The Backroads to Sturgis

July 12, 2024

You've been to Sturgis year after year...see what else is on South Dakota's horizons!

The rush to the 84th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is about to swing into full gear here in the midwest. Bikers from all over the nation are loading up to ride the highways to the Black Hills, heading to the straight shots over the plains like I-90, SD-34, US-14, and US-212. While all these highways have their highlights, South Dakota has more to offer bikers willing to take the backroads. If you’ve been coming to Sturgis year after year, or if it’s your first trip out west, rolling off the beaten path is going to expand your horizons to what you can see on South Dakota roads.

Historic Rides: Highways 1804 & 1806
If green-and-amber prairies dropping away to grand sweeps of river, framed by rolling hills ranging in size from gentle slopes to “hey, is that a mountain over there?”, is something you’d like to see on your Sturgis road trip, rather than the average stretch of concrete and endless Wall Drug billboard advertising, Highways 1804 and 1806 are for you. Also called the Lewis & Clark Trail, or the Native American Scenic Byway, these scenic highways run along the Missouri River, largest river in the midwest. The Native American Scenic Byway runs through the five tribes – Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Lower Brule, Crow Creek, and Yankton Sioux – that line the Missouri River in Central Sodak. The Missouri River in South Dakota has been expanded into lakes by dams, stretching the river valley into four large reservoirs – no longer a moderately-sized spit of water. If you’ve been through Chamberlain and Oacoma on I-90 and took the plunge down that dizzying slope into the river valley and over the bridge, picture an entire road trip like that. You’ll be ascending the hills and bluffs, winding up or down among them, coming to peaks and seeing for miles across the river valley and lush plains.

Taking 1806 or 1804 in the southern section of the Lewis & Clark Trail, around Bonesteel, Herrick, Burke, and up to Platte over the river, the road twists around the hills, carrying you across rural countryside. Scenic honestly comes up short to describe the beauty of the landscape here.

In the northern parts, taking 1804 up to Forest City, Gettysburg, Akaska, and Mobridge, the road undulates up and down as it follows the river zig-zag. You feel like you are on the edge of a bumpy shelf: to the east farmland splays as far as the eye can see, and to the west the hills dimple the top of the valley edge where you can see down into the river.

To see the Lewis & Clark Trail or Native American Scenic Byway routes, view the map.

What’s the Vibe?
Taking the backroads around the river means you’ve got plenty of space to yourself. Things you can expect: free parking spaces, no lines or traffic to speak of, SoDak hospitality, insane sunsets, and bright skies. The towns are small, the crowd friendly, the speed steady, and the air free.

River Cities & Prairie Towns
Along the way, there are lots of western-flavored little towns that can supply your road trip needs, lodging, and a break from the road. If you’re not in a hurry and want to soak in the peace and quiet, we have a few suggestions for you.

1. Popular Stops for Scenic Vistas and Landmarks:

Chamberlain & Dignity: a very popular stop, driving through these river towns on I-90 gives you a hair-raising, spectacular view from east river going down into the valley. Dignity stands atop the hill just before the plunge.
Sights in Mobridge: The northern rivertown of Mobridge has many stops and neat drives. The bridge crossing the river on US-12 takes you to a great look-out bluff with monuments Sitting Bull and Sakakawea. In the downtown strip on Main Street, the Walleye Up Statue and Oscar Howe Murals are notable artsy stops.
Bridge at Forest City: When heading up 1804 from Pierre, reach the bridge over the Missouri River at Forest City on US-212.
Oahe Dam: The largest dam on the Missouri River in South Dakota, you can see a great sweeping scoop out of the side of the river where the dam builders moved tons and tons of earth to create this massive earth-rolled feat of engineering.
Verendrye Monument: Located in Fort Pierre on Verendrye Drive, the monument is situated on perfect lookout over the valley; you can see from the Oahe Dam all the way down the river to the twin towns of Pierre and Fort Pierre.
Stop in at the Capitol Building: Pierre, the capitol of South Dakota, has a pretty cool capitol building, over 100 years old, built to be beautiful. The building has open hours every day.
St. Anthony’s (a small detour): Named “The Cathedral of the Prairie”, this impressive catholic chapel is in Hoven, a tiny town between Gettysburg and Mobridge – taking a little detour off US-83 gets you there.
Bush’s Landing (for rough roaders): A small detour from 1804, traveling between Pierre and Forest City, riding out to Bush’s Landing Recreation Area gives you a gut-punch of a view. Find it at the end of 182nd Street – this road is paved up to the look-out, but if you want to get down to the water, the path turns to gravel and is a steep, minimally-maintained road. Odds are there will be people there – the area is too pretty not to hang around.

2. Fields of Gold!
The Sturgis Rally happens at one of the best times to visit – Sunflower Season! Visitors from all over the country come to see the golden fields in full production. Driving the rustic farmland will show you miles of endless blooms.

3. Museums
Towns in the midwest hang on to history. If neat things preserved from the past – tractors, blacksmith shops, fossils, rodeo heroes and war heroes – is your cup of tea, there are many free museums in town waiting for you to pop in and be amazed and horrified that someone kept the old 1800s dentist equipment.

- Museums: Klein Museum, SD National Guard Museum, Verendrye Museum, Casey Tibbs Rodeo Museum, Timber Lake & Area Museum, Dakota Sunset Museum, Akta Lakota Museum, SD Hall of Fame, SD Tractor Museum

4. Fishing
Whether you’re interested in shore fishing or hiring a guide service, the Mighty Mo is active with walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, perch, catfish, and salmon.

- Fishing Towns: Chamberlain, Pierre, Fort Pierre, Platte, Bonesteel, Akaska, Gettysburg, Pickstown, Geddes, Lake Andes

5. Stargazing
Central SoDak is sparsely populated even in its largest cities resulting in less light polluted areas. Driving 15-20 minutes into the countryside on a clear moonless night will reveal a sky full of stars and the Milky Way Galaxy.

More to See & Do in Central SoDak