A Small town Gem, Spearfish South Dakota

[Ozz]

Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in talking about the area:
"unique and unparalleled elsewhere in our country," and wondered "how is it that I've heard so little of this miracle and we, toward the Atlantic, have heard so much of the Grand Canyon when this is even more miraculous"
Spearfish Canyon with it’s narrow 1,000 foot canyon walls and beautiful waterfalls, is close by, a breath-taking scenic drive. The road was built on the old existing railroad tracks.

I was researching the area for neat places to go to and small cities are a favorite for Sue and I. I read about Spearfish, looked up the things written about it and stumbled on a RV and camping area right in town. It is the city park, 15 acres, carefully laid out by the crystal clear creek running through it. It is said to have good-sized Rainbow Trout in it. There is a fish hatchery right in the park to visit.
When Sue and I went into town to confirm our reservations, there was much activity there, it seems this is the time of the year they have a ‘Festival in the Park’ This area is apart from the camping area, a short walk across the small bridge that connects the two grassy park locations.
The town is quaint, wide streets, cute shops and interesting buildings.
To top it all for me, a nice paved bike trail that weaves around town and through the park, I am in bicyclist’s paradise.
I am not one that will ride on the side of the road, heck people don’t see cars parked along the road and run into them, a bike doesn’t have a chance…
We are excited, the camp is booked pretty solid, but we got a premium site close by the creek, we were to leave after 5 days, but were lucky, as the person who reserved the next week canceled. Our site is shaded with a clear view of the ‘Birds’ for our RV Dish.
Sue said the Park reservation lady gave us the site because I was nice to her and bought her a cold bottle of water. Maybe, maybe not.
She did email us and tell us about the extra week, also thanked me for the cold water. Hey, it doesn’t hurt to be nice to people.

http://tinyurl.com/Citycampground
http://tinyurl.com/OzzsBikepath
http://tinyurl.com/CityParkSpearfish
http://tinyurl.com/CityofSpearfish
http://tinyurl.com/MovieaboutSpearfish

[WaltandLynne]

Sounds wonderful! I love finding those little unknown gems. Have a great time.

Lynne

[okierver]

hey ozz great you found the area.
like i said earlier i grew up in the black hills. graduated from bell fourche 12-15 miles from you. also have friends in spearfish, family in rapid city.. we also hade a family reunion for 2 uncles who turned 80 and were ww11 vets. about 10 yrs. ago. the park is beautiful enjoy your time. if you get up spearfish canyon try a stop at roughlock falls its a good waterfall to see plus bridal vail falls in spearfish canyon. enjoy wish i was there instead of 106 degree heat. happy trails

[pineranch]

Hey Ozz,
What's up with you, last I heard you were shoveling HS at the horsey campground in between cleaning your AC with some watered down simple green. We are a week removed from the Black Hills and wishing we were back in the cool. Should hit the century mark today in Omaha. Still great rally and have met a bunch of new friends. Watch out for those hail storms, my 250 took a hood hit, dimple dimple all the way home.
Mike

[jimcol]

Ozz, we have stayed at that park several times and I have mentioned it on this forum as "Best kept secret in the Black Hills". We love it and talk about a bargin. Take aride over to Devils Tower going through Beulah, (really cold beer), and Aladdin (neat old hardware store) Great day trip. Go to Lead and Deadwood. At Lead enjoy lunch in the first floor of the old hotel. Deadwood isn't what it use to be with all the casino's but I know you like them. Take one of the town tours that talks about the history of the town. Some really great old west stories. Let me know when you find "The only chair in Deadwood that Wild Bill was not sitting in when he was shot." Jim

[c5racer]

If you can make it, go downtown tonight. The corvettes will all be parked on main street from 6:00 to 9:00 tonight. We used to go to it every year when I was into corvettes.
http://www.blackhillscorvetteclassic...te-street-usa/

[adelmoll]

We were just there on Friday..Love the drive thru the Canyon.. We went to all the waterfalls and had lunch at the Spearfish Inn..Great food. We did go to the park but not the campground.. Love it there.

Helen

[Ozz]

The Corvettes are everywhere, we saw about 500 of them in Wall. They are neat. We were in a Convoy of them coming back to Sturgis.
Helen, where is the Inn? I 'Googled it' and there were many hits, but which are you speaking of?

[helmick]

Ozz
Looks like you are having a great time and enjoying life.

Sold our Corvette last year, for some reason the car was getting lower and harder to get out of.

[Ozz]

Ron, I bet that was not an easy move to make. I can identify with the agility problem

[adelmoll]

"Helen, where is the Inn? I 'Googled it' and there were many hits, but which are you speaking of?"

I think it is called Spearfish Lodge.. It is about 1/2 way down the canyon at the turn off to one of the waterfalls...The restaurant is right across the road from the lodge.. You Can't Miss It!... Another good place to eat is at the very end of the canyon at Cheyenne Crossing... Interesting history.... And the open pit mine in Lead is interesting also.

[scductman]

Ozz If I remember correctly!!! back a little ways before you get to cheyenne crossing on alt14 if you turn to the right on a gravel road Its at a small intersection there is a beautiful water fall and if you drive a few miles farther up in there you will see the site where they filmed the final campsite for {dances with wolves}. There is a steel sign looks like it was cut out with a plasma cutter. a great day trip and as Helen said you can end up in lead to see the mine.
Bobby

{edit} don't miss the needles road A MUST SEE!!

[sreigle]

Don't forget in Deadwood to go up the hill to the cemetery where Wild Bill is buried. And Calamity Jane is buried next to him, by her request. I don't remember whether there is a plaque up there with the story or I read it somewhere else but it's interesting. Apparently she had this big crush on him and it was one-sided.

[bigmurf]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Don't forget in Deadwood to go up the hill to the cemetery where Wild Bill is buried. And Calamity Jane is buried next to him, by her request. I don't remember whether there is a plaque up there with the story or I read it somewhere else but it's interesting. Apparently she had this big crush on him and it was one-sided.

Calamity Jane was buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery (South Dakota), next to Wild Bill Hickok. Four of the men who planned her funeral (Albert Malter, Frank Ankeney, Jim Carson, and Anson Higby) later stated that since Wild Bill Hickok had “absolutely no use” for Jane while he was alive, they decided to play a posthumous joke on Wild Bill Hickok by giving Calamity an eternal resting place by his side

[Ozz]

Good stuff, guys. I loved the TV series 'Deadwood'

[sreigle]

Jim, don't forget a day trip to the Badlands National Park and also Wall Drug. I found Wall Drug a bit disappointing but if you're going to the Badlands, it's right there and you might as well do it. You know, Wall Drug, with all the signs on the highways all over the world? XXXXX miles to Wall Drug.

[Ozz]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Jim, don't forget a day trip to the Badlands National Park and also Wall Drug. I found Wall Drug a bit disappointing but if you're going to the Badlands, it's right there and you might as well do it. You know, Wall Drug, with all the signs on the highways all over the world? XXXXX miles to Wall Drug.

Yep! already got that covered. Sue says do you want to go in HERE? I says shure... all the stores are pretty much the same, goods from China... Took my beating there. Got's to keep the little woman happy. Badlands are a whole lot of nuttin... Was glad to get out of the nest of Corvettes and get back to Piedmont. Them little cars were everywhere.