0.6 mi of trail, end to end · asphalt surface · trail No. 56 · trail class 4 · typical grade 0-5% · tread 48-60 inches wide · hiking, bike · seasonal: hiking 04/16-10/31
Picnic areasLakes
Along the wayVeterans Point Picnic AreaVeterans Point Fishing Pier
Veterans Point Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up
season January to
Photo: US Forest Service
Use and Enjoyment for All Visitors
Veteran’s Point Trail is a half-mile trail designed to be accessible for everyone. It was constructed through the cooperative efforts of Rapid City Chapter #3 of the Disabled American Veterans (D.A.V.) and the Black Hills National Forest. The trail has an asphalt surface, handrails, and fishing access depending on the water levels of Pactola Lake. Restroom facilities are available at this parking facility. This project is dedicated to the men and women who have been disabled in the service of this nation during times of war and is intended for the use and enjoyment of all visitors. From Rapid City, travel about 15 miles west on Highway 44. Turn south (left) onto Highway 385 and continue for 1.5 miles. The trailhead will be on the west (right) side of the highway.
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.
