Heading out to the rally from the San Francisco Bay Area. Don't want to slab it all the way from here to there. Any recommendations/suggestions on routes to consider? Allowing 3 days to get out to Sturgis. Going to hit up Yellowstone either on the way out or way back depending on route suggestions.

 

A lot depends on how many miles you want to ride in a day. A straight shot from San Francisco to Sturgis (staying on I-80 to the middle of Wyoming, then heading north) is about 1400 miles. That makes for 460 mile days if you're giving yourself 3 days. A more interesting route would be

• I-80 to Winnemucca
• north to Kooskia, ID
• east to Lolo, MT
• south to Salmon, ID
• southeast to West Yellowstone, MT
• through Yellowstone, NP to Cody, WY
• Up Chief Joseph, HWY, then over Beartooth to Red Lodge, MT
• Up to Billings, MT
• Southeast through Broadus to Sturgis.

That adds over 500 miles to the route, meaning you would have to cover almost 650 miles per day. It's doable, but doesn't really leave time to enjoy those more interesting roads you're riding.

Another option, getting you up to Yellowstone, but not Lolo pass, is:

• I-80 to Wells, NV
• North to Twin Falls, ID
• I-84/I-86 to Pocatello, ID (have an egg roll at the Mandarin House)
• I-15 to Idaho Falls
• Swan Valley Highway to Alpine, WY
• Along the Snake River to Jackson
• North through Yellowstone to Cooke City, MT
• Over the Beartooth to Red Lodge
• Same as above on to Sturgis.

This makes for a trip of about 1600 miles (depending on what loops you do in Yellowstone). If it was me, I would take 6 days getting there on the first route, spend fewer days in Sturgis, then take 2 days coming home on the direct route. Second choice, if you're set on the number of days at Sturgis, I would take 4 days to do the second route going out there, then come home in two days on the direct route. I'm interested to see what other suggestions you get.

 

Both suggestions look like fun routes. 3 days going out is somewhat set in stone. The trip's flexibility is on the back half, which gives me the thought of riding your first route on the way back home (obviously in reverse order). Thanks for the suggestions.