I am an ordinary guy who enjoys riding motorcycles. I love riding all makes and models. I love short rides, long rides, and multi-day road trips. I post reviews about motorcycle gear, motorcycles, roads, restaurants, sights, gadgets and more. The Motorcycle Facts,Trivia and History page has a lot of good info. Be safe and enjoy the ride, Oz.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota

Everyone knows about Sturgis and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and for good reason.  A world renown monument and the town synonymous with motorcycles, but there is a lot more to see and a lot of great roads in the  southwest region on South Dakota. (All photos taken July, 2007 except when noted)

23 miles west of Sturgis on US 14A/85 is a small community called Cheyenne Crossing and US 14A turns north through Spearfish Canyon 22 miles to the town of Spearfish.  If you ride from Sturgis you will go through Deadwood and Lead both historical, interesting, and fun towns.

The Cheyenne Crossing Store sits on the northwest corner of the intersection.  The store consist of  gas station, a general store, an upstairs lodge, and a restaurant.  The food is great!  Especially the breakfast.  During our five day stay in Lead we ate breakfast three times and lunch once at the Crossing.

The restaurant's decor is country and cozy.  The servers were always friendly and helpful.  The food arrived hot and tasty.  The sourdough pancakes are big, the bacon thick, and the Indian Tacos satisfying.  I highly recommend the pancakes for breakfast and the Buffalo burger for lunch.  No one in our group of six ever complained about the food they ordered.  (photo on right from www.cheyennecrossing.org/cafe.html)

After each meal we enjoyed looking around the general store.  They have snacks, drinks, camping supplies, small groceries, and some tourist like items including Cheyenne Crossing shirts/sweaters, etc.

Stop by the Cheyenne Crossing store - you will enjoy a great meal and a good ole country atmosphere.
After our breakfast we rode the 22 mile Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway.  This is one of the best roads in the country.  It has plenty of curves, great scenery, and historic significance.  Like the name suggest the road is in a canyon and runs along side Spearfish Creek most of the way.  The byway has 13 designated "Points of Interest" including a "Dances With Wolves" film site.  The film site is about 4 miles off of the byway and about 3.7 of it is on gravel/dirt.  Once at the site you don't see much.  Members of the group went and were greatly disappointed.  (photo on the left for film site)

One point of interest site that is worth stopping can be seen from the byway, Bridal Veil Falls.  Bridal Veil Falls is located int he northern 1/3 of the byway.  There is a unpaved pullout that we used.  Be careful, it is really close to a curve.  The fall is about 50 feet and is one of three falls in the canyon, but it is the most accessible.  (photo from pullout off of the Byway)

The Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway is one of those roads that you will want to ride to one end, turn around and ride it again, and probably want to ride yet again.  Besides the twists and turns and the scenery the road is also well maintained.

If you are up in the area of the Black Hills in South Dakota you will want to ride Spearfish Canyon and grab a bite to eat at the Cheyenne Crossing Store.  You will enjoy both and you will want to go back for more.

11 comments:

  1. Dear Motoroz:

    This was very interesting.

    Some day I am going to get the chance to ride out west. I have been through Deadwood and Sturgis by car... But it won't count until I've done it by bike. I want nothing more than to roar across the plains of North Dakota on my old BMW.

    Fondest regards,
    Jack • reep • Toad
    Twisted Roads

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  2. Thanks for sharing. Great pictures at Wolf Creek Pass.
    West

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  3. This is very helpful. Later this year I am going to Sturgis, Deadwood, Spearfish etc for the first time, so this posting gave me a few ideas of what to go see and where to ride.

    Thanks.

    Gary
    http://garysusatour.blogspot.com/

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  4. Gary, There is a lot more to see in that area of the U.S. I visited your blog. Great blog.

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  5. Don't worry Motoroz, I have many places for the area in my itinerary, now including the Cheyenne Crossing General Store and Cafe! I am going through your blog for other highlights to include and visit!

    You have a great blog as well! I have noticed that you have worked out how to put hyperlinks in your blog. I am quite new to blogging, so can you share the secret about how to do this?

    Gary
    http://garysusatour.blogspot.com

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  6. Most people just call me Oz. You will love the Spearfish Canyon and the Cheyenne Crossing Store.

    I assume you are referring to the hyperlinks in the actual posts.

    Open a second browser and go to the page you wish to link to. Copy the URL.

    Go back to the browser with your blog. While in the post editor, on the top menu bar of the editor, you will see the word "Link" to the left of the image icon used to add pictures.

    Highlight the words you want to be the link and then press the "Link" button.

    Paste the URL in the "To what URL should this link go?" box.

    I sure hope that makes sense. Let me know if this is not what you were talking about or if you have any other questions. I am still learning a lot myself.

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  7. Oz,

    Many thanks indeed for the information about how to insert a link in a posting. I tried it and it worked perfectly.

    If ever we meet up, thats a beer I owe you!

    Gary

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  8. Gary, No problem. Glad I was able to help.

    I hope and pray that we can meet up one day. I enjoy meeting new people.

    Once you get closer to your trip contact me and I can give you my phone # so that when you are in the States if you need anything you can call me and I can see if I can assist you.

    My email - t.oz.gogcma@gmail.com

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  9. Thanks Oz, I will do that. Look forward to it.

    Gary

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