From Crow Peak, hikers are treated to views of the Black Hills, Wyoming’s Bearlodge Mountains and Montana’s southeastern plains. The summit is named for the Crow tribe, which lost a battle to the Sioux at this location. Hikers can enjoy Crow Peak Trail and the Beaver Ridge Spur Trail here with no required fees or permits.

One of three mountain peaks that form the “crown” surrounding Spearfish, or the “Queen City,” Lookout Mountain is a rock and pine-covered formation with numerous trails and vantage points for hikers.
 

The once-hidden Devils Tower rises 1267 feet above the Belle Fourche River in Wyoming. About an hour from Spearfish, Devils Tower is a sacred site for many Native Americans and is our nation’s first national monument. Visitors can marvel at this monolith and the wildlife that surrounds it or spend the day climbing it. However, all climbers are required to register with a park ranger before and after attempting a climb. Because the Tower is a sacred site, climbers are asked to stay off the monument in June when tribes are conducting ceremonies around it.

Spend a day on the water just 20 minutes south of Spearfish at Iron Creek Lake. This quiet lake is less populated with tourists and more family-oriented with a one-mile trail circulating the water. Because the lake is smaller in size, wakes and high-speed watercraft are prohibited, making it perfect for a relaxed day of swimming, sunning and picnicking.

As plentiful as the trout around Spearfish are accessible locations to catch them. Sand Creek is located west of Spearfish on the South Dakota/Wyoming border and is known as one of the area’s finest trout waters. The water is clear and the air is crisp with nearby campgrounds along the way.

The Big Hill trail system loops bikers from beginners to intermediates with several different trail options. With two easy “A” trails, three more difficult trails feature technical sections with loose rocks, roots, hill climbs and downhill rides. Trails range from a half-mile to five miles long, but since they all interconnect, riders can easily spend a half-day exploring.

Almost three million people visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial each year. Depicting the presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt, this massive stone carving shines majestically over the Black Hills of South Dakota as a symbol of freedom and American hope.

Still under construction, the Crazy Horse Memorial will be the world’s largest sculpture when complete at 641 feet wide by 563 feet high. The monument shows Native American warrior Crazy Horse riding horse while pointing into the distance and is carved into the side of Thunderhead Mountain, land considered sacred by many tribes.

Historic Deadwood, South Dakota is where the Wild West began. Known for being home to gun slingers like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, Deadwood is now home to gaming, restaurants, Wild West legends…and a heel-kicking good time.

Bear Butte State Park is located six miles northeast of Sturgis and offers hiking, camping, fishing and education on the mountain’s geology and Northern Plains Indian tradition. The butte is one of several igneous rock intrusions in the Black Hills and is sacred to many tribes in the region.

One mile west of the South Dakota/Wymoing border, the Vore Buffalo Jump is a natural sinkhole once used by Native Americans as a bison trap. Visitors can walk down into the sinkhole, of which only about 5% has been excavated.