Spearfish South Dakota was nowhere on our radar.
And despite being an amazing chunk of canyon with towering sandstone walls, pines, and small falls – we’d recommend that it not be on yours.
If you like crowds, tamped gravel walkways with mothers and grandmothers encouraging their little ones to scratch their names into the aspen tree bark along the path, well then maybe you want it on yours.
As part of the route around Sturgis, it attracts a very "tourist" crowd, replete with open motorcycle exhausts, UTV rentals, and said mothers/grandmothers encouraging vandalism of public property.
It IS beautiful, but if you can’t hit it in a very off-peak season, steer far, far clear.
Hanna Campground
We had planned on dispersed camping, but with a holiday weekend everything was already occupied. We lucked into the last spot in the Forest Service Hanna Campground.
Plenty of Water
Does this look like South Dakota to you?
Layers and Layers
There’s lots of sedimentary rock in this area, and plenty of space to enjoy it.
I’m SOOO Shocked!
She’s shocked that this is South Dakota!
The Bathtub
Watching the small fall pour down into the Devil’s Bathtub. We’re here during September at low season, I can only imagine what this is like with spring snowmelt running!
Roughlock Falls
Falls and mossy cascades, all in one!
