Piedmont

Piedmont, Forestry Road 144, is a year-round trail between the towns of Piedmont and Nemo. There are several seasonal trails that branch off the main road. This road can be run either direction, but for the best view, start off Main Street in Piedmont. This will frame the lonely Bear Butte in your windshield as you climb the shelf road up the hill.

The eastern trailhead has a staging area. Just before the trail is a large gravel parking area to unload machines if you trailered in. Expect mud if it recently rained. The trail turns rocky quickly, passing through an exposed hillside once ravaged by a fire. The trail heads into the trees, and the rocks turn into manageable ruts as it takes you down the other side of the hill. The trail turns to a gravel road at the intersection with FR 266, which heads to Dalton Lake. The trail ends in the town of Nemo.

Dispersed camping is allowed in the Black Hills National Forest as long as you are 100 feet from a creek and 1/2 mile from developed sights. Campfires are not allowed. There are several areas along Piedmont to throw down a tent or park an overland vehicle or two. The area pictured is in the trees west of the shelf road.