Best Rides from Denver to Sturgis

Distance: 467 miles
Time (Before Stops): Approx. 8 hours

See route map

This route takes you up through the southern Black Hills, stopping at several scenic and historic sites. You'll have opportunities to visit South Dakota’s iconic Wind Cave National Monument, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial.

Loveland, CO

• Boyd Lake State Park: Stop for a picnic at this oasis on the Colorado plains, watching the sailboaters sway in the wind. Dip your feet in the water on the lake’s swim beach and take a stroll on the 1/2-mile nature trail.

Cheyenne, WY

• The Nelson Museum of the West: Browse vast collections of Native, cowboy, military and natural history, as well as Western art and other artifacts that define the Old West.
• Cheyenne Botanic Gardens: Wind your way along the labyrinth path, see what hardy roses grow on the plains, take a deep breath in the aromatic herb garden and sweat with the tropical flowers and bonsai trees in the conservatory. 

Torrington, WY

• Homesteaders Museum: Step through the Union Pacific Depot to see an original homestead shack, a one-room schoolhouse, carriages, a recreated kitchen and other fascinations from the nation’s homesteading era.  

Fort Laramie, WY

• Fort Laramie National Historic Site: If you can spare the time, a 22-minute detour on Highway 26 takes you to Fort Laramie, which served as a fur-trading fort and was a key stop on the Oregon Trail. It endured as the area’s main military fort until it was abandoned in 1890. Download the audio tour to see its sights and hear its tales at your own pace.

Lusk, WY

• Stagecoach Museum: The former Wyoming National Guard Armory now houses an actual stagecoach from the Cheyenne to Deadwood Stage and Express Line and oddities of the era, including a two-headed calf.
• Outpost Cafe: Renowned as one of the best (and only!) pit stops in the area, this welcoming eatery will ply you with juicy burgers, crispy fries and a noteworthy selection of pies.

This leg of the trip is packed! If you like to linger a bit, break up this drive with an overnight in one of Custer State Park’s many lodges. 

Hot Springs, SD

• The Mammoth Site: This active paleontological dig site has so far unearthed the remains of 61 Columbian and woolly mammoths — the most in the world! See the Ice Age fossils for yourself on a self-guided tour.
• Wind Cave National Park: The first cave designated a national park, visitors rush to see the world's largest concentration of rare boxwork formations and hear why it is a sacred place for the Lakota. Booking tours in advance is recommended.

Custer, SD

• Skogen Kitchen: Taste flavors from around the world, all conveniently located in Custer. The seasonal menu features items like beef-tartare tacos with yuzu-truffle crema, duck leg with a mint emulsion, and buffalo short ribs with dried cherries and manchego cheese.  
• Custer State Park: Be sure to yield for the nearly 1,300 bison that wander the park’s massive acres, along with pronghorn antelope, elk, mountain goats and a band of burros. The Wildlife Loop State Scenic Byway is the best detour for getting your bearings and seeing some of the park’s spectacular sites. 
• Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway: Take this Black Hills wonder as a detour north from Custer State Park to ride the famed Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road on your way to see Mount Rushmore.

Keystone, SD

• Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Make time to stop at America’s “Shrine of Democracy” for communion with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Visit the Sculptor’s Studio to see plaster models and details of the carving process.

Crazy Horse, SD 

• Crazy Horse Memorial: One of the nation’s most renowned (and largest) works in progress, this is an icon you can’t miss. Stop to view art and artifacts from tribal nations at The Indian Museum of North America and The Native American Educational & Cultural Center. 

Hill City, SD

• 1880 Train: Give your bike a rest and hop aboard a relaxing two-hour excursion on a historical steam train through the Black Hills.
• Dahl’s Chainsaw Art: Back in Hill City, you’ll want a pic with the world’s largest wooden Smokey Bear. See the artists’ chainsaw mastery at work creating eagles, bears, fish, horses and other wooden creations.

Rapid City, SD

• Presidential statues: Take a walk through downtown Rapid City to catch a glimpse of life-size bronze statues of American presidents.
• Black Hills Harley-Davidson: Come rally time, Exit 55 is the place to be. Make some friends, see new and used bikes, pick up H-D merch, visit the expo — even get a tattoo!  
• Bashful Bison Deli & Market & Hay Camp Brewing Co.: You can’t get a more genuine taste of South Dakota than the Bashful Bison, where nearly every bite is produced within the state. Try the Rapid City sandwich: thin-sliced beef topped with mushrooms, Kasemeister smoked gouda and chili-lime aioli. Pair that with a handcrafted Dino-Sour ale, Centennial Trail IPA, Czech Please pilsner or other beer on tap from the on-site Hay Camp Brewing, and you’ll have found South Dakota bliss.

Distance: 498 miles
Time (Before Stops): 8 hours, 12 minutes

See route map

It’s a straight shot north along Interstate 25 from the Mile High City to Cheyenne, Wyoming’s capital. Take your time to enjoy the Cowboy State’s Old West ambiance and pioneer history, then sample a few roadside stops and one of Wyoming’s natural wonders as you skirt the western side of Black Hills National Forest and head toward your ultimate destination.

Loveland, CO

• Chapungu Sculpture Park: You’ll feel 1,000 miles away from the highway — even though you’re just a few minutes from it — in this intriguing oasis. Eighty-two Zimbabwean monumental stone sculptures surround you on 26 acres of swaying grasses, native trees and shrubs.

Cheyenne, WY

• Wyoming State Capitol Building: Dating back to the Wild West days of 1888, the Capitol’s classical Renaissance architecture is topped by a 24-karat gold-leaf dome. Take a gander at the official state seal, which features 782 pieces of granite from around the world. 
• Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum: Explore the history of the “Daddy of ‘em All,” with legends and stories from the cowboys who made this annual July spectacle what it is.

Chugwater, WY

• Chugwater Soda Fountain: Cool off at Wyoming's oldest soda fountain with hand-dipped milkshakes, malts and sodas. 

Douglas, WY

• Douglas Railroad Museum: In the 1800s, the railroads brought people and supplies to the expanding West. With this history in mind, tour the museum’s seven railcars, including an 1884 passenger car and 1940s steam locomotive, as well as the historical depot. The area is also a perfect spot for a picnic.
• Wyoming Pioneer Memorial Museum: See relics from that westward expansion at this free museum, including photographs, a one-room schoolhouse, wagons, saddles, rifles and much more displayed on two packed floors.
• Camp Douglas Officers’ Club State Historic Site: Learn how 5,000 Italian and German prisoners of WWII ended up in a Wyoming town, where they outnumbered the townspeople.

Gillette, WY

• Frontier Auto Museum & Cafe: Nostalgia awaits in rooms packed to the gills with classic cars, gas pumps, neon signs and other 1900-1950s memorabilia. Stick around to experience a classic movie at the “drive-in theater” as well as a brat and cup of coffee from the cafe.
• Eagle Butte Coal Mine Tours: See where 30-40 percent of the nation’s coal originates and how it makes its way across the country. Of particular interest are the efforts to restore the land once the work is done.

Devils Tower, WY 

• Devils Tower National Monument: Take a walk around one of the country’s most otherworldly rock formations. Rising 867 feet above the prairie and nearby Belle Fourche River, the tower is still somewhat of a geological mystery and has long been a spiritual place for many Indigenous Great Plains and Black Hills tribes. 

Hulett, WY

• Hulett Ham N Jam (Aug. 7-9, 2024): Hulett welcomes Sturgis-bound riders with live music, food and Western hospitality on the Wyoming side of the Black Hills.

Belle Fourche, SD

• Geographic Center of the Nation Monument: With the additions of Alaska and Hawaii in 1959, the geographic center of the nation shifted from Kansas to a farm outside Belle Fourche, SD. Though it’s roughly 21 miles from the official center (which is on private land), this 54,000-pound monument is close enough and makes for an excellent photo op. Pop into the Tri-State Museum for additional slices of Americana. 
• Stone House Saloon: Like a mirage, this tavern pops up once a year during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Stop for burgers, brats and special events just 30 minutes from your final destination.