September 20, 2024
The fall foliage in Spearfish Canyon is now at 65% of peak color change. Fall officially begins on Sunday. After a windy week here in Spearfish, we are in for a hot day today followed by a mild, sunny weekend. The area southeast of Devil’s Bathtub parking lot is the closest to peak color of any area I’ve seen in the Canyon. Watch for delicate, purple bellflowers as you walk from the parking lot to the trail this weekend. The Savoy Bowl and areas around Spearfish Canyon Lodge are dotted with golden yellows, especially in the higher elevations around the cliffs.
A drive or hike through the Canyon this weekend will feel like fall, both in terms of weather and in foliage. Here’s a tip for witnessing the season in transition: Find a spot of conifers (evergreen spruce and pines) and compare with the surrounding deciduous trees (birch, aspen, willow, boxelder). That’s when you’ll really see the deciduous trees’ lightning colors as they move into yellow. Some emerging colors are not obvious, so give yourself time to watch, listen, and see the Canyon.
