What to know about Spearfish Falls Trail in the Black Hills of South Dakota

Hi there!

So Spearfish Falls is one of the popular waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon.

The best way to see Spearfish Falls is to hike the Spearfish Falls Trail!

 

 

You will get a classic view of Spearfish Falls from the bottom of the waterfalls.

 

 

There is also an upper falls overlook where you can get a small glimpse from the top of the waterfalls, but the view is not great.

But if you want to see this too, it takes minimal time as it’s a short walk from the parking lot.

 

So, if you want to see Spearfish Falls, then the Spearfish Falls Trail is it!

It’s a mostly leisurely walk through the forest that comes with a bridge crossing over Spearfish Creek along the way.

 

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The start of the Spearfish Falls Trail is right off of the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (aka US-14) so it can be an easy stop to make on your drive through Spearfish Canyon.

 

 

Spearfish Falls is a part of South Dakota’s state park system in Spearfish Canyon Nature Area.

The Spearfish Canyon State Nature Area includes Spearfish Falls, Roughlock Falls, and Savoy Pond.

 

👆 Spearfish Canyon trails managed by South Dakota state parks: The Spearfish Falls Trail descends into Spearfish Canyon and then follows Spearfish Creek to Spearfish Falls.

 

 

How to see Spearfish Falls

 

The best parking for the Spearfish Falls Trail is the same parking lot at the Latchstring restaurant that’s right near the start of the Spearfish Falls Trail.

But, there is VERY limited parking at the Spearfish Falls Trail.

Like, 3 parking spots.

 

 

Most of the parking lot is restaurant parking.

There are signs saying the parking spaces are for employee parking and guest parking.

This is how it was when I went anyway! Your experience may vary!

 

 

Latchstring is a part of the Spearfish Canyon Lodge that’s across the road.

So, if you’re not also eating at the restaurant before or after your hike, then it seems it would be good to park at the Roughlock Falls trailhead. You’ll follow signs for Roughlock Falls, and then you’ll see the parking lot.

From the Roughlock Falls trailhead parking to the Spearfish Falls Trail, it might be a few minutes walk.

Or, if you are able to find parking near the Spearfish Falls Trail, then the start of the Spearfish Falls Trail is right there!

 

More below about hiking the Spearfish Falls Trail!

 

 

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Hiking the Spearfish Falls Trail to see waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon

I saw Spearfish Falls as part of a drive from Mount Rushmore to Devils Tower. (That was a drive from Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone with Spearfish Canyon along the way!)

This means that I was driving in the direction of Savoy SD to Spearfish SD.

 

 

Coming from Mount Rushmore, my time in Spearfish Canyon started in Savoy.

And, it’s at this junction to start driving the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway that you’ll look for the Spearfish Falls Trail parking aka the Latchstring restaurant.

Once you’re in Savoy at the junction/intersection, you’ll see the Latchstring restaurant.

So you can then turn into that parking lot to look for parking.

You’ll see a trail that seems to go in towards the forest and that’s the trail to the start of the Spearfish Falls Trail.

There are parking spots right next to this trail.

So if you want to go to Spearfish Falls first, you can see if there’s parking at the Spearfish Falls Trail.

 

👆 Arriving to Savoy when you are driving in the direction of Savoy to Spearfish, you will see a sign for Roughlock Falls pointing to the left, and then the Latchstring restaurant and Spearfish Falls Trail will be to the right. Above, you can see the Latchstring parking to the right, along with the Roughlock Falls sign pointing to the left.

 

👆 Directly ahead is the start of the Spearfish Falls Trail along with parking spots open to the public. When I was there, there was room for 3 cars, and beyond that, there were cones set up with signs indicating the rest of the parking spots were from employees.

 

👆 The Spearfish Falls Trail starts near the main road of Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway which is US-14A

 

Driving through the rest of the parking lot, there were more cones, with a sign that said parking was for restaurant guests only.

 

 

So if you can’t find parking at the Spearfish Falls Trail, then you can head towards Roughlock Falls.

You’ll be turning onto Roughlock Falls Road.

 

 

Then, once you make that turn, you’ll pass the Spearfish Canyon Lodge.

 

 

Then you’ll see a sign for the 76 Trail. This is where you start the 76 Trail.

I did not do the 76 Trail, but according to the people of Visit Spearfish, it seems like a worthy hike! So if you want to do this, the Roughlock Falls trailhead parking lot can be good for that too. It’s listed as a 1.5 mile round trip difficult hike in which you will be hiking UP for vast views of the Black Hills!

 

 

Shortly after the 76 trailhead, the road will turn into a dirt road.

Then, almost immediately after that, you will see a parking lot on the left side.

The parking lot is obvious and you will see it directly alongside the road.

This is a parking lot that you can use for Spearfish Falls too.

 

👆 There is a sign for “Roughlock Falls trailhead parking” and “Roughlock Falls.” If you want to go to the Roughlock Falls Nature Area for the quicker way to see Roughlock Falls, you can keep keep driving straight ahead. If you want to hike to Spearfish Falls or Roughlock Falls (aka if you want to start the Roughlock Falls Trail), this first parking lot you see for the Roughlock Falls trailhead your destination!

 

👆 The Roughlock Falls trailhead parking lot can serve as a Spearfish Falls Trail overflow parking lot.

 

There is a bathroom at the Roughlock Falls trailhead parking lot. (There is also a bathroom at the start of the Spearfish Falls Trail.)

Then to get to Spearfish Falls, you can start walking along the road you were just driving on to get to the start of the Spearfish Falls Trail.

 

 

And then you can start walking to the Spearfish Falls Trail.

 

👆 Spearfish Falls Trail map. According to South Dakota state parks, the Spearfish Falls Trail is 1.5 miles long and is a moderate difficulty hike.

 

There is a bathroom at the start of the Spearfish Falls Trail.

 

 

And off you go to start hiking to Spearfish Falls!

 

 

You will soon arrive at the bridge where you can see your first views of Spearfish Creek!

 

 

Then you’ll keep walking and you’ll soon be walking through pine trees.

 

 

And then soon you’ll arrive at another Spearfish Creek lookout!

 

 

And then you’ll keeping walking to see your first glimpse of Spearfish Falls!

 

 

And then you can continue on for the main Spearfish Falls observation platform!

 

 

Take in the views of Spearfish Falls!

 

 

And then once you’ve taken in the views of Spearfish Falls, then you can head back to the parking lot!

It took me around 10 minutes to get from the start of the Spearfish Falls Trail to Spearfish Falls.

I was walking at a leisurely pacing and took lots of pictures along the way.

You can do the Spearfish Falls Trail out-and-back in less than 20 minutes if you want to be quick about it.

So if you give yourself 30 minutes to do the Spearfish Falls Trail, that should be plenty of time to enjoy the hike in Spearfish Canyon and take in the views of the waterfalls!

And then once you get back to your car, you can go for a drive on the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway!

 

 

Maybe next up will be a stop at Long Valley picnic area, the Kissing Rocks, or Bridal Veil Falls!

 

Or…

Spearfish Falls upper overlook

If you do want to do a quick look at the Spearfish Falls from the upper overlook, it is a simple walk.

The Spearfish Falls upper overlook is on the other side of the restaurant from the Spearfish Falls trailhead.

You’ll walk the sidewalk along the parking lot in front of the restaurant to get to the Spearfish Falls upper overlook.

Again, it’s not much a view, but it is quick and easy to see Spearfish Falls from the upper overlook!

 

👆 Spot the waterfalls!

 

 

And that’s a bit about Spearfish Falls!

I did the Spearfish Falls Trail in September 2021. Your experience may vary!

 

More of the Black Hills and beyond:

• Things to do in the Black Hills
• Things to do in Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Things to do in Custer State Park
• Things to do in Devils Tower National Monument
• Targhee National Forest waterfalls in Idaho
• National forest cabins in Wyoming

 

HAPPY HIKING THE SPEARFISH FALLS TRAIL!