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We will be doing a trip with three bikes in July. Due to logistical time constraints, our bikes will be shipped to Rapid City and waiting for us at the airport when we land so we can hit the ground running.
I have never been out there so I am looking for MUST visit places to hit and also a route to follow.
Ideally, we do not want to stay in a different hotel every night. I think we want to spend two nights at the same hotel twice on the trip.
Every gas station or tourist stop will have a map of the black hills area for free. It has roads and routes market out in loops. As for places to stay Dead wood is a very popular area.
Hill City is in the center of the Hills and a good base as well.
A trip to Devil's Tower and then out to Little Bighorn National Battlefield would make a good day trip. Possibly then stay in Billings overnight, and go to the Beartooth Hwy and then back to Rapid City.
3 nights in Rapid city/hill city/tombstone. Any one of these
1 night in Sheridan. ( this will get you over the by way of 14A nice ride, also Beartooth)
1 night in Gardner ( then into the park Yellowstone )
1 night in Cody ( out of Yellowstone in to Cody and back to Rapid City)
1 night in Rapid City
With this route you probably see most of what you want to see....
Map is live so some of the roads are closed due to snow but you get the idea.....
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You could stay in the Black Hills for a week all by itself. However, since you are coming from Georgia I would look at going west as well. Must do's: Devil's Tower, Red Lodge, MT, Cody, WY, Beartooth Pass as well as Chief Joseph Pass. Since you are that close a loop into YellowStone as well.
Black Hills you have Iron Mountain Road, Spearfish Canyon, Sturgis, Deadwood, Mt Rushmore, the Badlands.
Anyway you go it won't be wrong.
By the way, if you do go to Red Lodge, MT, try and stay at the Alpine Lodge, http://www.alpineredlodge.net/ . Really nice place to stay and a cooked to order breakfast.
i will second the Alpinerelodge, we ended up with a cabin real nice friendly motorcycle place, there 6 couples/bikes had a great time that night.....last week in July just before Sturgis week.......
Hill City is in the center of the Hills and a good base as well.
A trip to Devil's Tower and then out to Little Bighorn National Battlefield would make a good day trip. Possibly then stay in Billings overnight, and go to the Beartooth Hwy and then back to Rapid City.
I second Hill City. We like it.
As far as where to go, there's plenty of riding right there to keep one occupied for a week. You could go west into Cody, YS, etc, and it will be great. But If you want to stay in one spot/hotel, it's not doable.
Anyway, I did a ride report on the Black Hills. It's in my sig for highlights of that area.
First off. You need to make a list and then move things between "must see/do" and "nice to see/do". You will not be able to fit everything.
Go to the SD tourism page and get the free vacation guide. They send you a ton of maps, brochures and such. Also their website is good.
As many have mentioned Beartooth would be cool but check the map. It is over 6 hours just drive time. You will burn a full day just getting there.
As also mentioned Hill City is pretty central to the Black Hills area and is not only beautiful but has good lodging options and food. It's within an hour of almost everything. Devil's Tower will take a bit longer.
Pro tip from a local. If you do Iron Mountain Road, do it from South to North. meaning go down to Custer then into the park to catch the south end of the road. This way Mt. Rushmore will be framed up in the rock tunnels as the diggers intended. You can't see that going the other way.
Another Pro tip from a local, for the love of God don't try to pet the buffalo, and don't rev up your bike near them. They are wild animals that weigh as much as a pickup truck. Feel free to ask me questions. I live in the eastern half of the state but have been out there many times.
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One week loop to and from Rapid City, SD
