Who could resist a road like this ... even in the rain? This section of County Road 17 near Deerfield lake is typical of the many paved roads in the Black Hills. It's not as scenic as some, but for the sheer pleasure of driving, it's hard to beat.
On-Roading
| First Page | Prev. Page | BROWSE ARCHIVE | Next Page | Last Page |
It should be no surprise that a large number of motorcycles and convertibles are sold to people who live in the Black Hills. The highways and back roads here have frequently compared to the Alpine roads of Europe ... but, without the congestion.
Driving the open roads in the Black Hills can be an exhilarating experience. The majority of roads are two-lane and more-or-less follow the contour of the land. This makes for lots of hills and curves, but not many straightaways. Throw in some of the best scenery in the USA and (for people not in a hurry) you have a great
driving
experience.
It is safe to say that the biggest draw for the annual Sturgis Motor Cycle Rally is the Black Hills road system. There are hundreds of miles of roads that are just plain fun to ride, thus throughout the summer months the Black Hills roads attract riders from all over the world. (People even ship in their bikes from Europe and Asia to ride here.) A big factor is that even during the busiest times, the roads appear uncrowded to folks from somewhere else.
And, it's not just motorcyclists. Numerous car clubs schedule annual rallies in the in hills. These include Corvette owners (see: http://www.vetteweb.com/features/0501vet_south_dakotas_black_hills/). classic colletable groups..
Here are some things that are helpful to know:
MOTORCYCLES -- Many secondary roads are paved and in good repair. Potholes are uncommon, however it is not unusual to find gravel and small stones on less well-traveled roads.These tend to be near intersections with other, unpaved roads or driveways. Also curves can be unpredictably sharp. The main reason for accidents involves riders who take a curve too fast. If a warning sign says 15- or 20-mph, it probably means you should hold below that speed -- at least until you've been around that curve a few times.
CARS -- Handling and suspension is more important that raw power. Your Interstate Highway cruiser with a big engine and squishy suspension isn't going to handle well on Black Hills back roads. You might as well just sit back and enjoy the scenery. On the other hand, these roads are ideal for an European-stype sports car. Does the word "Lamborghini" mean anything? How about the word "convertible"?
ROADS -- This is a list of various paved roads in the Black Hills and their "driveability" ratings -- in other words, how much fun they are to drive.
- Needles Highway (SD 87 between US385 and US16A) -- The most scenic road in the Black Hills but too slow to be much fun from the driver's perspective. Too many slow moving tourists in summer and hairpin curves will keep your speed well below 25 mph.
- Iron
Mountain
Road (US16A between Keystone
and Custer State Park) -- Also
scenic
but clogged with slow drivers in
summer. First five miles south of Keystone steep have tight
curves and tunnels so they are slow going, The last 13 miles
from the top of Iron Mountain down to Custer park are fun but
challenging. The road has a low posted speed limit so it is easy to
catch yourself going too fast. - Black Hills Parkway (US 385) from Hill City to Deadwood -- A wide, fast two-lane road. Traffic can be heavy at times but there ample passing points. This is a popular drive that tends to induce speeding.
- Spearfish Canyon (US14 from US85 north to Spearfish) -- An extremely scenic road more suitable for gawking than driving. Usually jammed with slow drivers in summer. Tourists are often stopped alongside the road to take pictures.
- Vanoker Canyon Road (a paved county road between Nemo and Sturgis) -- Possibly the best motorcycle riding road in the country. The road has gentle curves and follows the hills like a gentle roller coaster. If you have a motorbike,this is a must ride.
- Nemo Road (a paved country road between US385 and Rapid City) -- Another great driving road with enough of hills and curves to induce car sickness in small children. Little traffic except around Nemo and as you near Rapid City.
- SD44 between Rapid City and Pactola Reservoir -- Well maintained fast road with enough curves and loops to make it exciting. Easy to find yourself going over the speed limit. Can be busy with local traffic as there are many homes along this road.
- SD244
between Keystone and US385 -- A nice road, but be aware of the heavily
patrolled area around Mt. Rushmore where the speed limit is only 35mph.
Often clogged with tourists in summer, and some people will
stop their cars anywhere to look at the mountain goats.
- Sheridan Lake Road (between Rapid City and Sheridan Lake) -- Slow going between Rapid City and Countryside, but it opens up nicely thereafter for a fun 20-minute ride.
- US385 from Hill City to Hot Springs -- A major highway with lots of straightaways and broad curves. Go slow in Custer and the section through Wind Cave National Park is a speed trap. Diligently patrolled by radar-packing park rangers.
- Deerfield Road (Country Road 17 from Hill City to Deerfield Lake, pictured above) -- a good paved road with hardly any traffic. Flatter than most other Black Hills Roads, but still plenty of curves.
- Rockerville Road (a paved country road between Keystone and Rockerville) -- scenic and challenging. Watch out for wildlife and livestock. Could be a good test of your breaks. It is a great back way from Rapid City to Mt. Rushmore. There are any homes along this road so watch for cross traffic.
- SD44 east to the Badlands -- A wide-open road in the prairie with plenty of curves and some hills. It takes discipline to not speed, expecially when the local drivers go whizzing by at 20 mph over the speed limit.
- Rocheford Road (a paved county road from US85 near Terry Peak to Rochford) -- A road that goes to nowhere and has no traffic to match. Sometimes you can drive the whole road and never see another vehicle. At the end you can either take a gravel road over to Mystic or go back the way you came.. Or, if you are the designated driver, you can let your passenger enjoy the Rochford Saloon: Someplace in the middle of no place. (Bring your six-shooter.)
- Custer State Park Roads (all) -- Poorly suited to performance driving. Wildlife and tourist hazards abound. Best left to slow sightseeing drives. Not a bad pleasure in iteself, however.
- Main Roads (I90 and much of US16) -- You'll need to drive these roads sometimes to get somewhere, but there's nothing special about them. US16 from Rapid City to Mt Rushmore is four lanes except for the stretch near Keystone. Some people think this stretch of road is scenic, but we think it's been ruined by billboards. Main roads are heavily patrolled in summer. Speed traps are often set up on US16 near Reptile Gardens and just east of Rockerville.
Well,.. That ought to get you started.
One more thing to keep in mind: Except as noted most of these roads are lightly traveled, so there is a great temptation to speed or take the curves a little too fast. Also, these roads often have blind intersections, free-ranging livestock and the ever-popular deer caught in the headlights -- to say nothing about slow-moving ag and forestry equipment. There may not be any friendly officer patrolling the road, but common sense dictates that you don't drive too fast for the conditions.
| BACK | HOME |
� 1999, 2006 Roosevelt Inn. All rights reserved.