Located in the northern Black Hills, Spearfish, South Dakota is a tourist Mecca with some of the best sightseeing and outdoor recreation in the country.
The town is located near the western edge of the state, just about mid-latitude. More than a million visitors a year are drawn to the area’s natural beauty and nearby attractions. Not only is the area an outdoor paradise offering everything trout fishing to rock climbing and snowmobiling; it’s also the perfect embarking point for some of the country’s most impressive attractions - The Black Hills, Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower are all nearby. Brian Gebhart, director of public relations and marketing for Visit Spearfish, Inc. says, “We are about the midpoint between Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower, each about an hour away” adding, “The west entrance to Badlands is about 95 miles away.”
Here’s a quick rundown on all that awaits you:
Not to be missed, the Black Hills National Forest is just a short 1.5-hour scenic drive from Spearfish. The area encompasses over 1-million acres in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. There, you’ll find some of the West's most beautiful scenery, with beautiful forest land, rugged landscape, and impressive geologic formations.
The 244,000-acre Badlands National Park wears its name well, with dramatic rock formations like steep canyons, layered rock formations laid down over millennia, and towering rock spires that are other-worldly. Wildlife abounds in the park, and bison and bighorn sheep are common sights. The park is also home to one of the world’s richest fossil beds. The Fossil Exhibit Trail provides a boardwalk to see displays of uncovered fossils.
Driving through South Dakota's Back Hills.
Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse
The famous monument attracts 3-million tourists each year to see the towering figures of presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. The U.S. Highway 385 Scenic Drive from Spearfish is considered one of the area’s most scenic drives.
Less than a half hour from Mount Rushmore is another larger-than-life figure, Crazy Horse Memorial. Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear chose the 6,500-foot mountain as an apt site to memorialize the famous Lakota warrior. Polish sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski worked on the monument till his death in 1982. Work continues today but the site is open to visitors.
Drive west from Spearfish to Devils Tower National Monument. The breathtaking monolith, a sacred spot for several Plains Indians tribes and a familiar television and movie backdrop, rises 867 feet out of the prairie.
Two towns within easy reach of Spearfish have their own allure. The town of Deadwood is a Wild West gold mining town with a history that includes such legendary figures as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Today, daily gunslinger reenactments and blocks of restored buildings housing bars, restaurants, and nearly two-dozen gaming establishments keep the old west vibe alive.
Sturgis is best known for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Each year in August, nearly a half-million riders descend on the small town for the 10-day festival. During the other 11 months of the year, it’s a place of historic sites worth visiting and great local hospitality.
Don’t forget about the town of Spearfish itself - a small, welcoming community with just 14,000 residents but plenty to do. For strolling, there’s a vibrant Main Street with historic buildings, an iconic clock tower, and an outdoor fireplace. There are antique shops, boutiques, coffee shops and plenty of dining options. And, as Gebhart notes, “We’re very outdoor oriented, with tons of trails and activities nearby.”
Spearfish comes to life summer Fridays with its family-friendly “Downtown Friday Nights” featuring live music, food, beer, crafts, and children’s activities.
Just outside of town is a gorge is more ancient than the Grand Canyon. Famous architect Frank Lloyd once called it “unparalleled.” Drivers can view the awesome scenery en route to the Black Hills via US Highway 14A which winds through the canyon for nearly 20 miles. Along the way, be sure to visit Bridal Veil Falls at the roadside observation area.
The northern Black Hills are an angler’s delight, with opportunities to fish for brown trout and rainbow alongside amazing scenery like brook trout streams bordered by limestone cliffs in Spearfish Canyon. A dozen other streams plus area lakes provide plenty of additional options.
Meanwhile, back in town, the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery is great to tour. Established in 1896, the facility was constructed to establish trout populations in the Black Hills and is one of the oldest operating hatcheries in the country. The Hatchery offers educational and interpretative programs including an underwater trout viewing area.
The Matthews Opera House opened in 1906. By the 1920s it had been renamed the Princess Theater and operated as a movie house. By the 1950s the building had fallen into neglect.
In the 1980s, the theater was restored and was eventually reopened as the centerpiece of the Spearfish Arts Center.
Today, the Matthews Opera House hosts theatrical and musical events and the fine arts gallery features the work of regional artists.
Dick Termes, an internationally-known local artist, paints on spheres that hang and rotate from ceiling motors, turning one revolution per minute. The globes feature realistic and sometimes surreal designs. Each piece is entirely unique. To-date, he’s painted more than 400 spheres which have been featured in books worldwide.
The Termesphere Gallery, which features from up to 70 Termespheres at any given time, doubles as Dick's workshop and it’s possible to see him at work. Interested buyers can purchase pieces at the gallery.
This annual event, hosted by the Sioux Falls Corvette Club, is one of the premier Corvette events worldwide. Each year over 400 Corvettes can be seen caravanning along western scenic highways heading for the event in Spearfish.
This year marks the event’s 48th anniversary and will be held Friday, July 19.
There are several options for RV camping in the immediate area:
Spearfish City Campground - is adjacent to the DC Booth National Historic Fish Hatchery and within walking distance of downtown Spearfish. The park contains 61 sites with hookups (56 are full-hookup sites with 30/50-amp service, water, sewer, and cable TV. There are also 150 non-hookup sites. The park can accommodate rigs up to 45’. All but one site are back-ins. The park is pet-friendly.
Spearfish KOA - conveniently located off Interstate 90 at Exit 10, the facility offers 80 RV sites with 20/30/50-amp electric, cable, and Wi-Fi. The park is big-rig friendly with pull-through sites that can accommodate 125’ maximum length. The park is pet-friendly and has a pool and fishing.
Elkhorn Ridge RV Resort - located just five minutes from Spearfish Canyon, has 186 full-hookup RV sites with 111 pull-throughs and 75 back-ins. Each paved site offers 20/30/50 amp service, along with cable and Wi-Fi.
The park is pet-friendly and has a pool, hot tub, outdoor sports facilities, and on-site meeting rooms. Live music, social hours, and events are offered in summer. The park features a grocery store, gift boutique, and onsite bistro, serving breakfast and lunch. Outstanding features include an onsite championship golf course, 4.5-mile hiking/biking trail, and the Frawley Ranch tour with five 19th-century historic homesteads.