M Hill — Attraction in Rapid City

Hiking the classic M Hill in Rapid is great fun! Of course, that’s only if you don’t mind hikes to begin with.. (if you don’t like hiking or exercising then obviously you just don’t count and why are you even reading this?) M Hill is a nod to the SD School of Mines that’s in Rapid City, and was a gift to a graduating class a long time ago. Now it’s a special tradition that the M gets painted each school year and sometimes college studies even go sledding down that hill.

It’s not an overly taxing hike just to the big M, it will definitely get you sweating but the inclines are very gradual and not bad at all even for someone not in great shape.

I think in the fall time with all the gorgeous colors or in the summer when everything starts to bloom again and is bright and pretty would be the best times to go, certainly you’d get the most out of it. We went in the early spring when everything was still kind of yellow/ brown dead but it was still super enjoyable! And there are dozens of paths you can go on (not all of them will lead you to M Hill) so you can get even more out of it if you so choose.

I’d also recommend bringing a water bottle in case you did get a little lost while making your way up. There’s a map in one of the parking lots that can help a lot if you take a picture and reference it.

Lastly, the view at the top- priceless! You can see pretty much a 360 view of Rapid and it’s just breathtaking anytime of year. So peaceful and so beautiful, and those letters are also so much bigger than you even think until you get up there. Definitely reminds you just how insignificant human beings can be compared to the rest of creation! But hey this is a great hike and I’d highly recommend giving it a whirl! Go get some exercise and enjoy nature for...

TLDR: poorly marked trails, beautiful scenery

The map at the parking lot incorrectly identifies the trail head and the signage along the trails is rather confusing. Several spots along the trail require some imagination to find the actual trail. Once I crossed the first ridgeline, the path was very clear. The trail difficulty is moderate in most places with only a few spots having steps greater than 12". Loose gravel and sand along with fallen branches along the path so those with limited mobility may want to stick to the gravel road. The views of downtown Rapid City are gorgeous at sunrise 🌅 and sunset 🌇. There is a clearing at the top if the hill that allows an almost 300 degree view...

If you're looking for a short time and some outdoor exercise, this is the way to go. Bikers, hikers, and the occasional unicyclist (from the YMCA Unicycle Club) frequent these trails all times of the year.

As an added bonus, you are rewarded with an amazing view from the top overlooking most, if not all, of Rapid City.

Definitely a place to try out if you haven't already done so, just keep a lookout for the occasional rattlesnake during the...