Trail Addict Celebrates 10 Years in the Black Hills

A Decade of Adventure: Trail Addict Turns 10

Celebrating 10 years of inspiring adventure, connecting outdoor enthusiasts, and helping people explore the trails and discover the beauty of the Black Hills.

The hike that started it all

Every business has an origin story. Trail Addict’s involves two three-year-olds, a trail that refused to end and a lot of gummy bears.

Back in 2016, Amber Flint, who owns Trail Addict with her mom, Linda Holtz, took her youngest kids, Tristan and Talon, out for a hike in the Black Hills. They were three years old at the time. She’d looked the trail up on a popular hiking app, and it said the trail was three miles long. Three miles seemed like something two little kids could handle.

So off they went.

They hit three miles, and the trail kept going. And going. It turned out to be over six miles long.

The rest of the day was a lot of piggyback rides, carrying one kid and then the other, and bribing both of them with gummy bears to keep moving. Everyone survived. But somewhere along those extra three-plus miles, Amber decided there had to be a better way.

The problem wasn’t really that one trail. It was relying on random people to upload trail information. You never knew if the details were right, or whether a listed distance meant one way or out and back. When you’re hiking with small kids, that difference matters a lot.

Hiking it first, then mapping it

So Amber started hiking the trails herself. She recorded each hike with Strava to get the GPX data, then brought that information into Illustrator and her and her team drew the maps by hand. That became the Trail Addict Guide: trail information from someone who actually walked the route, not a guess from a stranger on the internet.

Ten years later, that part hasn’t changed. Amber still gets out and hikes at least once a week, and the guide gets updated every year based on what she finds. She adds not only new trails, but creates new routes and loops to add to Trailaddict.com. (She’s a big fan of creating loops out of several trails.)

The team behind the guide

Amber does most of the hiking, mapping and trail descriptions, but she couldn’t do it without the rest of the team. Linda, the other owner, handles payroll and paying the bills. Tim Soelzer, Jenn Renner, Rachel Kuhl and Savannah Jones help line up sponsorships, get trail information out and distribute the guides each year.

“It takes a great team to make everything happen,” Amber says. “I can even convince them to hike with me once in a while!”

The local businesses that make it possible

The Trail Addict Guide is free, and that’s only possible because of the local businesses that sponsor it. They’re the reason Trail Addict can keep hiking, mapping and updating trail information year after year.

So here’s a big thank you to every one of them. And if you use the guide, please support the businesses inside it. They help make the guide happen, and that’s worth paying back.

More than a print guide now

The print guide is still the heart of Trail Addict, but it’s not the only place to find Trail Addict anymore.

At trailaddict.com, you can dig into even more trail information and filter by things like distance or dog-friendly trails to find the one that fits your day.

Trail Addict also added a YouTube channel, so you can see what a trail actually looks like before you head out. It’s a lot easier to decide if a hike is right for you (or your three-year-olds) when you’ve seen the terrain first.

What's next in 2027

Amber is always adding new trail information and new features, and there’s even more planned for 2027 to bring you better information on Black Hills area trails.

The goal hasn’t changed since that long day with Tristan and Talon: help locals and visitors get out and explore the Black Hills, and know what they’re getting into before they go.

“We’re so lucky to live where we live, and we just want to encourage everyone to get out and explore the beautiful Black Hills,” Amber says. “I’ve lived here pretty much my entire life and i’m still discovering new places! Trail Addict is designed to inspire you to get outside, get moving and appreciate this amazing place we call home.”