Black Hills Veterans March and Marathon

🏅 Event Overview

• Event Name: Black Hills Veteran’s Honor March and Marathon
• Date: September 17, 2025
• Location: Mickelson Trail to the Deadwood Rodeo Grounds, Deadwood, SD
• Website: More Information

🎖️ History

• Inception: The Black Hills Veteran’s Honor March was conceived in 2002 as a way to honor the sacrifices of the nation’s servicemen and women.
• Route: The 26.2-mile march takes place in the picturesque Black Hills National Forest on the Mickelson Trail.
• Founder: The March is conducted under the auspices of the South Dakota National Guard Enlisted Association (SDNGEA).
• Origin: The event grew from an idea by South Dakota Army National Guard soldiers inspired by the Bataan Memorial Death March.

🗺️ Route Development

• Initial Recon: On September 21, 2002, seven members of the Army National Guard traveled to Deadwood, SD, to establish the march route.
• Founding Team: The recon team included Ted Deloy, Michael Jones, Matt Lacroix, Ben Lamp, Jeff Nord, Ben Smetana, and Mark Thomas.
• Route Changes: The route today closely matches the original from Rochford to Deadwood, ending at the Rodeo grounds.
• Completion: After compiling notes from a dry run in September 2002, the inaugural march was set for September 2004.

🕊️ Growth of the Event

• Participation: Since its inception, the memorial march has grown to hundreds of marchers from across the United States.
• Event Categories: Events are offered in Team Military and Civilian, Individual Military and Civilian, Heavy Military (with a 40lb Rucksack), Marathon, Mini-March, Team Mini-March, and now 110 Mile Endurance March.
• Community Impact: The march serves as a significant event to honor and commemorate veterans.
• Future Aspirations: The goal is to continue honoring veterans while fostering camaraderie and remembrance.