Mitchell Community Bike Path

The small city of Mitchell, South Dakota has created a series of paved trails for biking and walking that span much of the northern edges of the community, providing safe and convenient off-road access to the parks, campgrounds, and recreational facilities around Lake Mitchell. The city continues to work on expanding the system, which as of 2020 totaled around 10 miles of trail - future plans include improving access on the eastern side of town and on Main Street, eventually creating a rough loop around the entire community.

The existing trails are chiefly located in segments along the northwestern outskirts of Mitchell, with a separate, small looping trail around commercial sites located in the southeast, just off the interstate and conveniently located near many of the local hotels. A sidepath trail along the Highway 37 Bypass helps connect residents from the neighborhoods just west of downtown to schools and parks in the north; at 23rd Street, trail users can either continue north through a cemetery and around the edges of a golf course to reach the scenic lake via a path along North Ohlman Street, or you can divert west to travel along a trail that parallels the BNSF railroad tracks heading to the northwestern corner of the lake.

Although many of the segments that comprise that trail are little more than wide sidepaths, the Mitchell Community Bike Path still offers an unparalleled means of exploring the charming city and its surrounding lake environment by foot or by bike, giving residents and visitors alike the chance to get in some exercise and recreation.

Parking and Trail Access

Parking is available towards the northern end of the trail system, with a small lot located at the intersection of N Ohlman Street and Indian Village Road along the trail. Additional parking and a restroom are available along North Harmon Drive at Lions Point Park, before the bridge and just past where N Navin Road merges in.