Posted this on another thread for a guy wanting driving routes. You may want to try this in reverse if you've never taken this route through SD. The interstate is pretty boring and usually has construction and tourist traffic. Guarantee you will see more of the beautiful parts of the state if you "Get off the Interstate Ben Stone!"
My suggestion is that if you are going to go through South Dakota east to west or west to east that you stay off I-90. The tourist traffic and road construction make for a less than enjoyable experience. If you come through Sioux City, get off on Highway 50 just east of Vermillion. The section from I-29 over to Yankton is nice 4 lane (I grew up in Yankton so I know this). Take Hwy 52 going west out of Yankton by Lewis & Clark Lake. Beautiful bluffs on the Nebraska side. Stop at Gavin's Point Dam if you have time, great vacation location, great camping if you want to spend the night there. There are over 1,400 State and Federal asphalt pad campsites there with firewood, showers and lots of nice amenities. Continue up Hwy 52 until it intersects with Hwy 50 again. Go west through Tabor, Tyndall, Avon, Wagner, Lake Andes and Geddes. None of these towns are over 2K people but there is gas and nice homey restaurants if you get hungry. Stay on Hwy 50 going north out of Geddes until it intersects with Hwy 44. Go West on Hwy 44 through Platte and Winner. The Missouri River Valley west of Platte is gorgeous hilly curvy terrain, well worth the trip! Transition from Hwy 44 to Hwy 18 as you go west of Winner and go into Mission. This is on one of the SD Indian reservation towns and is a unique place to cruise through. No danger, just an opportunity to see something you won't see every day. That stretch of road from Winner to Mission is new smooth concrete as well so it's a great ride. Turn north on Hwy 83 just west of Mission and go north to White River. Be sure to get fuel in Mission or White River as you're getting out into no mans land here. Pick up Hwy 44 west again and go west and north to Interior. You're now in the Badlands. Outstanding views and great riding. If you have time, go west on Hwy 240 up to Wall. Speed limit in the badlands is 45 and there will be a lot of tourist traffic but the views are some of the best on earth. If you don't have 90 minutes, go east and north on Hwy 240 up to I-90 and blaze on into the Black Hills. A stop at Wall to see Wall Drug is highly recommended if you have never seen it.
This route works going either way. Give yourself time to enjoy the trip. Figure 50-60 MPH average and you should be fine. You'll be out in the open a lot so you can put the coals to it but there are towns to slow down for and views you'll want to stop and take in so it's not a balls out ride.
Being a native South Dakotan, I am quite proud of many of the beautiful sites to see in the state. Too many people speed east and west on I-90 and miss much of the beauty just 40-50 miles south. I have ridden to Sturgis both ways since I got my Wide Glide 3 years ago and it is a great trip! Agree completely with what GStreetGlide says about riding in the Hills. We stay in Hill City to get away from some of the madness that happens in Sturgis. We go there and spend a day looking at the bikes, vendors and other sites but it's a little too crazy for most of us after dark. Don't even recommend riding in the Hills after dark unless you are going up the the lighting ceremony at Rushmore, which is highly recommended!
Hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip! I'll be trying to put together a CVO gathering in the Hills again this year. Last year HD did one but we had already left for home.
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Topic: 2010 Trip to CO, UT, ID, WY, MT and SD (Read 20751 times)