Motorcycle Camping
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Camping: Where to Stay in 2027 and What It Costs
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally camping for 2027 (Aug 6-15): festival, private, city and state park campgrounds compared, with tent rates and booking rules.
For the 2027 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 6-15), you can camp at a party campground near town, a quieter private campground a few miles out, the city campground in Spearfish, or a small state park. Book early: one campground advises booking 6-12 months ahead. City tent sites in Spearfish list $42 a night for the 2027 rally.
This page is part of our motorcycle camping guide. New to camping by motorcycle? Our first-trip plan covers loading, site choice and fire safety.
Key takeaways- 2027 rally dates: August 6-15. Some campgrounds open earlier; Glencoe lists August 2-15, 2027.- Spearfish City Campground 2027 rally rates: tent $42, full hook-up $125 a night.- Bear Butte State Park has 15 non-electric sites at $16 a night, first come, first served.- In 2025, SDDOT counted 537,459 vehicles entering Sturgis over the 10-day rally.
Sturgis campgrounds compared
Each row below is what the campground or park says about itself on its own website, read in October 2026. Rates change every year, so confirm before you book.
| Campground | Type | What it lists | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Chip | Festival campground | Shaded tent areas along Cottle Creek; RV spaces with power and water | Hosts its own music and motorcycle festival |
| Pappy Hoel | Festival campground | Every guest wears a wristband for the stay; it includes general admission to Full Throttle Saloon shows | Cabins and RV sites too |
| Glencoe CampResort | Festival campground | Camping open August 2-15, 2027 | Check rates and site types on its website |
| Hog Heaven | Private campground near town | 320 wooded acres, one mile from downtown Sturgis; tent and RV; 24/7 security | Shortest distance to town of those that list one |
| Rush No More | Private campground out of town | 5 miles (about 7 minutes) from Main Street; shaded tent sites with bathhouse access | Sold as multi-night bundles, typically 10 nights |
| Spearfish City Campground | City campground | Tent $42, primitive RV $58, full hook-up $125, premium $136 per night (2027) | Cancellation deadlines apply |
| Bear Butte State Park | State park | 15 non-electric sites, $16 a night, first come, first served; 6 miles northeast of Sturgis | Sacred site; see below |
What to weigh when you choose
Party or sleep
Festival campgrounds put the shows on site. That is the point for many riders, and the reason others stay further out. Rush No More, for one, pitches its 5-mile distance as close enough to ride in but far enough for quiet nights.
Distance to Main Street
Hog Heaven lists one mile; Rush No More lists 5 miles; Bear Butte State Park is 6 miles northeast of Sturgis. Spearfish is a separate town, so plan a daily ride in and back.
Booking rules and cancellation
Read the cancellation terms before you pay. At Spearfish City Campground you get a full refund if you cancel before June 1, 50% from June 1 to June 30, and nothing from July 1. Rush No More sells rally stays as multi-night bundles, typically 10 nights.
Tent or RV
Check that your campground takes tents and what counts as a tent site. In Spearfish, the tent rate also covers van campers, pickup campers and motorcycle campers, but a tow trailer parked beside a tent is charged as another tent space. If you plan to tow, see motorcycle camping trailers first.
How much does camping at Sturgis cost?
The clearest published tent prices we found:
The private campgrounds in the table sell rally packages or wristbands rather than listing a simple nightly tent rate on the pages we read. Ask for the full rally price, including wristbands and any per-person charge, before you compare.
| Option | Tent rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Spearfish City Campground, 2027 rally | $42 per night | City of Spearfish |
| Bear Butte State Park | $16 per night | SD Game, Fish and Parks; the page gives no rally-specific rate |
When to book
Rally week in 2027 runs August 6-15. Rush No More advises booking 6-12 months in advance. Spearfish lets returning guests keep their site only if they rebook by August 31 for the following year, with a 50% deposit; new bookings pay in full. It takes bookings by phone at 605-642-1340.
Bear Butte State Park does not take reservations for these sites; they are first come, first served. With 15 sites, arrive early or have a backup.
How busy it gets
Travel South Dakota describes the rally as drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the Black Hills each year. The South Dakota Department of Transportation counted 537,459 vehicles entering Sturgis at nine count points during the 2025 rally, against a 2020-2024 average of 482,987. That is a count of vehicles, not people. Plan for heavy traffic and book well ahead.
Tent camping at the rally
A rally campground is not a quiet forest site. Plan your tent setup with that in mind:
- Arrive early in the day for the best choice of shaded spots.
- Bring earplugs and an eye mask if you camp near the stages.
- Park the bike where you can see it from the tent door, and lock it.
- Keep valuables in a locked bag on the bike or with you.
- Never run a stove inside the tent, however cold the night.
For pitching, gear storage and condensation, see tent camping on a motorcycle. For what to bring, use our motorcycle camping checklist.
A note on Bear Butte
Bear Butte is sacred to many American Indian tribes, who hold religious ceremonies on the mountain. The park asks visitors to respect worshippers and their practices. If you camp there during rally week, keep the noise of rally nights in town.
Which campground type fits you
- You came for the concerts and the crowd: a festival campground (Buffalo Chip, Pappy Hoel or Glencoe).
- You want to ride in for the day and sleep well: a private campground a few miles out, such as Rush No More, or Hog Heaven if you want to be close to town.
- You want a known, published price: Spearfish City Campground.
- You travel light and can arrive early: Bear Butte State Park.
Rally riding gear
On hot afternoons in town, a vest is an alternative to a full jacket. You can browse Leather Collection motorcycle vests.
Related guides
- If you want a winter alternative to Sturgis, read about motorcycle camping in Florida.
FAQ
What is the best campground for Sturgis Rally?
It depends on what you want from the week. Festival campgrounds put the music on your doorstep, quieter private campgrounds a few miles out are better for sleep, and the Spearfish city campground publishes clear prices.
How many bikes are at Sturgis Rally?
There is no count of motorcycles alone in our sources. The SDDOT counted 537,459 vehicles of all kinds entering Sturgis during the 2025 rally.
Can you go camping on a motorcycle at Sturgis?
Yes. Spearfish's tent rate covers motorcycle campers, and several private campgrounds list tent sites. Pack it all on the bike using the first-trip plan linked at the top of this page.
margumi Editorial Team
margumi articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.