Our first trip to Sturgis and have a question for the ones who have been before. We should be arriving on Sat. the 1st with our 39 foot toy hauler with bike in back. We are staying at Shade Valley which is past the Chip. So my question is when coming into town that day is the street already closed off to vehicles (only motorcycles allowed) like it is in Hollister or does it stay open to all vehicle traffic. And if closed there must be alternative ways to get to the campground with a trailer since i wont be the only one.

 

Main St is closed to cars, Lazelle (34/79) has always been open but it will be slow going.

 

 

Very Slow going from the expressway east through town.

 

It's a simple route if you know it, but may be slow going depending on the time of day. If you are coming from California, I assume you'll be going east on I-90/Hwy 14. Take the second Sturgis exit on the SE side of Sturgis, which is Junction Ave. Go north into Sturgis on Junction Ave until you get to Douglas St., which is at a set of lights. Take a right, and go as far as you can, when it T's into Nellie St. Turn left on Nellie, and that will take you north to Hwy 34. Take a right on 34, and that will take you right out past the Full Throttle, the north side of the Chip, and on to Shade Valley. You will miss all of the downtown, and closed off streets.

Do a google map of Sturgis and it is very easy to see the route I just described.

Have a great time!

 

With a million people expected put your patience hat on your gonna need it any route you take with a small apartment in tow.

 

This is great advice on a bike or just driving a car, but I would be weary of pulling a 40 foot toy hauler through the neighborhood you describe. i would just take Junction to Lazelle. It will bypass most of the traffic on Lazelle, and will keep you out of an unfamiliar crowded neighborhood. There are other routes that will take you through some dirt roads (not sure if you want to get your camper dirty). That would be my advice, take it for what it's worth.

 

If you get there at 07:00 it'll be a snap getting through town on Lazelle St.

 

Saturday afternoon is likely to be first class Charley Foxtrot. I wouldn't drive anything with 4 wheels through town, let alone pull a trailer. Look at exiting I-90 at Spearfish, head north to Belle Fourche then east to 79. You can figure out the rest from there. Sure it's a longer router. I bet it will be quicker and a heck of a lot nerve racking though. Going through Sturgis isn't a lot of fun on a bike. Traffic will be backed up at the turn to the Chip, stay in the left lane though and you should be ok.

 

What I'm thinking make it a wee morning hours run before the idiots get up.