History
History of Spearfish Canyon
Spearfish Canyon was carved by erosion from a powerful stream of water over 60 million years ago. Ancient oceans left behind their remnants of limestone, sandstone, and shale which now comprise the Canyon walls and floor. The town and Canyon’s name “Spearfish” was inspired by the area at the mouth of the Canyon where Native Americans “speared” fish in the creek. Modern transportation into the Canyon was ushered in by a railroad spur built in 1893. In the early 20th century, a highway was constructed to enable automobiles to venture into the Canyon.
Read the geological history of the Canyon from the Spearfish Canyon Foundation
Read the social history of the Canyon from Black Hills Visitor
History of Canyon Leaf Watching
Historically, we’ve seen the “peak color” (when the Canyon’s leaves are at the height of their color transition) the last week of September. Yet, this varies year to year. Spearfish Canyon advocate and author Jerry Boyer tracked the autumnal changing of the leaves in the Canyon for more than 25 years. Thanks to his persistence and service, we have a historical record of the annual transition of the leaves, including when the typical peak colors of the trees reveal themselves. According to Boyer’s and Talcott’s records, the “peak color” in Spearfish Canyon arrives annually between September 23 and October 3.
