Spearfish Canyon

Slowly carved from the rock as the last great ocean receded from the face of North America, Spearfish Canyon features nearly vertical cliffs with stone in Neapolitan shades of brown, pink, and gray. The narrow 11th Hour Gulch has such high walls that it only gets one hour of sunlight per day, and by mid-fall a large pillar of ice already begins crystallizing. Plants from four different regions of North America share the Spearfish Canyon area, with mountain pines and northern spruces standing alongside aspen and prairie grasses. You might not strike it rich in Spearfish Canyon today, but an autumn drive will still give you plenty of gold when the aspen are in full color.

Gold and lumber attracted settlers to the Spearfish area, and although visitors' main focus has shifted to recreation, traces of the past remain along the route. The red brick walls and large plate windows of the Maurice Hydro Power Plant blend with the surrounding trees and the lapping creek to create a rustic scene. At the end of the byway, visit Cheyenne Crossing Store, a stopping point on the road since the days of the stagecoach. You can also find Calamity Jane's notched rifle on display at the Latchstring Inn in Savoy.

The north entrance to Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway is accessed at Exit 14 off from Interstate 90 in Spearfish. The visitor can follow the signed route of SD 14A as it passes through the city of Spearfish and proceeds south to Spearfish Canyon through the Black Hills National Forest. The byway ends at the junction of US 14A and US 85.

The southern entrance to Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway is accessed via US 85 approximately 20 miles southwest of Deadwood. At Cheyenne Crossing, US 85 intersects with US 14A. From Cheyenne Crossing proceed north on US 14A through the National Forest, Spearfish Canyon and into the city of Spearfish. The byway ends at Exit 14 on Interstate 90.