Deadwood Magazine - History, News, Photos and Features from the American Frontier

Hiking Spearfish

The best trails and treks around the Queen city
By Shawn Werner

CREDIT: Nyla Griffith

The city of Spearfish was founded in 1876 at the height of the Black Hills Gold Rush. The town’s economy grew based on supplying food to the mining camps and a Territorial Normal School, (an antiquated term for teacher’s college) opened its doors in 1883. It went through a number of name changes over the decades, and in 1990 it adopted its current moniker: Black Hills State University.

Spearfish and its immediate surroundings comprise an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. In a relatively small radius, there exists a plethora of scenic hikes, picnic areas, cross-country skiing trails and parks. In fact, many of these activities can be enjoyed in Spearfish Canyon alone, once described by architect Frank Lloyd Wright as being even more miraculous than the Grand Canyon. Other scenic favorites include Crow Peak and Lookout Mountain.

Lookout Mountain is perhaps the easiest to find, you take exit 14 on I-90 and park your car. The base of Lookout is where Louis Thoen purportedly found what is now called the Thoen Stone, a piece of sandstone inscribed with the last words of Ezra Kind. The Stone paints a tragic picture, but its validity has been contested in recent years and attempts to examine the slab under an electron microscope have been hindered.

The inscription on the stone reads:
“Came to these hills in 1833 seven of us: DeLacompt, Ezra Kind, GW Wood, J Brown, R Kent, Wm King and Indian Crow. All ded but me Ezra Kind. Killed by Ind. Beyond high hill. Got our gold June 1834. Got all the gold we could carry, our ponys all got by the Indians. I hav lost my gun and nothing to eat and Indians hunting me.”

Lookout provides visitors with a variety of routes to follow, varying in degrees of difficulty. The view from the peak is magnificent, with Spearfish, Bear Butte, Crow Peak and elements of Spearfish Canyon all within sight. Almost directly opposite Spearfish rests Crow Peak, another favorite hike in the area.

The hike up Crow Peak is long, listed as “difficult” in the Black Hills National Forest brochure, but is equally rewarding. The 3.2 mile trail to the summit includes some awesome scenery along the way including waterfalls, gorges, cliffs, valleys and rock formations. Hikers should bring along plenty of water and maybe even a snack, as it takes anywhere from an hour to two hours to reach the top. It’s important to note that the weather can change in this amount of time so bringing along a coat and other provisions for inclement weather are necessary.

To reach the Crow Peak trailhead, take Hillsview Road from Main Street in Spearfish and head west. From there, take Forest Service Road 214 approximately 7 miles southwest of Spearfish. There is a large parking area, and remember to close the gate!

The view at the top is particularly rewarding, with views of Lookout Mountain, Spearfish, Bear Butte, Crook Mountain, Spearfish Mountain, Little Crow Peak, Terry Peak, Deer Mountain and Citadel Rock in Spearfish Canyon. Crow peak also includes a half mile spur trail that takes hikers to Beaver Ridge, which has spectacular scenery of its own. Crow Peak and other igneous intrusions in the area were formed billions of years ago, when this region was covered by an ocean. Layers of sediment were deposited on the ocean floor and hardened, forming limestone and other sedimentary rock layers.

Underground, magma pushed the sedimentary layers upward and formed the Black Hills. During the process, crevasses within the sedimentary formations filled with magma. These intrusions of magma then cooled to form igneous rock.

Limestone and other sedimentary deposits erode at a faster rate than harder igneous rock. When the oceans receded, much of the sedimentary deposits eroded, exposing the igneous intrusions. Crow Peak, Bear Butte, Spearfish Mountain and Terry Peak were all formed by this process over many millennia.

SPEARFISH CANYON
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright once quipped that Spearfish Canyon was even more miraculous than the Grand Canyon and wondered why it remained, more or less a secret. Since then, many people visit the canyon for a variety of reasons. There are trails that provide some of the most spectacular scenery in the Black Hills, waterfalls and the drive itself is thoroughly enjoyable. People make regular trips to dine at the Latchstring Inn Restaurant, and corporations from around the world have been known to host retreats there. One could theoretically pull their car to the side of the road just about anywhere and explore, but to do so would be dangerous, not to mention that parts of the canyon are private property.

Black Hills resident Al Varland was born and raised in Lead, and has been exploring Spearfish Canyon as long as he can remember.

“I don’t really remember my first trip to the Canyon,” he notes, “In the early 60’s the highlight of the year was the opportunity to go with my Dad to “deer camp” at Jeb Morcom’s cabin about a mile up Hannah. The evenings consisted of us kids watching and listening as the “grown-ups” drank, played poker, talked of the next day’s hunt and told stories of years gone by. I remember listening in awe of an older gentleman, Ray Rayburn, who was in his 70’s and knew the northern Black Hills and the Canyon as well as anyone could at that time. I can trace the beginning of my love of the Hills and the Canyon to these nights. After I was old enough to drive, I was out in the Canyon with my Dad’s new 1965 Jeep whenever I could. I spent my first honeymoon in 1971 in the old cabins of Latchstring Inn and my second honeymoon 25 years ago at Jeb’s cabin.”

Almost as long as Al has been visiting the canyon, he’s been giving directions to others in their quests to find the best vantage points and most interesting areas. One of the most frequent inquiries are how to get to the area known as the Community Caves.

One of the lesser known hikes, it is also one of the closest to the entrance of the Canyon. About two and a half miles in, or just past mile marker 13 is a parking area. Looking across the road to the east, the deepest curve in the creek is the direction to go. After getting across the water, head towards the thin draw between the two hillsides. Finding the trail can be tricky, as it is somewhat camouflaged by vegetation. Once found, it is a well-traveled trail and getting up to the caves takes about 20 minutes.

The caves are an amazing sight. A waterfall pours down the mouth of the largest cavern, inside of which are smaller, individual caves. A hike up to the top of the cavern presents visitors with a view of another smaller waterfall, but the hike itself can be somewhat treacherous with slippery footing and climbing involved.

A little further into the canyon visitors can stay overnight in one of the cabins at Rimrock Lodge. Great views can be seen from the porches of these accommodations, with the comforts of running water, heat and electricity at hand.

Past the Rimrock Lodge area it is a short trip to Bridal Veil Falls, named because the water streaming over the rocks resembles the white lace of a wedding veil. At certain times of the day, the water acts as a prism on the daylight and will cast rainbows onto the surrounding rocks. The 60-foot falls are a prominent attraction, and consequently people are constantly crossing the road so drive with care. The walk from the parking area to the base of the falls is very short, so take time to stop and enjoy them en route to other places in the canyon. Though Bridal Veil is a relatively quick stop, there are so many things to do in the canyon that it’s a good idea to set aside a few days to explore them all.

Though he has probably seen more of the canyon than most, Al still visits frequently and always finds something new. He is more than happy to share his canyon experiences with anyone who is interested.

“My parents have lived in the Canyon since 1984, so since then I’m out there at least three or four times a week when I live here. When we moved back here from Phoenix in ‘03, I had begun an interest in photography, and about the same time got a rambunctious puppy. I combined my love of all three things and started taking Buddy for hikes to my favorite places in the canyon and taking pictures of our excursions.

“For the first couple of years we were going out almost every morning, but for the last year or so it’s more like two to four times a week (much to Buddy’s chagrin). I soon amassed literally thousands of photos and noticed some of them weren’t too bad. In 2004, I joined PBase, a photo sharing website, and started posting pictures of our hikes. Three years later, we’ve had over 1.5 million views and over 5,000 comments by people from all over the world. We get over 1,000 hits a day and some of our pictures have been used by the online editions of South Dakota Magazine, South Dakota Conservation Digest, Spearfish Canyon Homeowners newsletter and even a new office building in Los Angeles.

“My fondest memories are truthfully of the last time we visited; we see something new or different every time we’re out there. I don’t think I could pick just one. Maybe a crisp early October morning with the fall colors at their max and the sun just coming up and reflecting its light off the canyon walls into the still waters of a beaver dam in Savoy, while an eagle soars overhead checking us out. Or maybe each time we go up to Community Caves and sit there reflecting on the peoples who have visited and or lived there over the last 10,000 years. I swear Buddy senses something when we are up there. It is the only place we go where he sits quietly.”

The Devil’s Bathtub is a popular hike, and to get there turn off the road at Cleopatra Place and park near the bridge. Head over the bridge where you can see Sunshine Creek join into Spearfish Creek. There are no trail markers, but walk toward Sunshine Creek and the trail is easy to spot. The land near the parking area is private property, but the landowners kindly allow hikers to trespass until they get to public property.

The trail crosses the stream several times, so be prepared to get wet. The hike to the bathtub is relatively short, about three-quarters of a mile and inclines at a gradual rate. A notable sight on the way up is the Wedding Tree. The unusual phenomena is comprised of a pine and birch tree that have grown together.

The bathtub is the product of erosion. The waters of Sunshine Creek tumble down a smooth rock channel into a circular pool about ten feet in diameter and roughly four feet deep. The pool used to be deep enough that an adult could jump off the rocks at the pools edge and sink 10 or 15 feet down, but sediments have been filling in the bottom. The eroded rock flowing into the bathtub once served as the perfect natural waterslide, but in recent years a boulder mysteriously appeared at the bottom, effectively blocking the landing area. It is unknown whether the boulder appeared naturally, but it is rumored that it was rolled there on purpose.

The popularity of the hike does have some negative side effects, mainly litter.

“Devil’s Bathtub has become one of the more disappointing areas of the canyon in my view,” says Al. “Anymore, we only go up there a couple times a year and always early on a weekday morning. While it offers some great photo opportunities, we invariably see beer cans, water bottles, articles of clothing and food wrappers. When we get a period of good, high, fast running water it usually flushes the canyon out pretty well, but it doesn’t take long for it to build back up.” Packing out trash is not only the responsible, courteous thing to do, but will also help ensure that such attractions will be available for future enjoyment.

Near mile marker 20 is 11th Hour Gulch. The 20-foot passage consists of climbing up boulders, walking along makeshift bridges and up man-made ladders. The initial hike is short and relatively easy, but to continue up the peak from the landing is difficult and time consuming. The resulting views can be rewarding, but is best reserved for experienced hikers with some climbing ability.

On the opposite side of the road near 11th Hour are the kissing rocks. The two large boulders came loose in recent years and rolled down the side of the mountain into the creek. The action took place so quickly that two deer were killed, and the swath of trees misplaced by their journey can still be seen.

From there, the next most prominent attraction is the old town of Savoy. It now hosts the Latchstring Inn Restaurant and Spearfish Canyon Lodge and Conference Center, where visitors can get a bite to eat or stay overnight in one of the lodgings. The hike to the beautiful Spearfish Falls begins here.

The 35 minute journey travels to the bottom of the canyon floor and culminates with the awesome sight of Spearfish Falls joining Spearfish Creek. There are two ratings for the trail, “easy” from the Latchstring to the falls, and “difficult” if you continue to follow the steep natural tread that loops instead of backtracking.

Roughlock Falls Trail is one of the easiest hikes in the canyon, and is notably handicapped accessible. Starting from the Lodge parking lot, it is a mile west from the scenic byway, and includes a picnic area. The waters of Spearfish Creek crashing over the falls have caused the falls to recede about 300 feet in the last 100 years, and visitors are asked to stay on the trail to prevent further erosion. The hike has enraptured people since it was discovered over a century ago and still does.

“I have probably walked under the rim rocks of every mile of the Canyon from Bridal Veil to Cheyenne Crossing, been up every gulch and viewed the Canyon from every prominent overlook, but my favorite hike is one of the most simple. I love the walk from Latchstring Village to Roughlock Falls and back as the sun is rising. We generally take the trail one way and walk the road the other.

“As I’ve mentioned before, the light from the rising sun reflecting off the canyon walls makes for some incredible light. We encounter deer, ducks, beaver, eagles, ferrets and herons. The chirping birds in the spring and summer months add to the immense solitude. We make the walk two or three times a month unless the snow is too deep. The colors change constantly, from the deep green of spring to the oranges, browns, and reds of fall. During the summer there are different wildflowers, immense stands of sunflowers and flowering bushes. When we can get up there in the winter, the snow blanks everything but the trees and rim rocks, and the running water sparkling with ice crystals is a magical sight.”

There are many other points of interest in Spearfish Canyon which continues from Savoy on either highway 222 towards Timon or highway 14 towards Cheyenne Crossing. Maps can be found online at www.spearfishcanyon.com. Al Varland’s photos can be viewed at www.pbase.com/prplexd/root.

Roughlock Falls carves its way through Spearfish Canyon.

Devil’s Bathtub as it now appears, shallow with a large boulder blocking the falls.

The 60 ft drop of Bridal Veil Falls, a popular spectacle in the canyon.