In the past couple of years, a new road has been put in that comes into the Chip/Glencoe/Full Throttle from the back side, but I think it's still partly gravel.

There is also a movement afoot to annex the whole area into the city of Sturgis (if it already hasn't happened), which will mean Sturgis Law will prevail.

There is stuff happening all over the Hills, in every little town, so don't limit yourself to just Sturgis. We were walking through an alley in one of the little towns by Mt Rushmore, and someone hollered at us from a rooftop over storefront. Going up the back steps, which I think was the fire escape, we found a group of enterprising guys and gals serving burgers and beer for way less than the "street price" down below. They had a cattle tank full of ice and beer, and a couple of huge grills cooking brats and hamburgers, and lawn chairs up at the edge of the roof to sit on, and look over the ledge to the street scene below. And no, we didn't ask to see their "vendor permit!"

Lots of stuff happens over in Wyoming as well. One of our yearly traditions is going north up to Newell SD where a restaurant serves biscuits and gravy.

Here's a couple of pictures shot from the rooftop. I believe this is Hill City.

The last picture is of the police that were descending on the area after the shootout by Custer between the HA and the Outlaws in '06. We were staying in Custer, and the next day there were vacancy signs all over town.

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The Black Hills starts seeing more bike traffic about 2 weeks before Bike Week, but vendors don't ususally get set up until just before the first weekend. I've been in the Black Hills during times other than the rally, but any time during the summer there are a lot of campers....cars and RVs, so there is almost always a fair amount of traffic, but Bike week is way over the top. The last time I went there were 4 couple on bikes in my group. We had to plan most all of our touring in the hills to allow for right turns only in the main traffic congestion points. Trying to make a left turn from a stop-sign where there wasn't a 4-way stop was nearly impossible, especially if you were trying to keep even 4 bikes all together. Its amazing that there aren't more accidents than there are, any place you go you end up in a group of hundreds, and some cases thousands of bikes

 

Live on the wyo side of sturgis, hey dont forget to check out the ham and jam in Hulett wyo it is right down the road from devils tower stop in Beuluh just a gas station and a bar it is right off the interstate as you are heading to wyo as amatter of fact it is the first thing you see after the welcome to wyo sighn a little bar with the best bloody marys this side of the mississipi food is great . they used to have dragraces right down main during the rally afew years back But the law got involved .tons of pictures of rallys goneby hanging on the walls the bar and food is great and a bloody mary in the morning heading to the Ham and Jam on No Panty Wensday sure helps . Dont get back on the interstate just head west out of town and you will come to 111 take that to 24 and head into Hulette a realy great ride through the wyo side of the blackhils

 

Sublime, we've done both, going early, or going midweek and staying into the next week.

Going early will get you the best camp spots, and cheaper rates until the weekend, when the prices get jacked. Going midweek, people are leaving and finding campsites usually isn't any problem, but they might not be choice, and they may be getting dirty. But by the end of the week the vendors are dealing, so it you're there to buy stuff, wait until they start negotiating.

I agree totally with the previous post, about planning your route so you're either going straight, or making right hand turns. There's some really bad traffic jams sometimes down by Mt. Rushmore, as well as the Sturgis area.

 

Glenncoe camp grounds isnt to bad a place to stay either

 

The Chip or Glencoe are both wild places. I like to visit the wild places and then go back to the hotel to get some sleep.

 

I agree. Deadwood was my favorite. But if your in Sturgis check out One Eyed Jack's saloon. The food is great.

 

Looks like all the hotels in DeadWood are pretty well booked...