Outside rally week, Sturgis is a quiet ranch-country town with five things worth your time: the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, Main Street, Fort Meade, Bear Butte and the Black Hills National Cemetery. All five are within 12 miles of Suzies Camp at I-90 Exit 34.
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame
5 miles from camp, about 10 minutes. Motorcycles from every era and the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, at 999 Main Street. Open year-round: 9 to 5 from Memorial Day to Labor Day, shorter hours the rest of the year (check before you go). Adult admission is $16.
Main Street
6 miles, about 10 minutes. The street that turns into the rally’s main stage every August is a small-town main street the rest of the year: shops, cafes and the bars that made it famous, without the crowds.
Fort Meade
Fort Meade, just east of town, was a cavalry post from 1878 to 1944; the grounds are now a VA medical center. The Old Fort Meade Museum, in the former commanding officer’s headquarters, is open mid-May through September. Next door, the Fort Meade Recreation Area’s trails start at Exit 34, the same exit as camp. Our guide to Fort Meade and the Centennial Trail.
Bear Butte
12 miles, about 25 minutes. A lone mountain on the prairie, sacred to many Plains tribes, with a summit trail and wide views. How to hike Bear Butte respectfully.
Black Hills National Cemetery
At 20901 Pleasant Valley Drive, right at the Exit 34 interchange, 1 mile from camp. The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset, and it’s busiest on Memorial Day. Among those buried here is Sgt. Charles Windolph, a Medal of Honor recipient.
What’s on in Sturgis outside August?
- Sturgis Arts Festival: the first Saturday in June.
- Sturgis Mustang Rally: early September, the week before Labor Day.
- Sturgis Bronco Rally: late September, at the Buffalo Chip.
- Sturgis Fall Festival: in October.
- Holiday tree lighting and Parade of Lights: around the start of December.
Dates change from year to year; the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce keeps the calendar.
Stay at Suzies Camp
Suzies Camp is a quiet, owner-run campground at I-90 Exit 34 near Sturgis, South Dakota: 18 dry cabins, 60 RV sites and 15 tent sites. See drive times to the whole Black Hills.