Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2026 Traffic Counts Down 10% as 448,166 Vehicles Enter Sturgis

Northeast Radio SD News – Sturgis, SD - The South Dakota Department of Transportation has released final daily traffic counts for vehicles entering Sturgis during the 86th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, held August 7–16, 2026. Data was collected at nine entry locations surrounding the city.

Daily Vehicle Counts

·         Friday, Aug. 7: 54,515 vehicles — Up 2.9% from the five‑year average

·         Saturday, Aug. 8: 58,519 vehicles — Up 2.5%

·         Sunday, Aug. 9: 55,448 vehicles — Down 7.5%

·         Monday, Aug. 10: 55,226 vehicles — Down 8.4%

·         Tuesday, Aug. 11: 51,742 vehicles — Down 11.8%

·         Wednesday, Aug. 12: 42,964 vehicles — Down 23.6%

·         Thursday, Aug. 13: 41,702 vehicles — Down 18.1%

·         Friday, Aug. 14: 39,716 vehicles — Down 14.3%

·         Saturday, Aug. 15: 28,679 vehicles — Down 17.4%

·         Sunday, Aug. 16: 19,655 vehicles — Down 5.7%

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Ten‑Day Totals

·         2026 Total to Date: 448,166 vehicles — Down 10.0% from the five‑year average

·         Previous Five‑Year Average (2021–2025): 498,042 vehicles

The SDDOT noted that a full report—including traffic counts across the greater Black Hills region—will be available during the week of August 24, 2026 at: https://dot.sd.gov/transportation/highways/traffic-data/

Additional Rally Travel Information

Motorists can find details on reduced speed zones, temporary traffic signals, and travel FAQs at: https://dot.sd.gov/travelers/travelers/sturgis-rally-travel-information-faq