Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

Interested in fly and ride in Deadwood/Sturgis area. Interested in camping and/or staying at more lodge-like places for some - or all - of trip.

Suggestions on itinerary for a 4-5 day trip (fly into Rapid City and pick up motorcycle)?

Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

Are you looking to visit during the Sturgis Rally or at another time during the summer? I%26#39;m guessing not since you didn%26#39;t say so.

I would think you%26#39;d want to have a basic ride each day.

In no particular order:

Day 1: Badlands. Ride Vanocker Canyon south out of Sturgis, connect with Nemo Road into Rapid City. Ride Skyline Drive in Rapid City and go to the Badlands on SD 44. Go to Cactus Flat, make a U-turn and take the Badlands Loop. Stop in Wall and take I-90 back to Deadwood/Sturgis.

Day 2: Devils Tower/Spearfish Canyon loop. Ride Spearfish Canyon up to Spearfish. Go to Belle Fourche and over through Aladdin, WY, to Devils Tower and back through Sundance. An optional longer loop can bring you west of the Black Hills to Four Corners, WY and back into Deadwood through O%26#39;Neil Pass.

Day 3: Needles Highway(Custer State Park)/Iron Mountain Road/Mt. Rushmore/SD 244 back to US16. Also pick up SD 89 between Sylvan Lake and Custer.

Day 4: Another day in the Southern Hills. Wildlife Loop/Game Lodge in Custer State Park. Also a drive-by of Crazy Horse Monument. Ride through Wind Cave Nat%26#39;l Park to Hot Springs and back up through Pringle.

Day 5: Pick up some loose ends. Ride to Rochford and eat or drink at the Moonshine Gulch Saloon. Ride out to Bear Butte east of Sturgis. Ride back to Silver City and then SD44 back into Rapid City.

This gives you about five days worth of riding in no particular order.

Again, if you%26#39;re looking to go to Sturgis Rally, you%26#39;ll spend more time in Sturgis and less on these rides.

Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

We are looking at the 7/24-7/29. I%26#39;ve heard the bikers start to come a week early to sturgis?

We%26#39;d like to see some activity for Sturgis, but we don%26#39;t necessarily want to be in the middle - especially since it%26#39;s probably too late to rent a bike that week.

Will Sturgis be picking up 1-2 weeks prior?

You really start to get the feel of the rally in the rally in Sturgis starting around Thursday or so of the week before the rally. I believe (but I%26#39;m not sure) that is when they block Main Street off to allow motorcycle traffic only.

Visiting the week before the rally is pretty popular for bikers who want to spend time in the Black Hills and spend a little time at the rally during the second weekend of their trip. It doesn%26#39;t seem like as many come for the end of the rally and then tour the Black Hills after the rally is over. I%26#39;m not sure why.

So to answer your question, if you leave by Tuesday of the week before the rally, Sturgis isn%26#39;t going to too rally-like yet. There will certainly be bikes around and a lot of setup will be going on but I%26#39;m not sure if there will be enough of what you want yet.