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When most moto-folks think of the Black Hills of South Dakota, they generally think of Sturgis, or more specifically the Sturgis Rally. Leather-clad cruiser riders in a constant state of parade, slowly rolling down Main Street, campgrounds packed to the gills with campers waiting for hair metal cover bands to take the stage, overpriced beers and endless bike traffic wherever you turn. While this reputation may be deserved for one week out of the year, the rest of the riding season is very different.
As a permanent resident of the Black Hills, I am a bit hesitant to share the awesomeness of this place, but in my continuing quest to further all things motorcycling I’ll let you in on a little secret: The riding here is insanely good, and not just the paved roads (more on that later). The off-road scene here is incredible. There are 1.2 million acres of national forest encapsulating a combination of 3,600 miles of dirt roads, two-track and single-track trail wandering through the hills in a veritable wonderland of off-road riding that accommodates every skill level of rider.
The trail system stretches from the Wyoming border on the east to Interstate 90 on the west, and from Spearfish in the north all the way to Custer State Park in the south and offers a surprisingly wide range of topography. You will be in thick forest in the north, boulders in the south, and sand, red clay, black dirt and rocky sections everywhere in between. The trails can be linked together by stunning paved sections, making for what I think is the best mix of on- and off-road riding in the country. Obviously, living here gives me the opportunities to ride these trails and roads all the time, but I still haven't managed to cover it all.
I do, however, have some favorites to recommend if you're thinking of coming to the Get On! Adventure Festival next month, or just planning to make a solo trip on your own.
Favorite off-road motorcycle rides in the Black Hills
The spaghetti bowl of trails and dirt roads offers an exponential number of options, so rather than try to send you to one specific trail, I think the best bet is to direct you to my favorite areas so you can explore them for yourself. One of my favorite off-road spots is the little town of Nemo, which sits 17 miles south of Sturgis and 20 miles southeast of Deadwood. It's a perfect area to kick off a dirt bike ride.
The Nemo Guest Ranch is a great camping spot and the Mercantile across the road has a general store and gas pump. The trail heads are easily seen and head off in every direction from Nemo. On the north side of Nemo is Piedmont Road (Forestry Road 144.1), which can be used as a main artery to access multiple spots. You can go east to the Dalton Lake area where the trails are faster and have a nice rhythm to them. Or you can head west to the cliffs overlooking Nemo. This terrain is definitely slower with climbs that are rocky and root-covered, but it treats you to beautiful views of the Nemo Valley.
Just past Nemo on Nemo Road you can hang a right on Forestry Road 208 (also called Merritt Road), a gravel road that will take you to my favorite burger spot at the intersection of U.S. Highway 385 called the Sugar Shack. After slamming down a burger, point your trusty steed down Rochford Road, which is located about 100 yards away. This twisty gravel road is littered with trailheads on either side of the road with single-track options, light sand sections and a bunch of really fun two-track. Heading east on the trail heads will put you in the Silver City and Pactola Reservoir area, and west will take you towards the Lead, Terry Peak area. If you stay on the road, it follows a winding creek that will take you to Rochford, a "ghost town" that's home to the Moonshine Gulch Saloon. From there, you can catch the paved section of Rochford Road back to 85 and into Lead and Deadwood.
But not all adventure riding has to be on dirt, in my opinion. You're probably on an adventure bike that can handle everything, so it would be a shame to miss out on some of the best riding in the country by not hitting the pavement for some twisties. Some of the roads in the hills are fairly well known, especially if you have been to the Sturgis Rally, but I highly recommend riding them in a non-rally setting.
The first on the list is Spearfish Canyon (U.S. Highway 14A). Starting from the south edge of Spearfish, it's nearly 20 miles of endless sweepers and carousel-like corners. A handful of waterfalls are scattered throughout the canyon with the biggest being Roughlock Falls, just a mile or so down a dirt road in Savoy. If you are a hiker or fisherman, this canyon provides a bunch of well marked trailheads and a wandering creek that follows the road and is sure to entice any flyfisher to try their hand at snagging a few trout. The canyon will spit you out at Cheyenne Crossing, just outside of Lead, where there is a ton of access to more trail heads or take U.S. Highway 85 back into Lead and Deadwood.
Iron Mountain Road (U.S. Highway 16A) is located just outside of Keystone, South Dakota, about a mile before you get to Mount Rushmore and is one of my favorite all-time roads to ride. Its 17 miles feature 314 curves, 17 switchbacks, three pigtails, three tunnels (look up for a glance at Rushmore going through the tunnels) and 2 split sections. The scenery is stunning but keep your eyes on the road. The serpentine route demands your attention.
At the summit of the road, I recommend a stop at Norbeck Overlook to take in the views. Lakota Lake is a great place to kick back for a quick lunch and if you need fuel, Spokane campground near the end of the road has a gas pump and snacks for sale. The road ends at Custer State Park and if you’re so inclined I recommend a ride through the wildlife loop. The bison herd is something to behold and the local donkey population will keep you entertained.
The Iron Mountain Road ride will lead you right to Needles Highway (Highway 87) which is a 16-mile stretch of smooth blacktop with switchbacks, 270-degree corners and stunning views that carves its way through the granite "needles" rising up from the hills. The road is short on guardrails and long on turns, so keeping your corner speed in check is a good idea. There are two tunnels, with the biggest and most famous tunnel being the Needles Eye Tunnel, and it features a nice turn out for picture taking right before the entrance and happens to be a local mountain goat hangout. Once you pass through the tunnel, look up and to your left to see the "eye of the needle." Needles finishes up with the option of reading into Hill City or over to Wind Cave National Park for more adventures.
No matter what routes you choose here in the Black Hills, paved or not, you will be treated to beautiful views, all types of riding and plenty of adventures. You can get trail maps for free locally and the off-road routes do require a $25 tail tag.
My personal tip is to dress for the weather… all of it. You never know what weather system awaits on the other side of the hill out here, so the best bet is to be prepared. Like my buddies at Biltwell say, "All bikes are adventure bikes," so no matter what machine you are riding, bring that bad mama jamma out here to the hills. If you can find me on the trail, I’ll buy you a beer.
