Find More Than the World’s Largest Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis

There are towns in the Black Hills of South Dakota known for their gold history, historical lawlessness, hot springs or national park sites. Sturgis is known for its incredible marque events.

And while its Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is probably the most well-known event, there’s far more to this town of 7,000 than a 10-day motorcycle gathering. Sturgis hosts 30-plus events year round from Camaro and Mustang car rallies to a frosty winter triathlon, a popular weekly summer mountain bike race series and Music on Main, a weekly summer music concert series.

Plus, the town is within a short drive to all of the Black Hills’ greatest hits.

“Often times, people think that all we have to offer is a 10-day rally in August. But we are central to all the sites people want to see in the Black Hills,” said Sturgis Rally & Events director Tammy Even-Cordell. “We’re just minutes from historic Deadwood, beautiful Spearfish Canyon and sacred Bear Butte.”

And if you want a true local’s tip, visit in the spring or fall when the crowds have left and you can enjoy places like Mount Rushmore and Wind Cave without waiting in lines or circling parking lots hoping for a parking spot. You’ll discover the trails, be it for hiking, biking, ATV or snowmobiling, are also less crowded.

Get Outside and Explore Bear Butte State Park

While there are 30 miles of mountain biking and hiking single-track right from Sturgis trailheads, they connect to another 60-80 miles of greater Black Hills single-track trails. There’s even a stunning state park six miles east of town. Visit Bear Butte State Park, home to the 4,426-foot Bear Butte. You’ll spend about 45 minutes to an hour hiking up 900 feet on the Summit Trail, a moderate trail. At the summit, you’ll see four states from its summit—Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Wear good hiking shoes, stay on the trail and avoid poison ivy that grows alongside the trail.

The butte is considered a sacred place to Native American tribes who have been visiting the site for at least 10,000 years as evidenced by the artifacts discovered on the butte. Today, more than 15 tribes continue to visit this spot to fast, pray and leave colorful bundles in the trees as prayer offerings. Please do not disturb them when you visit. While in the park, you also can hike on the 111-mile Centennial Trail and see the well-worn paths of wagon trains on the prairie.

Summer in Sturgis

In June and July, the town hosts Music on Main, a family-friendly event featuring live music, food vendors and a play area for kids. It also shares space with a weekly mountain bike race series for all ages that begins and ends in downtown.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

This year marks the 83rd year of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It’s filled with concerts, including  street food, charity ride, area rides and more. It will take place August 4-13, 2023.  But if you’re not in town in August, you can still catch a glimpse of what this storied rally is all about. Head to the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame, where displays of motorcycles and their stories capture a special part of American history.

History buffs should head to Old Fort Meade Museum to learn more about the life of the edge of the Black Hills in the 1800s and the military history of the area. Fort Meade was established in 1878-79 and was a military post until 1944 when it was transformed into a veterans hospital.

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally By the Numbers

Source: sturgismotorcyclerally.com

For more information:

officialsturgisevents.com/staywithus

www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com