Silver City’s name is one part mystery, one part misnomer.

 

According to history section on the website that the town’s volunteer fire

department maintains, “[t]here are conflicting stories about the naming of the town but the most plausible is that the mines had a heavy yield of silver along with other metals, hence the name.”

 

The “city” portion of the name is more than a little exaggerated. Although there are a few gravel roads lined with houses, Silver City is a resort town that’s usually populated only in the summer. No shops. No restaurants. Just a campground and a church.

 

But you don’t come to Silver City to spend a lot of money or eat at fancy restaurants: You come here to bike, hike or fly fish.

 

There are nearly 60 miles of trails to hike and bike in and around Silver City. Many of the trails run adjacent to various creeks, including Rapid Creek that feeds into Pactola Reservoir, the main water source for Rapid City. These creeks boast some premier fly-fishing spots.

 

Along these trails, you’ll also see flumes that were once used in mining operations, abandoned cabins and naturally occurring caves in the hills.

 

If none of that trips your trigger, then make the drive for the Silver City Social, the highlight of the town’s year. From July 9-14, you can enjoy local art, a “Cowboy Chuckwagon Steak Fry,” a Volksmarch that takes you around Pactola, and – most importantly – homemade pie.

 

To get to Silver City from Rapid City, take Highway 44 to Highway 385. At the intersection, turn right and drive for about a mile. The turn to Silver City is marked with a sign on the left. Follow that paved road up through the hills until you arrive in town. To reach the main trailhead, continue on that main road through town until you reach the dead end.