Sturgis is a city in South Dakota that is most famous for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Get in

By car (or motorcycle)

Sturgis is located along Interstate 90 and US 14 in western South Dakota, about 30 miles west of Rapid City and 20 miles east of US 85 at Spearfish. South Dakota Highway 79 goes north, past Bear Butte State Park towards Newell and North Dakota, and SD Highway 34 heads east to the capital city of Pierre. US Highway 14A enters Sturgis through scenic Boulder Canyon from Deadwood.

By plane

For passengers, Sturgis is best reached by the Rapid City airport (KRAP, RAP). Pilots can use the Sturgis Municipal Airport (FAA code 49B), with its 5100 ft long, 60 ft wide paved runway.

Get around

By car

Junction Avenue runs north from I-90 Exit 32 through the center of town. It now runs south of I-90, turning into Vanocker Canyon Road.

Main Street runs east/west, and intersects Junction Ave in the north.

Lazelle Street (SD Hwys 34&79) runs east/west on the northern side of town, parallel to Main Street, and is the major thoroughfare through town. It intersects I-90 at Exit 30 on the northwest side of Sturgis, and continues west up Boulder Canyon to Deadwood. Going East, it splits into SD Hwy 79 which goes north past Bear Butte to Newell, and east on SD Hwy 34 to Union Center and Pierre.

Ball Park Road curves from Junction Ave in the south along residential areas, passing by the fire station and elementary school, to meet Sherman Street (next to Main Street) in the north.

By foot or bicycle

A bike path follows Bear Butte Creek running west to east across the northern part of town, extending past Ft. Meade to Sturgis Brown High School, and also follows the Short Track Road along the southwest side of town. The bike path crosses the Centennial Trail near Ft. Meade, which runs from Bear Butte State Park in the northern Black Hills to Wind Cave National Park in the southern Black Hills.

See

• Bear Butte State Park
• Fort Meade Cavalry Museum, ☏ +1 605-347-9822. 
• 1 Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, 999 Main St., ☏ +1 605 347-2001.  
• 2 Black Hills National Cemetery, 20901 Pleasant Valley Dr, ☏ +1 605 347-3830. Sunrise-sunset. Officeː M-F 8AM-4ː30PM. (updated Sep 2020)
• Wonderland Cave, 12634 Alpine Rd, Nemo, ☏ +1 605-578-1728. 
• Fort Meade Recreation Area and National Back Country Byway. 
• St. Martin's Chapel. 
• Poker Alice House. 
• Annie Tallent Home. 
• Charles Nolin Monument. 
• Public Sculptures:

"Kinship" at the Sturgis Community Center, "General Samuel D. Sturgis" at the Hills and Plains Park at the east entrance to town, "Jesus in the Garden" at the First United Methodist Church Memorial Garden, "St. Francis of Assisi" at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, and a new abstract sculpture in front of the Sturgis Public Library.

Do

• 1 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. One of the largest and most famous motorcycle rallies in the world. Held each first week of August (after the first full weekend).  
• Cavalry Days. Recreates calvary life at Fort Meade. 
• South Dakota Centennial Trail. 
• Sturgis Regional Rodeo. 
• Sturgis Mustang Rally. 

Eat

• Boulder Canyon Country Club, Hwy 14A (5 Miles west of Sturgis on 14A), ☏ +1 605-347-5108. 7AM-7PM. Open to the public. Enjoy dinner while viewing the secluded nine hole golf course in the beautiful Black Hills. Full bar and restaurant. Private parties and corporate dinners available upon request. $3-$10. 
• Uncle Louie's Diner, 1039 Main St (Downtown Sturgis), ☏ +1 605-720-6475. Bob's serves a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner (on Fridays). 
• Loud American Roadhouse, 1305 Main St, ☏ +1 605 720-1500. 11AM-2AM. The locals' favorite place for great food and cocktails. Their "Legendary Steak Tips" are the best around, having consistent taste, price, and creativity in the dishes served. The Roadhouse's staff is friendly, courteous, and provides prompt service. After the sun goes down, the night life heats up the place, with great bands and flowing spirits. Everything from reggae to country can be heard on the "Jack Daniels Stage" every weekend in the winter time, and summer boasts the annual street dances and concert series, popular with people of all ages. Unlike some other restaurants in the region, this is a no smoking restaurant, and it also has good security. 

Sleep

Hotels

• Baymont Inn & Suites by Wyndham Sturgis, 2721 Lazelle St, ☏ +1 605-206-5400. Indoor pool with slide. 
• Super 8, 2600 Whitewood Service Rd, ☏ +1 605-347-4447. 
• Days Inn, 2630 Lazelle St, ☏ +1 605-206-3077. 
• The Hotel Sturgis, 1144 Main St, ☏ +1 605 561-0116, frontdesk@thehotelsturgis.com. (updated Sep 2020)

Campgrounds

• Lamphere Ranch Campground. Only open during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and special events. 
• 1 Legendary Buffalo Chip, 20622 Fort Meade Way, Buffalo Chip, ☏ +1605 347-9000. An event venue outside Sturgis, South Dakota, USA. It is a gathering place for motorcycle enthusiasts and music festival visitors each year, and has been since being founded in 1981. Host to a 10-day Concert Series and thousands of motorcyclists each August during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the Buffalo Chip provides a music festival, various other forms of entertainment, and full service tent, RV and cabin camping on almost 600 acres in rural Meade County. The motorcycle and music festival also features entertainment such as beauty pageants, dance performances, bike shows and stunts, roller derby, midget bowling, military tributes and more. The Sturgis Buffalo Chip has been featured on multiple television specials on the Travel Channel, Discovery and the Fox Sports Network.  

Go next

Sturgis is centrally located on I-90 between Rapid City, Deadwood, Spearfish, Newell, and Belle Fourche, and should not be missed when visiting or passing through the Black Hills.

• Black Hills National Forest borders Sturgis all along the south and west, and can be entered through scenic Vanocker Canyon (connects to Nemo Road).
• Deadwood is possibly America's most storied small town from the wild frontier days and is just 15 minutes from Sturgis on scenic Hwy 14A through Boulder Canyon.
• Mount Rushmore National Memorial is about an hour away, and so is the even larger Crazy Horse Memorial.
• Spearfish is about 20 minutes in the opposite direction of Rapid City, and has several attractions.
• Rapid City is the nearest "large" city, providing most any desired services.

Routes through Sturgis

Gillette ← Spearfish ←

W  E

→ Rapid City → Sioux Falls