Heading to the Black Hills of SD. Recommendations/Advice welcome

Two words for Wall Drug: don't bother. It's all about separating you from your money, and parking is a PITA. Even with a bike.

The same's true for Deadwood.

Something nobody's mentioned: let the wild animals stay wild. Resist the temptation to feed or pet anything, small or big.

Animals who get dependent or, worse, start to demand to be fed will, sooner or later, be relocated by Fish & Game. If a couple of tries doesn't work (too common), the pesky animals are ...um... "put down". Feeding Sammy Squirrel is shooting Sammy Squirrel.

Never, ever get between the cute little kids (bears, bison, goats, whatever) and mom. She takes messing with the kids personally. Mom may not always be visible, but she's around. Bet on it.

Bison get up grumpy, and get nastier during the day. They can move faster than you can run. Stay away from them! Our first morning in Custer State park, a herd of ~50 bison ran past the campground. The wise campers laughed at the dumb one who thought the wire fence at the edge of campground would stop a bison. At any speed.

Finally, we call them "bison jams". Expect to come around a bend, or over a rise, and find a bunch of cars parked more or less along the side of the road, and people wandering around, staring anywhere but where you're coming from. They've stopped to look at the bison, prairie dogs, whatever, and have totally lost their reason. Sometimes people jam on the brakes because they thought they saw something. Let someone else give these idiots their Darwin Award.

RBEmerson said:

Finally, we call them "bison jams". Expect to come around a bend, or over a rise, and find a bunch of cars parked more or less along the side of the road, and people wandering around, staring anywhere but where you're coming from. They've stopped to look at the bison, prairie dogs, whatever, and have totally lost their reason. Sometimes people jam on the brakes because they thought they saw something. Let someone else give these idiots their Darwin Award.

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Yep i am done with the wildlife loop. Sick of riding thru the herd while cars block the path doiing everything you arent supposed to then i am hanging out there sans cage on the bike so i keep moving & thru the mess & the cars get pissed. Ive had buffalo run between me & the bike in front of me. Over it. at least when i snapped this pic it was just me & him & no I wouldn't do it again.


& on the iron mountain road.....about all the stuff on it...you forgot the diesel Rv or tour bus going 15 mph in the straights & zero on the corners directly in front of you. Watching them 3 point the hair pins is interesting at least.

I have been to Paha Sapa 22 years in a row, this will be my 24th year. It is impossible to see it all and do it all even in 10 trips.
Vanocker Canyon is a must, stop in Nemo see if the bar/restaurant is open,as is Spearfish Canyon, stop at Cheyenne Crossing and get homemade pancakes or an Indian Taco.
Best advice for Iron Mountain Road and Needles hiway is get up early and do it in the morning and avoid all traffic problems…
You will be near the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park, stop in and get a refreshment, world class restaurant for a dinner (skip breakfast, it sucks)

The loop's worth the effort, just keep your head on a swivel. For the brave and bold, there's the ride up Mount Coolidge....

Agreed regarding Needles and Iron Mountain before the traffic really cranks up.

Go before June 15 or in May if possible to avoid the crush of the crowds.

I hate that the speed limits on some great roads have been lowered.

Thanks for this thread. We're headed to Oregon and the Pacific coast last week of July into August, from Maine. I'll be making notes on all of these suggestions.