500:
130:
156:
138:
150:
25:
613:
537:
are the most prominent vegetation in the Black Hills. As for bird species, turkeys, bluejays, woodpeckers, cliff swallows, chickadees, and golden or bald eagles are seen in the area. The canyon supports a cross-section of four-footed animal life. White-tail and mule deer can be found throughout the
1251:
525:, U.S. Route 14A, winds through the canyon. This area is truly a crossroads, and trees and plants from Rocky Mountains, eastern woodlands, northern forests, and the Great Plains areas can be found here.
576:, the top layer, is the thickest (300 feet (91 m) to 600 feet (180 m)) and is buff-colored and weathered gray in appearance. Caves and fossils are frequently found in the Paha Sapa Limestone.
937:
550:
It is often studied by geologists due to the extreme old age of the
Precambrian rocks exposed by the creek bed. The canyon's high walls are of three dominant rock types. The
565:
above
Precambrian rock and can be identified by its brown color. It is multi-layered in appearance and ranges from 10 feet (3.0 m) to 400 feet (120 m) thick.
566:
1596:
698:
426:
448:
182:
488:
1261:
275:
208:
533:
Of the 1,585 plant species found in South Dakota, 1,260 species are in the Black Hills, many of which can be found in
Spearfish Canyon.
1368:
814:
395:
691:
419:
399:
97:
1156:
69:
513:, the area was covered by a sea. As waters subsided and land masses began to appear 60 to 30 million years ago (between the
1601:
647:
76:
684:
629:
476:
1575:
824:
617:
412:
285:
116:
46:
155:
54:
336:
306:
83:
1554:
1534:
484:
1444:
332:
50:
1174:
799:
590:
452:
326:
316:
65:
1559:
1108:
859:
854:
804:
744:
281:
971:
789:
749:
585:
503:
472:
312:
976:
906:
869:
600:
374:
353:
249:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1047:
996:
942:
1418:
1413:
1378:
1328:
1256:
1016:
864:
569:
in the middle is pink to red colored and is 30 feet (9.1 m) to 60 feet (18 m) thick. The
149:
35:
499:
1544:
1353:
1338:
1276:
1246:
1183:
1178:
1093:
1031:
1021:
1001:
879:
829:
480:
464:
271:
129:
39:
538:
drive. Porcupines, raccoons, squirrels, and chipmunks might be spotted as well as a bobcat or a
1475:
1454:
1403:
1373:
1363:
1236:
1118:
1062:
1052:
991:
986:
491:. The highway follows an old railroad grade that was abandoned after massive flooding in 1933.
204:
90:
1539:
1513:
1408:
1398:
1343:
1333:
1241:
1067:
1057:
1026:
834:
759:
595:
539:
522:
219:
521:
epochs), drainages such as
Spearfish Canyon formed as softer rock was eroded away. Today, a
1487:
1428:
1423:
1388:
1383:
1098:
981:
883:
769:
739:
634:
624:
322:
188:
676:
8:
1393:
1103:
1088:
764:
573:
137:
1358:
1113:
1011:
1006:
558:
1223:
1072:
774:
302:
1459:
1348:
1286:
1231:
809:
734:
214:
1518:
1469:
916:
844:
794:
1465:
1297:
1270:
911:
819:
754:
534:
255:
178:
1590:
1493:
1312:
1307:
1291:
1169:
849:
784:
662:
649:
460:
1549:
1481:
1266:
1213:
1193:
839:
779:
711:
562:
456:
358:
164:
1281:
1198:
707:
510:
468:
240:
1449:
874:
729:
555:
245:
1208:
1203:
1188:
639:
570:
518:
514:
24:
1302:
1164:
625:
Basic information and pictures of
Spearfish Canyon and tourism info
551:
715:
612:
444:
706:
1262:
Rapid City, Black Hills and
Western Railroad (1893–1947)
630:
Geologic information and pictures of
Spearfish Canyon
141:
Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, along U.S. Route 14A
1588:
692:
420:
1252:Cheyenne-Black Hills Stage Route (1876–1887)
640:Black Hills National Forest (official site)
509:Approximately 600 million years ago in the
53:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
1597:Landforms of Lawrence County, South Dakota
1445:Fossil Cycad National Monument (1922–1957)
1184:Black Hills War, or Great Sioux War (1876)
699:
685:
427:
413:
154:
148:
1257:Sidney-Black Hills Stage Road (1876–1887)
117:Learn how and when to remove this message
815:Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
498:
136:
128:
1589:
471:, located on the northern edge of the
680:
51:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
16:Gorge in South Dakota, United States
467:. The canyon is located within the
133:Spearfish Falls in Spearfish Canyon
13:
635:Information about the Scenic Byway
528:
494:
14:
1613:
1576:Mount Rushmore in popular culture
825:Mount Theodore Roosevelt Monument
606:
611:
479:travels through the Canyon from
23:
1:
1237:Black Hills Expedition (1874)
1175:Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868)
922:Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway
591:Homestake Mine (South Dakota)
1242:Black Hills gold rush (1874)
1232:Dakota Territory (1861–1889)
938:Black Hills Centennial Trail
860:Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns
805:Jewel Cave National Monument
745:Black Hills Central Railroad
197:Geologic and natural history
7:
1602:Black Hills National Forest
750:Black Hills National Forest
586:Roughlock Falls Nature Area
579:
504:Roughlock Falls Nature Area
473:Black Hills National Forest
10:
1618:
1247:Newton–Jenney Party (1875)
601:Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
545:
375:Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
250:National Historic Landmark
1568:
1527:
1506:
1437:
1321:
1222:
1155:
1146:
1081:
1040:
964:
955:
943:George S. Mickelson Trail
930:
899:
892:
722:
561:at the bottom lies on an
1455:Black Hills flood (1972)
865:Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
790:Flintstones Bedrock City
295:Forests and wildernesses
1277:George Armstrong Custer
1179:Great Sioux Reservation
880:Wind Cave National Park
830:Mystic Miner Ski Resort
475:. The Spearfish Canyon
1450:Stratobowl (1934–1959)
663:44.47750°N 103.85020°W
506:
400:National Historic Site
142:
134:
1514:Rapid City Rapid Ride
760:Black Hills Playhouse
620:at Wikimedia Commons
596:Black Hills Gold Rush
540:yellow-bellied marmot
523:National Scenic Byway
502:
443:is a deep but narrow
140:
132:
1488:Charles Badger Clark
907:Norbeck Scenic Byway
770:Crazy Horse Memorial
740:Black Elk Wilderness
668:44.47750; -103.85020
47:improve this article
1560:Mule Creek Junction
875:Terry Peak ski area
765:Chapel in the Hills
659: /
574:Paha Sapa Limestone
567:Englewood Limestone
912:Iron Mountain Road
507:
337:National Grassland
143:
135:
66:"Spearfish Canyon"
1584:
1583:
1555:Maverick Junction
1535:Cheyenne Crossing
1502:
1501:
1142:
1141:
951:
950:
775:Custer State Park
616:Media related to
485:Cheyenne Crossing
437:
436:
396:Minuteman Missile
286:National monument
183:National memorial
127:
126:
119:
101:
1609:
1460:2000 Jasper Fire
1287:Wild Bill Hickok
1177:established the
1153:
1152:
962:
961:
897:
896:
810:The Mammoth Site
735:Bear Country USA
701:
694:
687:
678:
677:
674:
673:
671:
670:
669:
664:
660:
657:
656:
655:
652:
618:Spearfish Canyon
615:
463:, just south of
441:Spearfish Canyon
429:
422:
415:
380:Spearfish Canyon
225:Spearfish Canyon
215:The Mammoth Site
158:
152:
145:
144:
122:
115:
111:
108:
102:
100:
59:
27:
19:
1617:
1616:
1612:
1611:
1610:
1608:
1607:
1606:
1587:
1586:
1585:
1580:
1564:
1523:
1519:Jefferson Lines
1498:
1470:Lincoln Borglum
1433:
1317:
1218:
1157:Native American
1148:
1138:
1077:
1036:
957:
947:
926:
917:Needles Highway
888:
845:Reptile Gardens
795:Gordon Stockade
718:
705:
667:
665:
661:
658:
653:
650:
648:
646:
645:
609:
582:
548:
535:Ponderosa pines
531:
529:Flora and fauna
497:
495:Natural history
453:Lawrence County
449:Spearfish Creek
439:
433:
317:National Forest
123:
112:
106:
103:
60:
58:
44:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1615:
1605:
1604:
1599:
1582:
1581:
1579:
1578:
1572:
1570:
1566:
1565:
1563:
1562:
1557:
1552:
1547:
1542:
1537:
1531:
1529:
1528:Road junctions
1525:
1524:
1522:
1521:
1516:
1510:
1508:
1504:
1503:
1500:
1499:
1497:
1496:
1490:
1484:
1478:
1472:
1466:Gutzon Borglum
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1441:
1439:
1435:
1434:
1432:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1325:
1323:
1319:
1318:
1316:
1315:
1310:
1305:
1300:
1298:Doane Robinson
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1273:
1271:Martha Bullock
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1228:
1226:
1220:
1219:
1217:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1172:
1167:
1161:
1159:
1150:
1144:
1143:
1140:
1139:
1137:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1109:Johnson Siding
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1085:
1083:
1082:Unincorporated
1079:
1078:
1076:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1050:
1044:
1042:
1038:
1037:
1035:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
984:
979:
974:
968:
966:
959:
953:
952:
949:
948:
946:
945:
940:
934:
932:
928:
927:
925:
924:
919:
914:
909:
903:
901:
894:
890:
889:
887:
886:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
837:
832:
827:
822:
820:Mount Rushmore
817:
812:
807:
802:
800:Homestake Mine
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
757:
755:Black Elk Peak
752:
747:
742:
737:
732:
726:
724:
720:
719:
704:
703:
696:
689:
681:
643:
642:
637:
632:
627:
608:
607:External links
605:
604:
603:
598:
593:
588:
581:
578:
559:Deadwood Shale
547:
544:
530:
527:
496:
493:
489:U.S. Route 14A
435:
434:
432:
431:
424:
417:
409:
406:
405:
404:
403:
390:
389:
388:Historic sites
385:
384:
383:
382:
377:
369:
368:
364:
363:
362:
361:
356:
348:
347:
343:
342:
341:
340:
330:
320:
310:
297:
296:
292:
291:
290:
289:
279:
266:
265:
261:
260:
259:
258:
256:Black Elk Peak
253:
243:
235:
234:
230:
229:
228:
227:
222:
217:
212:
199:
198:
194:
193:
192:
191:
186:
179:Mount Rushmore
173:
172:
168:
167:
160:
159:
125:
124:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1614:
1603:
1600:
1598:
1595:
1594:
1592:
1577:
1574:
1573:
1571:
1567:
1561:
1558:
1556:
1553:
1551:
1548:
1546:
1543:
1541:
1538:
1536:
1533:
1532:
1530:
1526:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1511:
1509:
1505:
1495:
1494:Watson Parker
1491:
1489:
1485:
1483:
1479:
1477:
1476:Joseph Bottum
1473:
1471:
1467:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1448:
1446:
1443:
1442:
1440:
1436:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1326:
1324:
1320:
1314:
1313:Charlie Utter
1311:
1309:
1308:Al Swearengen
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1295:
1293:
1292:Calamity Jane
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1274:
1272:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1229:
1227:
1225:
1221:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1170:Lakota people
1168:
1166:
1163:
1162:
1160:
1158:
1154:
1151:
1145:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1086:
1084:
1080:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1045:
1043:
1039:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
972:Belle Fourche
970:
969:
967:
963:
960:
954:
944:
941:
939:
936:
935:
933:
929:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
904:
902:
898:
895:
893:Scenic routes
891:
885:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
855:Sheridan Lake
853:
851:
850:Rushmore Cave
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
785:Dinosaur Park
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
727:
725:
721:
717:
713:
709:
702:
697:
695:
690:
688:
683:
682:
679:
675:
672:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
628:
626:
623:
622:
621:
619:
614:
602:
599:
597:
594:
592:
589:
587:
584:
583:
577:
575:
572:
568:
564:
560:
557:
553:
543:
541:
536:
526:
524:
520:
516:
512:
505:
501:
492:
490:
486:
482:
478:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
454:
450:
446:
442:
430:
425:
423:
418:
416:
411:
410:
408:
407:
401:
397:
394:
393:
392:
391:
387:
386:
381:
378:
376:
373:
372:
371:
370:
367:Scenic byways
366:
365:
360:
357:
355:
352:
351:
350:
349:
345:
344:
338:
334:
331:
328:
324:
321:
318:
314:
311:
308:
304:
301:
300:
299:
298:
294:
293:
287:
283:
280:
277:
276:National park
273:
270:
269:
268:
267:
263:
262:
257:
254:
251:
247:
244:
242:
239:
238:
237:
236:
232:
231:
226:
223:
221:
218:
216:
213:
210:
209:National park
206:
203:
202:
201:
200:
196:
195:
190:
187:
184:
180:
177:
176:
175:
174:
170:
169:
166:
163:Southwestern
162:
161:
157:
151:
147:
146:
139:
131:
121:
118:
110:
99:
96:
92:
89:
85:
82:
78:
75:
71:
68: –
67:
63:
62:Find sources:
56:
52:
48:
42:
41:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1550:Keystone Wye
1540:Four Corners
1482:Francis Case
1267:Seth Bullock
1214:Spotted Tail
1194:Sitting Bull
977:Central City
921:
840:Pactola Lake
780:Devils Tower
712:South Dakota
644:
610:
563:unconformity
549:
532:
508:
477:Scenic Byway
457:South Dakota
440:
438:
379:
224:
165:South Dakota
113:
107:October 2015
104:
94:
87:
80:
73:
61:
45:Please help
33:
1480:Politician
1322:Ghost towns
1282:Dora DuFran
1199:Crazy Horse
1134:Three Forks
1129:Silver City
1124:Rockerville
1048:Buffalo Gap
997:Hot Springs
870:Sylvan Lake
723:Attractions
708:Black Hills
666: /
654:103°51′01″W
511:Precambrian
469:Black Hills
451:located in
333:Buffalo Gap
313:Black Hills
241:Black Hills
189:Crazy Horse
1591:Categories
1492:Historian
1464:Sculptors
1419:Tigerville
1414:Terraville
1379:Myers City
1329:Addie Camp
1296:Historian
1149:and people
1017:Rapid City
884:bison herd
730:Bear Butte
651:44°28′39″N
556:Ordovician
447:carved by
327:Wilderness
307:State Park
282:Jewel Cave
246:Bear Butte
171:Sculptures
77:newspapers
1545:Four Mile
1369:Greenwood
1354:Carbonate
1339:Blacktail
1209:Red Cloud
1204:Lone Horn
1189:Black Elk
1094:Four Mile
1032:Whitewood
1022:Spearfish
1012:Newcastle
1002:Hill City
956:Populated
571:Paleogene
519:Oligocene
515:Paleocene
481:Spearfish
465:Spearfish
323:Black Elk
272:Wind Cave
233:Mountains
34:does not
1404:Sheridan
1374:Maitland
1364:Flatiron
1303:Sol Star
1275:General
1224:Old West
1165:Cheyenne
1119:Rochford
1073:Sundance
1063:Keystone
1053:Fairburn
992:Edgemont
987:Deadwood
580:See also
552:Cambrian
205:Badlands
1569:Related
1507:Transit
1474:Author
1409:Spokane
1399:Pactola
1349:Cambria
1344:Burdock
1334:Bismuth
1147:History
1068:Pringle
1058:Hermosa
1027:Sturgis
835:Needles
716:Wyoming
546:Geology
359:Pactola
220:Needles
91:scholar
55:removed
40:sources
1438:Modern
1429:Trojan
1424:Tinton
1389:Nahant
1384:Mystic
1099:Galena
982:Custer
965:Cities
958:places
931:Trails
487:along
354:Sylvan
303:Custer
153:
93:
86:
79:
72:
64:
1486:Poet
1394:Novak
1104:Hanna
1089:Dewey
1041:Towns
900:Roads
882:with
445:gorge
346:Lakes
264:Caves
98:JSTOR
84:books
1468:and
1359:Etta
1269:and
1114:Nemo
1007:Lead
714:and
517:and
461:U.S.
70:news
38:any
36:cite
710:of
554:to
483:to
49:by
1593::
542:.
459:,
455:,
700:e
693:t
686:v
428:e
421:t
414:v
402:)
398:(
339:)
335:(
329:)
325:(
319:)
315:(
309:)
305:(
288:)
284:(
278:)
274:(
252:)
248:(
211:)
207:(
185:)
181:(
120:)
114:(
109:)
105:(
95:·
88:·
81:·
74:·
57:.
43:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)