4.9 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 2 · trail class 3 · typical grade 12-20% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse, bike · seasonal: hiking 04/01-11/30
Palmer Creek Trailhead (Lost Cabin #2) the Forest Service's write-up
Photo: US Forest Service
Overview
One of two National Recreation Trails in the Black Hills, the Palmer Creek Trail (Lost Cabin #2), starts with a steep climb to the Wilderness boundary. Then during a gradual descent, users are treated to numerous views of Black Elk Peak. This trail is a favorite of many hikers and riders, and is often used as a loop with Trail #9N & Trail #9S (both lead up to Black Elk Peak) for a long day outing.
The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.
