Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway follows an old railroad grade that was abandoned after massive flooding in 1933. Old rail stops and mining camps include Savoy and Elmore. Spearfish Creek supports trout brought to the Black Hills from Colorado in 1899.
We were a little early for the full-on "turning of the leaves" which also meant we were leaf peeping on our own. It's one of the few areas in the state that has a large deciduous tree and shrub population, and it can be simply spectacular when you hit it just right. And very crowded, so plan carefully.
Rocks, Rocks, and Waterfalls: This was not a "definitive tour" of Spearfish Canyon as much as a quick glimpse. The canyon reminds us to some degree of Gallatin Canyon outside Bozeman, MT. Huge Madison limestone cliffs soar on either side of the narrow, steep canyon, and several spectacular waterfalls run full in rainy years. The deepest layer of the canyon, the Deadwood formation, is comprised of massive sandstone, limestone and green shale also appears as jagged ledges. A geology fest! Bridal Veil Falls is located six miles or 10-15 minutes from Spearfish.
The sixty-foot waterfall is named for the shape of the water as it falls over the edge and thinly veils the limestone and other rock layers like Victorian lace. Leaf Color: As it does in canyons, the wind decided to periodically whip, so some of the photos required a little "saving" which I did with a poster effect. There were spectacularly intricate seed heads along the trails. Reds and greens intermixed everywhere. Here and there were the last hanger-on before frost. As the sun went off the canyon bottom, it lit the canyon walls on our way out to Spearfish. Text by Brian and Louise, Photos by Brian. All text and photos copyright Goin Mobyle, LLC, 2009
 Leaves&)
&)
 Leaves with Grasshopper&)
 Poster Format&)
 Leaves Poster Format&)
 Seedhead Tangle&)
&)
 Seedhead Tangle&)
 Flower Umbrel&)
