September 11, 2023
The leaves in Spearfish Canyon are still very green today. We are at 2% towards the peak color change of the fall season. There is lightning of the birch trees’ green hues on the western side of the road after Long Valley Picnic Area. This cropping of trees may be among the first on the Canyon Byway to transition to autumn golds. Right now, you’ll also notice clusters of wild carrot/Queen Anne’s lace, the tall white flowering plant bordering the road. If you’re able to park for a hike or stroll, you might also see purple asters and white daisies. Today was also a day for spotting wildlife in the Canyon. Read more to find out which three animals I spotted today!
Color Change: 2% (Very Low)
The leaves in Spearfish Canyon are still very green today. We are at 2% towards the peak color change of the fall season. There is lightning of the birch trees’ green hues on the western side of the road after Long Valley Picnic Area. This cropping of trees may be among the first on the Canyon Byway to transition to autumn golds. Right now, you’ll also notice clusters of wild carrot/Queen Anne’s lace, the tall white flowering plant bordering the road. If you’re able to park for a hike or stroll, you might also see purple asters and white daisies.
Today was also a day for spotting wildlife in the Canyon. If you drive slowly, you can sometimes spot deer grazing in the shadows. The female deer I saw today was seemingly alone enjoying the grasses after Maurice Intake on the eastern side of the road. The second animal I noticed was a chipmunk. Chipmunks are fast! But you can often see them scurrying around the Canyon floors. Here’s a tip if you’re driving through the Canyon: If you see several cars parked on the side of the road, it is typically either a good fly-fishing spot or a mountain goat sighting. Today was the later! Along with several other sightseers, the third animal I spotted today was the Canyon’s mountain goat family of four foraging near Botany Bay. The two little ones were very hungry, quickly crossing the road to find their next feeding spot. The male goat took his time, standing for several minutes in the middle of the road as traffic looked on. It was almost as if he was reminding us that we are all visitors to Spearfish Canyon. Yet for the native wildlife, the Canyon is their home.
Want to locate these spots in Spearfish Canyon to hopefully spy some Canyon wildlife yourself? Download this one-page map of the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway with landmarks noted that are mentioned in these leaf reports.
September 7, 2023
This is the first Spearfish Canyon Leaf Report of 2023. Color change is very minimal at this time, with a sprinkling of yellow from low-lying dogbane and stripes of red emerging from sumac and woodbine. Even this sampling of color change is still very sparse in the Canyon. Yellow dogbane can be observed near Victoria on the western side of the road and near Long Valley Picnic Area on the eastern side of the byway. No emergent fall colors were yet observed in birch and aspen. It is time to enjoy the lush greens resulting from a wet summer as we await the fall foliage.
Color Change: 1% (Very Low)
This is the first Spearfish Canyon Leaf Report of 2023. Color change is very minimal at this time, with a sprinkling of yellow from low-lying dogbane and stripes of red emerging from sumac and woodbine. Even this sampling of color change is still very sparse in the Canyon. Yellow dogbane can be observed near Victoria on the western side of the road and near Long Valley Picnic Area on the eastern side of the byway. No emergent fall colors were yet observed in birch and aspen. It is time to enjoy the lush greens resulting from a wet summer as we await the fall foliage.
Within boundaries of green trees and grasses, the Canyon’s scenic waterways are on show. Spearfish Creek is one of the Black Hills’ major streams. The Creek gets its start as a spring in the limestone plateau south of Spearfish, on the western side of the Black Hills. Flowing north through the Canyon, Spearfish Creek later joins the Redwater River (Belle Fourche River). Waterways in Spearfish Canyon have their own story and history, being utilized as food source by Native Americans and later Homestake Mining Company harnessing the power of the creek in their expansion in the early 1900s. Landmarks from Homestake’s expansion are still visible in the Canyon today, namely Hydropower Plant No. 2 and the hydroelectric plant at Maurice.
Download the Spearfish Canyon Leaf Watching Map to locate the landmarks and leaf watching spots mentioned in this report. It’s going to be a beautiful season watching the Canyon reveal her fall colors!
October 4, 2022
This is the last Spearfish Canyon leaf report of 2022. After a stormy weekend which included rain, wind, and hail in Spearfish, I can report the Canyon still stands and is still worth seeing! The mouth of the Canyon is bursting with colors from the cottonwoods and oaks. Sumac is reaching its own peak color change taking on a gorgeous deep red color from Rim Rock Lodge past Bridal Veil Falls. Low-lying Canyon grasses are also hinting at a crimson hue.
Trees and shrubs at their peak behind Spearfish Canyon Lodge
Color Change: 85% (High – Post-Peak Color)
Leaf Drop: Moderate
This is the last Spearfish Canyon leaf report of 2022. After a stormy weekend which included rain, wind, and hail in Spearfish, I can report the Canyon still stands and is still worth seeing! The mouth of the Canyon is bursting with colors from the cottonwoods and oaks. Sumac is reaching its own peak color change taking on a gorgeous deep red color from Rim Rock Lodge past Bridal Veil Falls. Low-lying Canyon grasses are also hinting at a crimson hue.
Bridal Veil Falls is perhaps its most beautiful now with the trees surrounding its Canyon walls finally making their seasonal transition. Something to look forward to in the spring: Bridal Veil Falls will flow with more water in the spring as the snow melts at higher elevations.
Leaf drop is moderate and especially noticeable around the Maurice Intake. While you will certainly notice leaves on the ground as you drive through the Canyon, the dropped golden leaves add their own beauty to the groundcover. The areas around Savoy and Spearfish Canyon Lodge continue to hold strong with yellows, oranges, and greens. Mild, cooler weather is in the forecast for the remainder of this week. Enjoy fall in Spearfish Canyon!