James Valley Cycle Club

The James Valley Cycle Club runs a riding area near Dimock, South Dakota, in southern Davison County just outside Mitchell. The club has been around since 1970, originally formed for young dirt track riders, and it has grown into a long-running fixture of the local off-road scene in this part of eastern South Dakota.

The grounds are a 13-acre riding area meant for play and practice rather than organized racing, which makes it a low-pressure place to learn and put in casual laps. The club is upfront that no races are held there; it is a safe spot off the road for beginners and families to ride. The club's history reads like a lot of grassroots riding groups: riders bounced between borrowed ground, including the old Mitchell treatment plant property and a Hanson County spot, before buying the current acreage. Along the way it picked up traditions like a Bike Blessing on the last Saturday of April and a March of Dimes Poker Run that has run since 1995.

For riders around Mitchell and the James River valley, it is a welcoming, club-run place to ride without the intensity of a race program. The South Dakota season runs spring through fall, and access tends to follow the club's calendar and membership. Check the James Valley Cycle Club site and social pages for current details on riding access, membership, and club events, and confirm before you head out so you know the grounds are open the day you want to ride.