Riding Sturgis? Don't miss what's outside the rally. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has run since 1938, and for about ten days each August the Black Hills town turns over almost entirely to motorcycling — its 86th edition runs August 7–16, 2026. But the real reason half a million riders point their bikes at this corner of South Dakota is the country around it. The Black Hills are loaded with legendary roads, landmarks, and stops, and Switchback Moto helps you find them all.

Sturgis sits at the northern edge of the Hills, which makes it a natural base camp: out on the byways by day, back on Main Street at night. Here's the rundown of what's worth building into your week — every one of these is a real, mapped stop in the atlas.

Badlands Loop (SD-240)

Miles of unreal landscapes and wide-open riding. The Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway twists for 39 miles through Badlands National Park between Cactus Flat and Wall, curving past a wall of eroded pinnacles and buttes with 16 scenic overlooks along the way. It sits east of the Hills proper, so treat it as its own day trip — and note there's no fuel inside the park, and summer heat on the exposed prairie can be intense. Top off the tank and carry water.

Iron Mountain Road (SD-16A)

314 curves, pigtail bridges, and Mount Rushmore views. Iron Mountain Road runs US-16A between Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore and packs 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, three wooden pigtail bridges, and three single-lane tunnels — the tunnels are engineered to frame Mount Rushmore in your windshield as you ride through. Take it south-to-north for the best tunnel framing, and expect heavy tourist traffic in summer, especially during rally week. This is a road to savor at an unhurried pace, not to rush.

Bridal Veil Falls (Spearfish Canyon US-14A)

A must-stop waterfall overlooking one of the Black Hills' most scenic motorcycle roads. The Bridal Veil Falls Pullout is a roughly 60-foot waterfall that spills over a limestone cliff directly beside US-14A, about 5.8 miles south of Spearfish Canyon's north entrance — the first major waterfall you reach on a southbound run of the canyon byway. There's shoulder parking and a crosswalk to a wooden viewing platform on the far bank, so it takes zero detour. Flow runs hardest in spring snowmelt and thins to a lace-like veil later in the season.

Needles Highway (SD-87)

Granite walls, tight curves, and one of the most iconic rides in South Dakota. The Needles Highway threads SD-87 through Custer State Park between granite "needle" spires, with sharp switchbacks and two very narrow single-lane tunnels. The Needles Eye Tunnel is just 8 feet wide — check your handlebar and mirror clearance before you commit on a wide bike. The road closes in winter, typically from late October or early November through April, so August riders are in the clear.

Custer State Park Wildlife Loop (SD-87/16A)

A scenic ride where you might have to slow down for bison. The Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road is an ~18-mile paved run through open grasslands and ponderosa-pine foothills, best known for close encounters with the park's free-roaming bison — one of the largest publicly owned herds in the country — plus pronghorn, deer, prairie dogs, and the park's famous "begging burros." It links US-16A near the State Game Lodge with SD-87 as part of the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway. Ride early or late for the most wildlife, keep well back from the bison, and expect the herd to stop traffic without warning.

Crazy Horse Memorial (US-16/385)

See the world's largest mountain carving in progress, honoring Lakota leader Crazy Horse. The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain-carving monument on privately held land, commissioned by Lakota elder Henry Standing Bear and begun by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski in 1948. When finished it is planned to reach 641 feet long and 563 feet high — far larger than the nearby Mount Rushmore faces. The entrance sits on US-16/385 about 4 miles north of Custer, directly on the main Black Hills touring corridor, with a welcome center, restaurant, theaters, and the Indian Museum of North America on the visitor campus.

Historic Deadwood (US-14A)

Old West history meets motorcycle culture. Historic Deadwood is the gold-rush town born in 1876 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 — the whole town, not just one building. Its brick Main Street is lined with saloons and gaming halls, and it's best known as the place where Wild Bill Hickok was shot dead during a poker game, holding the pair of aces and pair of eights that card players still call the "Dead Man's Hand." Deadwood legalized casino gaming in 1989 and now runs more than 20 casinos. It makes an easy lunch-and-history stop between Spearfish Canyon and Sturgis.

Downtown Sturgis Main Street (US-14A)

The heart of the rally — motorcycle history, iconic bars, local shops, and thousands of riders. Downtown Sturgis Main Street is the rally's official hub: during the event the street is closed to cars and open only to motorcycles, packed bar-to-bar with bikes, live music, vendor booths, and souvenir shops. Walking the strip to see the custom and vintage bikes other riders have hauled in is a core part of the experience. While you're on Main Street, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is the place to connect the riding you're doing to the history behind it.

Devils Tower National Monument (WY-24)

A legendary detour that's worth every mile. Devils Tower was proclaimed the first national monument in the United States by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. The steep-sided igneous monolith rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River in northeast Wyoming, its fluted sides formed by columnar jointing you can see for miles before you arrive. Reached via WY-24 just across the South Dakota line, it's the classic Sturgis-week ride out — a rewarding half-day out-and-back from the Black Hills. It's also a sacred site to more than 20 Plains tribes, so ride and visit with respect.

Plan Your Sturgis Week

The rally is the excuse; the Black Hills are the reason. String these together and you have a week of some of the most varied riding in the country — high granite passes, open prairie byways, waterfalls, wildlife, and Old West towns, all within a tank of Sturgis. Every stop above is mapped in the South Dakota and Wyoming atlas, with the routes, overlooks, and corners worth knowing about.

Build your loop before you leave home: open the route planner, drop in the roads and stops you want, and ride into the rally with a plan instead of a guess. See you on Main Street.