Hard As A.
Cement Ridge (elev. 6,276 feet) gets its name from extremely the hard ground on which the lookout sits. Supposedly, almost nothing grows here. Riders can park and walk around. There's a warming hut to cut the chill of the wind. The lookout is actually in Wyoming, but there's a 360-degree view of both states, which on a clear day is just spectacular. You also can spot a place called Inya Kara, where Custer originally explored and carved his initials into some rocks. (No, you can't see his initials from the lookout.) And the old Tinton Gold Mines are within view as is the huge Winter Wildlife Range (off limits to snowmobilers).
As noted, riders also can get to Cement Ridge by starting out north of the site at Big Hill Lot area. It's a more rural starting point but with a big parking lot for your car and trailer.
The Spearfish Canyon Resort near Roughlock Falls is a great place to spend a day or two exploring the surrounding trails. Or for resting weary bones after a tough day. The area around the resort once was the site of an old sawmill, which included an inn for visitors coming off the local train. The rail service, completed in the 1890s, went from Spearfish Canyon to Deadwood. A big flood in 1933 damaged most of the rail line. Today, much of the Scenic Byway travels along the same roadbed.
The inn was later taken over by two ladies from Iowa, who renamed it The Latchstring Inn because of the old pioneer-style, latchstring-operated door. The current restaurant retains the name.