10 Blackhawk2,934 people 0.8 mi / sq mi 3.9 mi0

11 Aberdeen28,189 people 0.7 mi / sq mi 12.1 mi13

12 Sioux Falls201,469 people 0.7 mi / sq mi 60.9 mi71

13 Milbank3,525 people 0.7 mi / sq mi 2.0 mi7

14 Dell Rapids3,905 people 0.7 mi / sq mi 1.6 mi6

15 Madison6,094 people 0.6 mi / sq mi 2.8 mi3

16 Rapid City77,946 people 0.6 mi / sq mi 33.1 mi40

17 Vermillion11,878 people 0.6 mi / sq mi 2.7 mi7

18 Tea6,786 people 0.5 mi / sq mi 2.0 mi2

19 Brookings23,948 people 0.4 mi / sq mi 6.2 mi22

20 Colonial Pine Hills2,609 people 0.4 mi / sq mi 6.7 mi0

21 Box Elder12,902 people 0.4 mi / sq mi 5.7 mi1

22 Sturgis7,086 people 0.4 mi / sq mi 2.5 mi3

23 Watertown23,044 people 0.4 mi / sq mi 9.7 mi30

24 Canton3,033 people 0.4 mi / sq mi 1.2 mi6

25 Chamberlain2,588 people 0.2 mi / sq mi 1.3 mi5

26 Mitchell15,649 people 0.2 mi / sq mi 2.7 mi16

27 Split RockMinnehaha County · 3,143 people 0.2 mi / sq mi 5.6 mi4

How it works

How this ranking works

The SD list, with the map →

We rank every town by miles of mapped hiking and walking trails per square mile of town. Paths, bridleways, woods roads and footways in parks count; sidewalks don't. Towns need at least a mile of trail to be ranked. Trails come from OpenStreetMap, so a well-mapped town can edge out an equally trail-rich one that's mapped less thoroughly. The town with the highest figure ranks #1.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Trails, streets and parks: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Conserved land: USGS PAD-US. Measured within each town's Census boundary. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

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