Hiking & Biking
To experience all the rustic beauty of Spearfish Canyon, visitors are encouraged to traverse the canyon either on foot or by mountain bike.
Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hikes in the canyon ranging from the leisurely to more rugged. Lookout Mountain, Crow Peak and Roughlock Falls are three of the most popular hiking destinations in Spearfish. For hikers looking to get off the beaten path and maybe even a little wet in the process, Devil’s Bathtub – a local secret – is located in Spearfish Canyon.
To see more of the canyon even faster, visitors can bring or rent a mountain bike and utilize the many local trails and roads to tour the Spearfish area. Bikers will enjoy challenging inclines, daring switchbacks and the thrill of being flanked by sheer limestone cliffs. Nearly all 6,000 miles of Black Hills National Forest roads and fire trails are open to cyclists, but please be aware of private property. Official Forest Service trail maps can be found here.
Big Hill Trails
15 miles of interconnected loop trails located about seven miles south of Spearfish in the Black Hills National Forest.
Centennial Trail
Centennial Trail is the centerpiece of the Black Hills trail system, beginning near Bear Butte State Park and winding more than 100 miles south through the central Black Hills to Hot Springs.
George S. Mickelson Trail
109 miles of crushed limestone and gravel trail stretching from historic Deadwood to Edgemont with more than 100 converted railroad bridges and four hard rock tunnels. The trail is open year-round from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset.
Little Spearfish & Rimrock Trails
These trails are designed and maintained for hikers, horseback riding and mountain biking. Spectacular views of limestone cliffs are complimented by the ambiance of Little Spearfish Creek. Rimrock Trail is bisected into a “lower” 3.5 mile loop and “upper” 4.5 mile loop.
Old Baldy Trail
A six-mile trail loop meandering through stands of aspen, birch and ponderosa pine with sweeping views from the 6100-foot summit of Old Baldy Mountain.
Roughlock Trail
Located at the end of the Spearfish Canyon Lodge parking lot, Roughlock Trail is an easily accessible, one-mile route through a vast array of flowers, waterfall views of Roughlock Falls and deeply forested expanses.
'76 Trail
Located near the Spearfish Canyon Lodge parking lot, this quick but difficult hike will take you to the rim of Spearfish Canyon. The '76 Trail climbs 700 feet in less than a half-mile.
