ATV/UTV south dakota anyone?

[cookiedough]

Any advice or guidance on places to go or see, nothing to technical just more for scenery.  I have watched a few you tube videos and seems there are a few fire towers to climb up into the hills like Custer one be nice by Spearfish?    Only have 2 days to go atving, rest be sight seeing like badlands and custer park in south dakota.

Any other suggestions as well might be heading out all of next week for 5-6 days.  Trying to convince the wife to take truck/ATV-UTV out there am sure could just do atving all 5 days out there, but only 1 week off work.

Pulling UTV/ATV with truck over 11 hours or so at 14 mpg sorta sucks vs. say my car getting 39 mpg, but only live once right? 

[Jersey mike]

I can’t offer any places to go but that sound like a great way to spend a week off.

Travel safe, ride safe and have a great time. I certainly hope the weather cooperates for you.

[LadyDraco]

Any advice or guidance on places to go or see, nothing to technical just more for scenery.  I have watched a few you tube videos and seems there are a few fire towers to climb up into the hills like Custer one be nice by Spearfish?    Only have 2 days to go atving, rest be sight seeing like badlands and custer park in south dakota.

Any other suggestions as well might be heading out all of next week for 5-6 days.  Trying to convince the wife to take truck/ATV-UTV out there am sure could just do atving all 5 days out there, but only 1 week off work.

Pulling UTV/ATV with truck over 11 hours or so at 14 mpg sorta sucks vs. say my car getting 39 mpg, but only live once right? 

You said  some of the  places.
Might as well stop at Wall Drug,On your  way... Then check out  Avenue of Presidents in Sturgis, and Devils Tower.
Hell, Cody and Gardiner are just a stone's throw away, as is Yellowstone.
To  bad  ya  don't  have  3 days.

[carolinarider09]

Ahhh yes. 

Devils Tower



Wall Drug



Some Store Somewhere near there

[LadyDraco]

I walked  around  the  base , then sat down and  smoked my  pipe..
   Don waited  for  me , He  wasn't up for that walk, he  had  hurt his  foot ?
I  know he  had a broke  his  hand , yeah that was  it  he  had  that accident .
And  was  still recovering , from a  few weeks  before...

 

[Oss]

remember that picture someone took where it seemed Big Eric  was holding the Devil's Tower in his hand

Think that was at Spearfish Inzane

Took 20 across Nebraska, then come up thru the forest to Rapid City, Needles Highway, Sturgis, Wall Drug was fun but a giant tourist trap indeed

Once went from Rapid city where Taz led the Voai, to Cody, Chief Joseph, Beartooth to Missoula to lolo pass to the Pacific  That was some fun trip  but I will visit Elk City next time in Idaho

Some day would like to take 2 back from Washington and detour to visit Calgary and Icefields Parkway again from St Mary  Glacier Park   It is difficult to get a month off, so far it has not happened 21 days has been the max I had to a trip  I would have to trailer to someplace in the Rockies

[cookiedough]

heck, difficult OSS to get 1 week off in a row let alone you say 1 month off be impossible, except had 1 month off for both hips replaced last year, that was no fun though.

yah, skipping Wall Drug, I like scenery, not tourist trap stuff.  Badlands is a must want to spend 1 full day there for sure as well as thru Custer state park.  Other 2 days if we take truck/UTV will be on the trails all day long, leaves 1 more day to do something of course going thru needles hwy/spearfish canyon.  Been to devils tower pretty close so maybe that might be a stop walked all the way around it but was 20 years ago there, am sure not changed much.

[OnaWingandaPrayer]

You might consider looking into renting a side x side in Custer rather than tow your ATV. They are street legal units. I can't recall the name but it is right on the main drag (16 possibly) They rent Polaris SXS it comes with mapping on tablet and a SAT phone for emergency needs.
Custer State Park is a really nice ride. Spearfish, Deadwood and others mentioned. Badlands, I felt like it was another world

[carolinarider09]

Ok... I went back and found my video of our (three friends and I) trip out West in May-June 2009.  I know a long time ago but... 

Here is the last portion of the trip which includes our trip to the Devils Tower and our trip through the bad lands. This video has both "video" and still images.  The still images are pretty good.  Video not so good.

It's on Rumble so you may have to manually select the highness video resolution using the "Gear" icon.

https://rumble.com/v6yr53k-trip-to-the-badlands-june-2009.html

Or here is a link to the same video in Dropbox.  Quality is definitely better. 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qgb2ofbhyg1bbg4mrvc64/Travel-to-the-Badlands.mp4?rlkey=5vp3onsd1njdydl2sl8c9c80s&st=qk3ic07s&dl=0

[cookiedough]

loaded up near ready to go 7 a.m. tomorrow 11 hours west.  Ran into a snag though I though my new ATV trailer with front side load ATV and would fit my near 8 ft long 2-up can am outlander ATV.  Not really,   the side ramps do NOT go back in since the trailer hitch in back and front winch do not allow the 10 inch wide ramps to go back down on the front sides.  I could trailer the ATV AS-IS sideways in front but no side rails, just 2 straps in front and 2 straps in back, which for 11 hours trailering not going to chance it first time that far.  Tires have about 5 inches on sides from going out either side and I do not feel like shaving off a 2x4 to fit into the side ramp grooves being less tall to help prevent ATV going out the sides in case the 4 straps come loose.  So, ATV stays home wanted to bring it ONLY as a back-up in case my 2013 can am commander UTV clunks out still can rip around in the black hills natl. forest and on the roads  between spearfish and custer.  UTV willbe loaded down 6 gallons extra gas, cooler, ATV repair stuff, and 2 plastic totes in bed of UTV.  If we feel ambitous and running out of time to get to a hotel,  we may boondock and bring along our hammocks and spend 1 night in the wilderness tying hammock to two pine or birch trees, etc. roughing it one night but suppose to dip into mid 40's, will see, doubt it?

That will be a project after back hopefully safely to cut 2x4's shaving out with jigsaw the edges to fit into the grooves of the atv side ramps on trailer, then just toss the 4 ft side atv ramps in bed of the truck.  Just not feel too safe 11 hours even if most I-90 75mph straight to have no side rails and ATV so close say 5 inches either way from going over, although with 4 straps total never had an issue with ATV moving more than 1 inch shifting ever with secure straps.  I thought for sure the 2-UP ATV would fit sideways on a 7x14 ft trailer but forgot to take into account the ability to come from the top and slide back down the 2 side ramps in front of the trailer where my ATV hitch and winch will not allow it and even that,  my tires are pushing it for sure even with a 2x4 cut into the slots, be close?

Was funny, I bought a 2 ft trailer extension to fit my 2 inch truck and UTV receiver hitch, wife wanted to use it to haul our 4 bike SARIS carrier and tow on back of UTV 3 bicycles as well.  I tested it out and it fits the UTV although with the E-bike and 2 other normal bicycles on back am sure the UTV tongue weight of say 160lbs. would be pushing it, but would be the ONLY one out there road riding a UTV with 3 bicycles on a rack in south dakota for sure this weekend, people be looking at us funny? 
Not many UTVer's trailer a 4 bicycle rack on back of the UTV that I have ever seen road riding to the Mickelson bike trail out there in SD?

Been watching TONS of utube videos and a must will be Cement ridge tower lookout,  Custer peak lookout tower, area around Spearfish,  and area south of Sturgis but north of Nemo.  Then down south there are 3 sets of ATV trails east, west, and in the middle not have time to do all 3 but maybe 2 of 3, will see?  Also, spend 1 day in badlands and 1 day driving thru Custer state park probably with truck and trailer, do not want to be next to a big buffalo in a UTV or on a motorcycle.  To do it right and all of it, would need 2 full weeks off work, now there is an idea!!!!!

I wonder if my wife's boss and my boss would fire us if we took 1 extra week off work, hmmmm?  Neither of us would mind that for sure!!!

[cookiedough]

You might consider looking into renting a side x side in Custer rather than tow your ATV. They are street legal units. I can't recall the name but it is right on the main drag (16 possibly) They rent Polaris SXS it comes with mapping on tablet and a SAT phone for emergency needs.
Custer State Park is a really nice ride. Spearfish, Deadwood and others mentioned. Badlands, I felt like it was another world

Nah, they want over 200 bucks for a full day and not cost effective am sure a newer UTV with all the fancy gadgets is better than my old 2013 can am commander, but not 400+ bucks more for 2 days of riding say 120 miles per day both on and off roads.    If was 80-90 bucks per day might consider it but would rather go tad slower with my UTV vs. I know if I had a rental, I would beat the heck out of it until my wife slapped me silly as she has a few times telling me to SLOW down!  I was worse 10 years ago ripping around now into my 50's, my body cannot endure the pain of ripping around that fast anymore.  Last time I did over 100 miles in one day was about 8 years ago and even then, I only had my ATV still and had to have the wife drive some 20 miles putzing along slower than molasses because the thumb throttle was killing me for 6 hours and 100 miles in one day.  Everyone is getting UTV's now so bought few years ago an older can am commander in o.k. shape with lower 2800 miles on it for around 8500.00 which is the going rate of one now some 2-3 years later.   I will probably have the oldest UTV out in south dakota since 99% of them have enclosed cabs, heat, and AC which to me is NOT roughing it at all, with built in GPS and NAV and drive modes and all that garbage so not needed.  My UTV came with a full front and full back windshield and HATED both in bright sun is hard to see thru in front and the back glass does not allow air flow back into the cab so too hot we are odd liking the fresh air of both ATV.UTVING and on cycles as well.  The people I work with all in their 30's say they never roll down their windows in the cars driving too loud do not like the wind noise, always use the AC and I rarely use the AC in my vehicles unless say over 86 degrees out.

[cookiedough]

holy cow,  wife is going over right now all the stuff we are bringing along, one would think we are going to be gone for 2 months straight, vs. only 1 week away?  Luckily I have a 1/2 ton truck with a 6.5ft bed not so sure a 5.5ft bed would be long enough.

[cookiedough]

just got back from south dakota Sunday.  Unless you have a newer 20K on up UTV with at least 10 inches, preferably 12 inches, of ground clearance, leave the ATV/UTV at home.  The trails in south dakota are meant for rock crawling with boulders/huge rocks all over the main trails most 6-8 inches tall unavoidable to bottom out a normal ATV with 26 inch tires or my older commander UTV having 8.5 inches of clearance in the back.   Bottomed out on rocks at least 10x's in the 10 miles of trails, NO fun doing 3-6 mph constantly looking 10 ft in front to try to pick a line to not bottom out my UTV.  Put a few dents in my side rock sliders and skid plate underneath.  Without both, my UTV would probably be ruined in ONLY the 10 miles or so we did of the actual trails.  We stayed on gravel/dirt roads and paved normal roads about 220 miles of the 230 miles we did total in 2 days.  Shoulda just left the ATV/UTV at home not worth it unless as said, you have a newer 20K or so higher ground clearance UTV.  95% of WI ATV trails I can do easily with my ATV/UTV, but in south dakota, I bet only 25% is doable under 10 inches of ground clearance.

shoulda just taken the car vs. my truck pulling UTV getting 12.5 mpg and saved over 200 bucks in gas expense alone, was not worth it UTVing for sure.  220 miles on UTV coulda been done in my car getting 38 mpg.

[cookiedough]

was wrong on the rental price of a like new UTV, is 500 bucks per 8 hour day, no thanks, not worth that much to do rock crawling the 2 sections we did each about 5 miles took 1 hour each going around 5-6 mph average over larger rocks.  There are a lot of overlook mountain ranges out there to do though most can be done with a truck/jeep say 10-12 inches ground clearance easily.  Flag mountain, cement ridge, Mt. Roosevelt, Terry Peak (ski hill by Lead SD), and the one tower road in Custer State park,  to name a few.  Only one did not do too rocky with UTV and they claim a high ground clearance vehicle can go up which I would NOT ONLY with lifted Jeep is Custer Peak tower.  All those elevations were 6700 to 7000 ft up.

Skipped Mt. Rushmore, all the caves, and even Devils Tower in Wyoming did those 20 years ago wanted to do devils tower hike around but ran outta time everything takes 1-2 hours to get to out there once there some 14 hours away alone to get to the good stuff being my favorite the Badlands.