Moakster Posted May 5, 2008 Share #1 Posted May 5, 2008 We are taking a trip to South Dakota at the end of June into July and was wondering what were some of the good roads to take for some scenic rides around Mount Rushmore? We are staying about 16 miles from Mount Rushmore and will probably be riding off and on for three days in that area. Moakster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlh3rd Posted May 5, 2008 Share #2 Posted May 5, 2008 all the roads around rapid city and sturgis are known for riding........needles hwy., the wild life loop through custer state park.hwys 16, 16a, 385, etc. crazy horse monument, badlands, the wall, deadwood......do some research and you'll find out where to ride.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfitzbiz Posted May 5, 2008 Share #3 Posted May 5, 2008 Be sure to ride through Custer State Park. Check out the wildlife! Leaving Mt. Rushmore towards the town of Keystone, the first little restaurant on the right as you enter town had some great bar-b-que buffalo ribs. Also ride the Spearfish Canyon, very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tessa c2 Posted May 5, 2008 Share #4 Posted May 5, 2008 off and on for 3 days:confused24: that isn't nearly enough time, we had tried jamming everything in in 5 days and ran out of time, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgew48 Posted May 5, 2008 Share #5 Posted May 5, 2008 Spent 10 days there last year during Sturigs. Putover 2000 miles on the bike just rideing around the Black Hills. Not a bad road anywhere. Must do's are the wild life loop through Custer State Park, The needles highway, Deadwood, Devils tower and many more. Watch out for Buffalo and Deer, don't want to hit one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD Posted May 5, 2008 Share #6 Posted May 5, 2008 I'm looking forward to this same trip the second week in September, so I will follow this post closely also. Has any one been there at that time of year and remembers what the weather was like? The buffalo ribs sound interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moakster Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share #7 Posted May 6, 2008 Thanks for the replies. We are staying at the Custer Gulch campground and are using it as our base. I looked up the roads listed and looked at the Google Earth satellite view and it looks awesome. Can't wait. Moakster:cool10::cool10: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted May 15, 2008 Share #8 Posted May 15, 2008 Make sure that you hit the 'Iron Mountain Road'. As you head down the hill just before you get to Keystone make a right and head south, this road makes the Tail of the Dragon look like a straight away. There are 3 pigtail bridges and quite a few hairpins. I tried to count the number of turns on this 18 mile stretch of road and gave up at 250 and was only about half way through it. This road along with the needles highway and the wildlife loop is part of my favorite ride when I only have time for a day trip. I live about 2 and a half hours away from Mt Rushmore and make it to the hills several times each riding season. Found a link for a short video of one of the tunnels and pigtail bridges. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGQTIlKFkh4]YouTube - Iron Mountain Road[/ame] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted May 15, 2008 Share #9 Posted May 15, 2008 Watched that video...365 degree? whats up with that? does he mean 360 degree? Or did he get out there and measure that thing? Its called a pigtail bridge dangit. Anyway...I think its absolutely wrong to be riding Iron Mountain Road in a car. No rumbling pipes? I never heard it eerily silent like that before. Plus he's going WAAY too slow...and he's going the WRONG way!! Everyone KNOWS you ride that road from Rushmore, to Custer State Park, to Needles Highway, to Hill City... Sheesh..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iowawegian Posted May 15, 2008 Share #10 Posted May 15, 2008 My hubby and I are taking our 3 sons on the same trip mid June! Great to see the video and will make sure and ride it!! We live in the middle of corn and bean fields. Flat, flat, flat so have to make a 2 hour ride to Wisconsin every weekend to get into the hills. Didn't get much of a chance when our boys were growing up to travel, so this trip means the world to me, to ride for a week with them. Everyone says Spearfish Canyon is unreal! Thanks for tips on great roads to ride!! New to the website as of a week ago and have already learned a wealth of info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jryan Posted May 15, 2008 Share #11 Posted May 15, 2008 I'd agree with everything everyone already mentioned...esp Spearfish Canyon & the Needles Hwy...gotta ride those! The main roads thru the hills can get pretty busy depending on the day & time of day...we've found that the smaller paved roads like Nemo Rd, Sheridan Lake Rd, and Vannocker Canyon provide some great riding as well without having someone sticking to your tailpipes. But you really can't go wrong anywhere in the hills...it's all great riding...after 3 days you'll wanna come back again! Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted May 15, 2008 Share #12 Posted May 15, 2008 Hey Iowababe...you'll have a blast..if you go into the Spearfish Canyon from Spearfish, about 5 miles or so, ( about 8-10 minutes) park on the right, and then walk across the road to the Bridal Veil Falls...if its been raining in the last few days there may be a lot of water falling. You can walk down into the river and across the rocks to get to it. Be careful, those rocks can be slippery! Continuing on thru the canyon, you will see huge steep marble cliffs and walls...every turn will show you something new! Keep your speeds around 40 or so, and just enjoy the view. Make a stop at Savoy, the lodge there on the right, and have an adult beverage and sit out on the patio. Nice. During the rally, that place is filled with bikers and food vendors...but I know youre not going during the rally....shame about that. At Cheyene crossing, hang a left and go over the hill and then down into Lead ( pronounced LEED)....if you take the little roads on the right (behind the motels) up into the residential area, ( very steep roads) you will be amazed at the view. Then on into Deadwood...there is parking at the more northern edge of town on the main drag, or you can park one block over in the public areas. Lots of casinos...stop into Saloon Number 10 ( sawdust floor!) and say Hi to Lori! ( tall slender blonde) Then walk across the street, and down a block or so, and walk down the stairs into the Deadwood Tobacco Company. Cool place, and has a walk-in humidor. If you or hubby like cigars, check it out! I know you'll have a great time...I'll be there during the rally the first week of August...so leave some coin in the slot machines! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted May 18, 2008 Share #13 Posted May 18, 2008 :no-no-no:"Everyone" knows that there is no 'wrong' direction to ride this road and as for the '365 degrees, this bridge completes more that a full circle. If anyone has ever ridden this road, they would know that. :no-no-no:About the only thing you were right about was that they are called the 'pigtail' bridges and that they were going too slow. And as for taking a car on that drive, if the traffic is light, it's almost as much fun as it is on the bike. "Sheesh!"Watched that video...365 degree? whats up with that? does he mean 360 degree? Or did he get out there and measure that thing? Its called a pigtail bridge dangit. Anyway...I think its absolutely wrong to be riding Iron Mountain Road in a car. No rumbling pipes? I never heard it eerily silent like that before. Plus he's going WAAY too slow...and he's going the WRONG way!! Everyone KNOWS you ride that road from Rushmore, to Custer State Park, to Needles Highway, to Hill City... Sheesh..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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