Spearfish Canyon is a deep but narrow gorge carved by Spearfish Creek just south of Spearfish

Spearfish, South Dakota

Spearfish is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota,United States. The population was 10,494 at the 2010 census.- History :Prior to the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1876, the area was used by Native Americans who would spear fish in the creek...

, South Dakota

South Dakota

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...

 in the U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 It is located on the northern edge of Black Hills National Forest

Black Hills National Forest

Black Hills National Forest is located in southwestern South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. The forest has an area of over 1.25 million acres and is managed by the Forest Service. Forest headquarters are located in Custer, South Dakota...

. Many tourists drive through the canyon, drawn to the region due to its wide range of plant and wildlife, geology, rock formations, and waterfalls. Spearfish Creek holds populations of rainbow and brown trout and is dammed in several spots, affording fishing opportunities. Stocking of trout in Spearfish Creek was discontinued in the 1970's and all trout in the creek today are wild. In addition, remnants of Spearfish Canyon's active mining history are still easily found in some locations.

History

Six hundred million or so years ago, long before man walked this area, it was covered by a huge sea. As waters subsided and land masses began to appear 30 to 60 million years ago, drainages such as Spearfish Canyon formed as softer rock was eroded away. Today, a National Scenic Byway, U.S. Highway 14A, winds through the canyon. This area is truly a crossroads, and trees and plants from Rocky Mountains, eastern woodlands, northern forests, and the Great Plains areas can be found here.

Flora and Fauna

Of the 1,585 plant species found in South Dakota, 1,260 species are in the Black Hills, many of which can be found in Spearfish Canyon. Ponderosa Pines are the most prominent vegetation in the Black Hills, rivaling the evergreens of the Northwest. As for bird species, Turkeys, Bluejays, Woodpeckers, Cliff Swallows, Chickadees, and Golden or Bald Eagles. The canyon supports a cross-section of four-footed animal life. White-tail and Mule deer can be found throughout the drive. Porcupines, Raccoons, Squirrels, and Chipmunks might be spotted as well as a Bobcat or a Yellow-Bellied Marmot.

Geology

It is often studied by geologists due to the extreme old age of the Precambrian rocks exposed by the Creek bed. The Canyon's high walls are of three dominant rock types. Deadwood shale at the bottom can be identified by its brown color, is multi-layered in appearance and ranges from 10 to 400 feet thick. Englewood limestone in the middle is pink to red colored and is 30 to 60 feet thick. Paha sapa limestone, the top layer, is the thickest (300 to 600 feet) and is buff colored and weathered gray in appearance. Caves and fossils are frequently found in Paha sapa limestone.

External links

• Basic information and pictures of Spearfish Canyon and tourism info
• Geologic information and pictures of Spearfish Canyon
• Information about the Scenic Byway