Spearfish Parks & Recreation

Explore Spearfish Canyon with friends and family.

The scenic 19-mile drive in Spearfish Canyon takes visitors past cliffs, waterfalls, and Spearfish Creek. It is a beautiful drive with places to stop and enjoy the views or take a short hike to waterfalls. A couple of waterfalls to see include Rough Lock and Spearfish Falls. Avid hikers will enjoy Devils Bathtub. Expect to cross the creek several times before arriving at the natural pool for a swim. Exploring the side canyons is a must for hikers, like Iron Creek or Eleventh Hour Gulch (named for the one hour of sunlight it gets each day). Visitors should definitely seek out Bridal Veil Falls during their visit too. 

Bicycling Magazine named Spearfish Canyon one of the top 50 great scenic bike paths in the country. The scenery is beautiful, and there is a lot that can be seen by car or bike. Several pull-off areas are scattered throughout the canyon if you need to stretch your legs. Be sure to stop for some awesome pictures along the way. Other points of interest include the Spearfish Canyon Lodge and the Latchstring Inn Restaurant. At the other end of the canyon, you can find the Cheyenne Crossing Store, a gift shop, and a café.

Interesting fact; several scenes in the movie "Dances With Wolves" were shot in Spearfish Canyon. Autumn is a very colorful season to make the drive. The best time to see the colorful leaves are around the first week of October. Elevation from one end of the canyon to the other climbs to almost 2,000 feet, the changing leaves may vary, but it is always worth the drive.