The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally - Mount Rushmore Area, SD

Back in 1938, the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club started the Sturgis Races with nine racers and a handful of spectators.  Now, the Sturgis Motorcycle Races attract an estimated 450,000 bike enthusiasts each year to the little town with a population of 6,400 people.  People come for the races, the live music, the thousands of vendors selling just about anything a motorcycle enthusiast could possibly dream of.  But mostly, Sturgis and the Black Hills Motor Classic attracts bikers because it's a great place to get to know some great, like-minded people, and the Black Hills have some of the best scenic rides in the country.

The Sturgis Rally typically takes place in mid-August. If you're planning to attend the rally, make plans early.  Hotels sell out quickly—lots of folks that went last year started making reservations as soon as they got home.  Decide whether you want to be right in the middle of the action, or whether you want to stay a bit further away and come into town for a day or two.  Beyond Sturgis, the closest cities are Deadwood, followed by Lead, Spearfish, and Belle Fourche.  Approximately an hour's drive away is Rapid City, then Keystone, Custer, and Hot Springs.  For a brief description of activities and lodging in these cities, read "Cities Surrounding Mount Rushmore."

If you're coming to town to wade knee-deep in the chaos, don't forget to check out the music and mayhem at Full Throttle Saloon—the world's largest biker bar.  If you're more into the riding and just want to attend the rally for a day, consider coming a few days early, when there will be less traffic, and staying for the first day or two of the event.  Take in the sights with a Mount Rushmore and Chuckwagon Dinner Tour.

Scenic rides include Highway 14's loop past Deadwood, Spearfish (plan to stop for a while and take in the gorgeous views at Spearfish Canyon), Whitewood, and back into Sturgis.  Or take Interstate 90 towards Rapid City and catch Highway 79 to 385 (around Hot Springs).  Take 385 up past Custer to Highway 16, through Keystone (city closest to Mt. Rushmore), to Highway 44 and back up to Interstate 90. 

For more than 60 years, the Black Hills Motor Classic has been attracting the best crowds, the best bikes, and the best music--and bringing them to the best scenery in South Dakota.