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South Dakota Motorcycle Roads and Trips

Motorcycle roads in South Dakota (SD) can be typified by the two predominant scenery regions of the Mount Rushmore State - east of the Missouri River and west of the Missouri River. The eastern region consists of low hills, lakes formed by glaciers ages ago and dominated by farm country today. To the west, the topography has more of a western feel with deep canyons and rolling plains and has two very noteworthy areas - the Black Hills and Badlands (specifically the Badlands National Park). Great motorcycle rides can be found in the beautiful and lush Black Hills as they are not only a cornucopia of spectacular scenery but also home to Mount Rushmore. The Badlands are an inspiring and striking collection of stone pyramids, canyons, & domes colored in various shades yellows, reds, grays and browns … bring plenty of film on this trip!

Central Hills Loop (Apr 08)

… from the quaint, historic town of Keystone, past world famous Mount Rushmore, through scenic Custer State park, this route packs more scenery per mile than arguably any other road in the world!

Scenery:
5 stars
Road Quality:
5 stars
Amenities:
4 stars

West Highway 44 (Oct 07)

… ride features beautifully scenic highway with turns and twists and ups and downs … beautiful scenic pull-offs and a sweet little tavern called "Rimrock Happy Tavern."

Scenery:
5 stars
Road Quality:
4 stars
Amenities:
5 stars

16 A To and Thru Custer State Park (Apr 03)

… Awesome! That's pretty much all I can say about it. I've driven all over the country on some of the most scenic roads around and this one is in my top three

Scenery:
5 stars
Road Quality:
4 stars
Amenities:
4 stars

Short Run Through Some "Bad Lands" (Jul 00)

… the scenery in the Badlands is almost indescribable ... something you will never forget!

Scenery:
5 stars
Road Quality:
3 stars
Amenities:
4 stars

Good Route Through Badlands to a Great Monument (Aug 99)

… ride takes you through a part of the southwest corner of South Dakota that offers some vastly different scenery … starts in the eerie gray and tan starkness of the Badlands and goes to the fertile green of the Black Hills … Mount Rushmore National Monument is a top quality destination that will be a visit that you will surely remember for the rest of your life

Scenery:
5 stars
Road Quality:
4 stars
Amenities:
4 stars

Key

Read this to understand our rating system.

All our motorcycle roads and trips are rated on three key categories:

  1. Scenery
  2. Road Quality
  3. Roadside Amenities
Read the description below for each of the categories to understand what qualities give a road a strong or weak rating in each of the categories.
Category
A 5 star rating indicates ...
 
A 1 star rating indicates ...

The scenery factor of each route is rated

Far above average scenery for that state. (Ex. mountain views, lakes, rivers, hills, or forests.)   Below average scenery for that state. (Ex. an area that simply is lacking in overall natural beauty.)

The road quality factor of each route is rated

Outstanding driving conditions.  Plenty of twists, turns & hills; well maintained roads with smooth pavement.   Straight roads over flat land or rough road conditions with
some potholes or driving
hazards such as gravel

A rating of what there is to do off the bike

Plenty of things to do when it's time to pull over.  (Ex. museums, restaurants, pull-outs, historical sites, entertainment etc.)    Little to nothing to do when it's time to pull over.  (Ex. lack of museums, restaurants, pull-outs, historical sites, entertainment etc.)