Fernweh, An Ache for Distant Places

SPEARFISH CANYON
In the Northern Hills region of the Black Hills National Forest, the most popular natural attraction is Spearfish Canyon. It is even older than the Grand Canyon and many people argue that it is just as stunning. 

Frank Lloyd Wright visited Spearfish Canyon in 1935 and wrote “How is it that I’ve heard so little of this miracle and we, toward the Atlantic, have heard so much of the Grand Canyon when this is even more miraculous. All the better eventually… my hat is off to South Dakota treasures.”

Other historical figures have ties to this land like John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt, the latter whom spent a significant amount of his time hunting this area in the 1880s.

In 1899, the first geological survey was completed of the canyon by a group called the Latchstring Collection of the Spearfish Canyon Foundation.

This was only a few years before Roosevelt created the National Forest system that drew international attention to the Black Hills and what is now the Black Hills National Forest. 

The canyon is surrounded by thousand-feet high limestone walls, unique geological features, and is legit overflowing with creeks and waterfalls in some spots. 

Spearfish Canyon definitely does not get the fuss it deserves, but locals probably like it that way.

Unlike most places I write about, the majority of the factual information I could find on the canyon and the byway came from one primary source, the Spearfish Canyon Foundation. 

In 1893, the Grand Island & Wyoming Railroad laid its tracks in this previously uncharted territory. Spearfish Spur was a 32-mile route from Deadwood, to a town called Trojan, and connecting in Spearfish.

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad soon followed suit. Soon, sightseers and pleasure seekers jumped on board and a stop at Spearfish Falls was the biggest hit. 

The tracks were destroyed by a flood in 1933 and then abandoned, but you can find traces of them when you look closely enough. A visit to the canyons’ Native Botanical Gardens bridge lends a lovely view of Little Spearfish Creek. 

SPEARFISH SCENIC BYWAY
US Highway 14A is known as the Spearfish Canyon State and National Forest Scenic Byway, or simply as the Spearfish Scenic Byway for short, along the 19-mile stretch between Devil’s Tower and Mount Rushmore.

Its northern terminus closest to Devil’s Tower is the city of Spearfish, and its southern terminus near Mount Rushmore begins in Savoy and Cheyenne Crossing.

Here is the map shared from SpearfishCanyon.com: 

This stretch has been designated a State Byway since 1989 and it is known for its mystical views, limestone cliffs, gorgeous waterfalls, and colourful leaves in the fall.

SPEARFISH CITY
According to this article, the city of Spearfish is said to have been named after white folks watched Native Americans use spears to fish from the creeks and streams of the canyon.

To learn more about the Sioux, Lakota, and other Indigenous people who originally lived and still live in the Black Hills, read my previous blogs here, here and here. 

Spearfish was founded as Queen City in 1876. It was a hub for food and necessities for the miners of surrounding communities like Lead and Deadwood, and eventually workers of the farming, ranching, logging, milling, and commerce industries.

Within a few years the Dakota Territorial Normal School was founded and later became the Black Hills State University right when Queen City was renamed Spearfish in the late 1880s.

Spearfish has been a booming college town ever since. 

Modern day Spearfish is vibrant and bustling, with loads of newer coffee shops and boutiques wedged into all of its late 1800s architecture. 

We stopped for lunch at Green Bean and checked out a few other places while passing through. 

High Plains Western Heritage Center was such a fun visit! Learn all about the history of American Western heritage through a collection of curated exhibits, documents, archives, and authentic artifacts. 

The view here is the quintessential Midwestern plains landscape postcard shot. 

We met these lovely horses while wandering the grounds surrounding the museum. 

ATTRACTIONS IN THE CANYON
After driving through the Northern Great Plains Grassland and past Split Rock, you will come around a wide curve and be facing Bridal Veil Falls.

This stop is about one-third of the way along the byway route, driving from north to south.

Bridal Veil Falls has a nearly 60-feet high waterfall and it is the most easily accessible one in the canyon.

There is an observation deck and parking beside it, or you can pull over on the side of the road.

Continue south along Spearfish Creek to see Victoria’s Tower, Eleventh Hour Gulch, and Kissing Rocks, then drive through the Eastern Deciduous Forest and Rocky Mountain Pine Forest.

As you eventually reach the community of Savoy you will see signs for 76 Trail, the one-mile Roughlock Trail that leads to Roughlock Falls, and Spearfish Falls Trail. 

This area is known as Spearfish Canyon Nature area but, depending on how old your map is, it may be listed as the Savoy Pond Area. 

Stay on the byway and you will see the Natural Botanical Gardens Trail, the Northern Coniferous Forest, and eventually end up at the Cheyenne Crossing restaurant and general store. 

Alternately, if you split off onto Forest Road 222, you can visit the famous filming location from Dances With Wolves near the Rimrock Trail and Little Spearfish Trails.

The historic Spearfish Canyon Lodge and Latchstring Restaurant are also nearby. 

There are several lodges, campgrounds, and roadside oddities along the way like this random Abraham Lincoln monument on the side of the road. 

Homestake Mining Company
We also passed this historic Homestake Mining Company building from 1917.

Homestake Mine was a major gold mine in the nearby town of Lead until it closed in 2002. It was known as the largest and deepest gold mine in the Western Hemisphere, and produced nearly 45 million ounces of gold during its operation.

The company was known for a few generous acts like renovating the Latchstring Inn with a new log exterior and donating some of its property to the area land trust.

Homestake was notorious in the scientific world also, after establishing its underground research facility in the 1960s that centered around studying solar neutrinos. 

There, the first solar neutrinos were observed during the Homestake Experiment aka the Davis Experiment. The mine was also chosen as the location for the DUSEL lab by the National Science Foundation.

I have to admit that my favourite part was seeing mountain goats, though.

You may find them overhead, clinging to a narrow ledge, just as easily as you may find them munching on some grindage along the side of the road.

Watch out for them, and practice common sense when you do encounter them. 

Driving through Spearfish Canyon was such a beautiful experience.

While it is only 19 miles long and could be undertaken in about 40 minutes, plan on spending a couple hours there so you can get out and admire the scenery.

If you plan to hike any of the trails, visit Dances With Wolves filming locations, or eat at any of the restaurants, you will need a lot of extra time and should consider staying overnight. 

Some of Spearfish’s signature annual events include the Chinook Days Winter Festival, Leading Ladies & Dakota Spirit Marathon, Dakota Five-0, Canyon Acoustic Series, Festival in the Park, and the Black Hills Corvette Classic.

The D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery and Termesphere Gallery are both super popular attractions to visit around the canyon. 

STURGIS
We left the canyon and drove the short route from the city of Spearfish to Sturgis because we kept hearing so much about it. 

Sturgis is famous for its annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, a 10-day event that has been drawing motorcyclists and biker groups from all over the world since 1938. 

The event was first hosted by Indian Motorcycle company, but today you will see the Harley Davidson name slapped on everything from street signs to concert pavilions, and the windows of every retail shop and bar downtown.

The place is HEAVY on Tr*mp gear and an overall genre of intentionally offensive and proudly ignorant merchandise, combined with a lot of biker gang quotes and symbolism.

It was not my thing at all, but there were a few cool historic buildings downtown. 

Stop by the Hotel Sturgis for a hot drink or quick bite, or sample all the local Sturgis Brewing Company beers. 

In the area for a while? Follow me to other gorgeous places in the Black Hills like Wind Cave National Park, Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, Deadwood, Lead, Rapid City, and Wall Drug. 

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