In 1874 Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer led the 7th Cavalry on a scientific expedition into the Black Hills to seek out a site for a future military post and to explore the terrain. The party found gold on the banks of French Creek and also discovered the beauty of the southern Black Hills. A scenic stretch of US 16/385 winds 41 miles northeast to Rapid City, where it intersects I-90. Custer City is the trailhead for the 109-mile George S. Mickelson Trail, a “rails to trails” summertime recreational opportunity for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. Learn More...