Broken Spoke Campground

Described as a “Museum that serves Beer,” the Broken Spoke Saloon is steeped in nostalgia and features an enormous collection of motorcycle memorabilia, including dozens of vintage machines, some nearly 80 years old.

If that sounds like the kind of place you’d like to visit, how about enjoying the Broken Spoke experience for the duration of the rally? The owners of the Saloon built the Broken Spoke Campground, a 600-acre facility that’s only 15 miles from the city of Sturgis, SD at the northwest corner of the Bear Butte State Park.

This will be the third year that the Broken Spoke Campground is open for business as a ‘home base’ for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. More than just a place to rest up between trips to Sturgis, the campground has enough going on to keep all of its guests entertained for their entire stay.

Perhaps the key feature of the campground is the fact that it’s home to another location of the Broken Spoke Saloon. This 25,000 square foot bar has everything you love about the one in Sturgis with the added bonus of being able to walk, or stagger, to your bed at the end of the night.

Also, what would the Broken Spoke Saloon be without the beautiful girls?

“We’ve got the best looking barmaids in town. I guarantee it,” Broken Spoke general manager David Shoe tells Motorcycle.com. “They are off the hook.”

Guests of the Broken Spoke Campground will have access to free nightly entertainment. Bands including Head East, The Kentucky Headhunters, The Marshall Tucker Band, Bouncing Souls and Shooting Star will be performing at the Saloon and it doesn’t cost any extra cash to check them out.

“The bands are free,” says Shoe. “You can come out and here listen to Marshall Tucker and it isn’t going to cost you $65 to get in the place. There’s no cover.”

Shoe also says it’s a lot less expensive to drink at the campground than in the city of Sturgis.

“We have the best beer prices in town,” says Shoe. “The rally, unfortunately, has gotten to be known for $7 or $7.50 for a Budweiser. We still have longnecks for a reasonable price.”

Beyond music and beer, guests can also catch acts like the Lucky Daredevil and Thrillshow. Tyler Frye and Thrill Kill Jill put on a show that includes sword swallowing and fire-eating.

There’s also plenty of fun to be had with the Limpnickie Lot. Custom bike builders like Nash Motorcycle Company, Bare Knuckle Choppers, French Kiss Customs and many others gather with bikers to have a good time and take each other on in a high-octane paintball fight.

Guests can cool off in what is being called the world’s largest biker pool. Though still under construction, organizers assure us that the new wrench-shaped pool will be open in time for the rally. The pool will be 100 feet long and 50 feet wide and feature two swim-up bars and a 50-foot deck all the way around for those who want to soak up the South Dakota sun.

Even with all the free music and entertainment, staying at the Broken Spoke Campground is only as expensive as you make it. For those who like to sleep under the stars or in a tent, general camping accommodations cost just $99 per person for the entire rally.

If you’re looking for a little more comfort, RV and motor coach lots, which are 30 feet wide and 100 feet long, are available for $500 for 50-amp electrical service and $400 for 30-amp service, plus an additional $99 per person. Water and pump service for septic tanks is also available.

If you’re really looking to spoil yourself, private, air-conditioned cabins are also available. The cabins sleep four and are fully furnished, including linens. They will set you back $2,500.

All of those rates are for the full 13 days, no matter how long or short you stay between July 29 and August 10.

For more information, visit http://www.brokenspokecampground.com/.