If you are going to the Sturgis Rally, you should read that article, too.

Weather in South Dakota usually ranges from very hot (100-106F) during the day, or it can be cold (60F) and wet. Be prepared for everything. The temperature in the valley where Sturgis is located can be incredibly hot, while at the same time, the town of Deadwood , in the hills only 14 miles away, might be a brisk. I’ve had days when I couldn’t get warm, and nights when I was too hot to sleep. We’ve had hail that dumped on us for a solid twenty minutes (watch this!), and there are days when you can’t find enough shade. There is a rain shower or thunderstorm almost every day, so always pack a jacket and rain gear because it is absolutely guaranteed to change. Even though sunset is around 8:30 or 9pm, it gets dark early in the shade of the hills. Plan accordingly.

Almost every gas station and motel have free copies of maps of the Black Hills. These are 11×17-inch pages, in color, that show almost all of the roads, towns, and sights. They even have various scenic loops color-coded with mileage indications. Plan your day-trips using these maps. I strongly recommend that you always have one with you, even if you are part of a group, since you never know when you might get separated from the others, or want to roam around on your own, or just head back to your campsite ahead of the others in your group.

Whether you are on a bike or in a car, you absolutely must see Iron Mountain Road. The north end of this is just outside Keystone, about 1/4 mile from Mount Rushmore. This is the most unusual and scenic ride in the Black Hills. There are wooden bridges that curve up from the canyons, and tunnels cut through the granite rock. Each tunnel is positioned so that there is a perfectly framed view of Mount Rushmore out one end or the other (regardless of the direction you take on the road, at least one tunnel will provide this view). There are other surprises and overlooks that are simply wonderful. During the rally, there are often photographers parked along this road, taking pictures of all of the bikes, so try to remember their web address so you can check later. Then you can order prints of the photos, if you so choose.

Part of the Iron Mountain Road is Needles Highway. There is a parking area where you are in the middle of tall spires of rock, and one of them has a hole in the middle, looking very much like the eye of a needle. In the parking area is a long, single-lane tunnel. If you are lucky, you might get to see a tour bus squeeze through (they only have 2-inches of clearance on either side).

Adjoining Needles and Iron Mountain Road is Custer State Park. There is a fee to ride through the park, but it is relatively inexpensive, and is good for almost a week. There is a short loop through the park and a longer scenic wildlife loop. In the mornings, it is very likely that you will see a herd of bison (buffalo) grazing alongside the road, or even standing in the road. While these wonderful hairy beasts look large and clumsy, they can run much faster than you, so keep your distance. There are no fences, so it is just you and the bison. I’ve been caught in traffic watching them just as they want to cross the road in front of me. In these situations, turn off your engine, and stay on your bike, and do not make any sudden or fast movements. I’ve seen the bison glare at us, then simply nod their heads and walk just feet in front of us. Do not ever try to approach any of the wildlife.

If you are in a car, there are wild donkeys that will block the road. As soon as the car stops, others will surround the car until you give them food and treats. Luckily, they haven’t been much of a problem for motorcycles, since we don’t usually carry goodies. Don’t feed them, please.

Be aware of the cattle crossings, where there are bars and openings across the road. The wildlife don’t like these, so they do a pretty good job of keeping the critters in the park. On a bike, these can be a little unnerving, so just ride in a straight line and you will be fine. Some places have found that just painting white and black stripes on the road also confuse the animals, but usually, there are metal bars crossing perpendicular to your travel.

All of the towns have something to offer for tourists. My favorite place to people watch is in historic Deadwood. There are hotels, and small stakes casinos, and restaurants. This is where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane became infamous characters in history. They are buried in Mt Moriah Cemetery, high over the town. It is fun ride up the steep streets to get there. It is one of the few cemetery’s I know that charges admission and has a visitor center. There is much history there, such as the first Hebrew cemetery in the Dakota territory, as well as an incredible view of Deadwood.

If you are looking for a great meal in Deadwood, I highly recommend the Deadwood Supper Club, located above Saloon Number 10, so it is a little difficult to locate. During the rally, especially, they offer a bison t-bone that is perfectly cooked. I suggest you don’t have it cooked beyond ‘medium’, as it is a very dry meat.

Nearby is the town of Lead (pronounced ‘leed’, not ‘led’), where, until 2001, had the largest gold mine in the world. There are mine tours available. Around 1874, gold was discovered in the Black Hills, and this is what brought many people to the region. If you enjoy steam trains, visit Hill City, as there is a scenic train that runs daily to the town of Keystone and back. If you ask around, you can find the old country road to Keystone, that crosses the tracks in over a dozen spots, offering memorable photo opportunities.

Mount Rushmore, while a National Park, is free to enter, but you have to pay to get into the parking lot. It was something like $8 per vehicle before the rally, and they usually charge a little less for bikes during rally week. I much prefer the view from the overlook along Iron Mountain Road.

The Crazy Horse memorial is much larger than Rushmore (his nose is as large as one of the president’s face on Rushmore). It is still under construction, but is worth seeing. There is an entrance fee, but it goes towards the tribes and the construction. They blast almost every day of the year, so you might be lucky to get some action photos. There are also tours that allow you to go near the top of the massive carving, so plan extra time if you are interested in doing that.

At the southern end of the Black Hills is the town of Custer, which gives a chance to get away from the throngs of rally traffic, but is also scenic, with plenty of places for beverages and food. To the west is Jewel Cave, which is 300 feet below ground (luckily there is an elevator), and is well worth seeing, especially on the very hot days. Since the cavern is a constant 58 degrees, this is a great way to cool off. If you have a flashlight, be sure to take it so you can check out the underground scenery.

The Black Hills also have Wind Cave, but I have not yet been there. If you see signs for Thunderhead Falls, you might want to skip it (trust me on this), as it is a 50-yard tunnel straight into a mountain, once a mine, but was aborted when they struck water. It took us longer to pay the $6.03 (hooray for taxes) than it took to walk through the mine.

East of Custer, is the town of Hot Springs. You will find some natural hot springs there (go figure), and there is also a large (indoor) dig-site where many mammoth, camels, and bears are preserved. It is well worth the trip, and the tours are well organized.

Not far from Sturgis, you can find a nice ride along Spearfish canyon. The road follows a river, so it has plenty of curves, and even a waterfall if the rain levels permit.

Devils Tower is about 75 miles from Sturgis, and is a nice day ride. If you approach from the south, it is a nice ride, and you can see the tower from some nice vantage points. There is a fee to visit the park, and it is worth doing. The closer you get to the tower, the more interesting it is, as the rocks are in a crystalline formation. You will probably be able to see climbers ascending the tower, as well, which really helps bring a sense of scale to the enormous structure. As you continue north out of Devils Tower, you will come to the town of Hulett, Wyoming. There are plenty of places for food and beverage for you, and gas for the bike. This gets incredibly busy during the rally, especially on Wednesday, which started when a bar offered pork sandwiches, and grew from 500 people to 10,000 over just two years. Now, when the town gets too crowded, they turn traffic away. The ride out of Hulett on Wyoming Route 24 is very scenic, and winds through the mountains. If you blink, you won’t notice passing through the town of Aladdin, Wyoming (population on the sign says 15, but last time I stopped, they told me they were down to 11 residents). There is a tiny bar attached to the general store, as well as a small restaurant and motel. Route 24 changes into South Dakota Route 34. On the left will be a stone house, with no windows, but operates as a bar during the rally. This is a traditional stop for many visitors to Devils Tower, and you can sign the walls in the house. Route 34 takes you back to Sturgis, next to Bear Butte and to Glencoe and the Full Throttle Saloon.

This is by no means a guide to everything there is to see in the Black Hills region. Rapid City has stores and practically anything you might need to make your stay more comfortable, and the Badlands are just 70 miles east of Sturgis. Tourism is much of South Dakota’s income, so there are plenty of worthwhile (and many not so worthy) things to see. Drop me a note with some of your favorite places to visit, and I will try to add them to the list!

Enjoy your trip to Sturgis and the Black Hills!

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