Hiking in the Black Hills has a long history. It was one of the activities that brought the first tourists to the state. Already in 1930, Gypsy Tours were being held that led individuals on hikes throughout the hills. It’s an activity that has been melded into the area.
Forty years ago though, a new sort of hiking activity hit Sturgis; the Volksmarch. It wouldn’t be the first of this sort of hike in the area, but it would be the one that has endured the longest. It would also be recognized as the first true Volksmarch in the Black Hills.
Volksmarch
In 1973, Lead businessman, Ken Carr, would form the American Wanderers’ League. With that, the first “Volksmarch” in the Black Hills would be held. Carr would be a trailblazer in this respect, as his Volksmarch would occur three full years before the first official Volksmarch was held in the country, in 1976.
This first march would cover 6 miles, and largely stayed near the town of Lead. Between 1973 and 1974, Carr would hold a total of 6 Volksmarches. And then, it was done. Carr would move to Colorado the following year, and that seemed to be it.
It wouldn’t be for another 6 years that the Volksmarch would once again enter the Black Hills, but this time, it was under a different name. This time it was the Walkfest, which was often referred to as a Volksmarch, which were then becoming popular throughout the states.
This first Walkfest was hosted in conjunction with Fort Meade and the 50th Anniversary of the Veterans Administration. As with the marches hosted by Carr, this was set to be a 6-mile hike, with an additional 12-mile option available for those who wanted something a bit more strenuous.
The event would be a huge success. 501 participants would register for the Walkfest, with 120 completing the 12-mile hike and the rest finishing the 6-mile hike. Those who participated ranged in age from 90 years old down to just 3 years old. One hiker, who had participated in walks throughout Europe and the United States, would go on to say it was one of the top 10 he had ever completed.
Explosion in Popularity
Over the next few years, Volksmarches throughout the hills would begin sprouting up. So popular were these marches that other “volksports” would be established, including biking, swimming, and cross-country skiing.
By 1985, those looking to participate in a Volksmarch in the Black Hills, there were more than a dozen options. Nearly every weekend from late June to early September had a Volksmarch scheduled. It was a sport that was taking the area by storm, and people truly loved it.
So popular were the Volksmarches in Sturgis that in 1987, a second Volksmarch would be added. This time, it would center around Bear Butte. This would also be the last year that the Volksmarch at Fort Meade would be called a Walkfest.
The Bear Butte Volksmarch would stand out as the first year that the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce was fully behind a Volksmarch. While the Chamber had been active with the marches at Fort Meade, it wasn’t until the Bear Butte march that the Chamber took upon the full organization of a Volksmarch. It would prove to be an important endeavor, as it would preserve the Volksmarch in Sturgis as others around the hills sizzled out.
A New Era
The Bear Butte Volksmarch would continue until 1992, and then change came. The Chamber would combine their efforts with those at Fort Meade, and in doing so, took charge of the Sturgis Volksmarch.
Over the next few years, the popularity of Volksmarches would slowly fade, and while a number of such marches would cease to exist, the Sturgis Volksmarch continued moving forward. No longer did it bring in the crowds it originally had. And while it would continue to be acknowledged as the first, the Crazy Horse Volksmarch would overshadow it.
While in the height of the popularity of Volksmarches in the 1980s, close to 20 marches would be held every year, through the 90s, that would shrink to just about half a dozen. Most that continued would largely limp through the years, except the Crazy Horse march which would continue to draw in thousands.
It would appear as if the Volksmarch craze would simply die out. But for those that held on, a new breath would be given to the marches in the 2000s. For Sturgis, the saving grace was history and getting back to its roots.
Much like the first Volksmarch in Sturgis, through the 2000s, history became a large part of the march. Sturgis wasn’t alone in using history to augment the hikes, and it would pay off. The marches would once again incorporate Fort Meade, with not just the beauty of the area being explored, but also the history.
While future hikes would move away from Fort Meade, they would continue to largely be focused on historical areas. By the beginning of the 2010s, the Chamber would begin billing the event as the Sturgis Historical Volksmarch.
The effort would pay off and the Sturgis Volksmarch would be revitalized. Today, the Volksmarch continues strong and is one of the highlights of the Sturgis community.