Anyone for a Bike Ride?
Spearfish’s Accessible Outdoor Wellness
Sometimes you don’t want to run on a tread mill or stay inside to do your workout. When the sun is shining, and there is a cool breeze, running outside or taking a bike ride around town is just what you want to do.
Biking Around
Take your bike out along the rec path that runs all throughout Spearfish. Or, if Mountain Biking is more your speed, there are tons of trails you can ride on. Tinton Trail, roughly an 8.8 miles round trip is a great ride for the more intermediate biker. Old Baldy is another trail for both biking and cross-country skiing. A beautiful view awaits as you zip through trees. Keep a look out for wildlife!
Of course, the rec path is a great spot for any level biker. About 7.8 miles in length, this scenic path winds all around town, past parks, along the creek and through the canyon. (You can learn more about the rec path “Along The Way”.)
Plenty of Parks
While you’re biking along the trail through City Park, check out the tennis and pickleball courts. These courts are perfect for a quick game of singles or a competitive doubles match. Tennis and pickleball not your game, shoot some hoops at the basketball court nearby. Play a pickup game with your friends or just practice your three-pointers. There’s also a sand volleyball court that’s also close by the trees. A perfect place to set up your hammock so you can rest in-between games.
Jorgensen Park has tons of green space! A great play area for the kids while you stretch out your map and do some yoga exercises. Or cross the bridge and start your walk on the Spearfish rec path. As you walk along, you might find the iconic horse statues nearby.
Lions Park also has a huge grassy area where you can set up your volleyball nets and play a couple sets with your friends, family, or even your workout group from the gym.
Want to get some much-needed exercise outside, but you want to take your dog along to burn off some extra energy. Sure, you can take your dog on a run, or head over to Spartan Park that has its own dog park great for your furry friend. This park also has multiple sand volleyball courts, a huge basketball court, a football field, soccer field and even horseshoe courts.
Visit the Creek
Maybe it’s not a four-mile run or a long bike ride that you want to go on but just spend some much-needed time in the sun. Grab your fishing gear and head to Spearfish Creek. It doesn’t just flow through City Park but all throughout the canyon so there’s plenty of spaces to drop the tackle box and throw the fishing line. You might even pass by some people tubing along the creek while looking for that perfect fishing spot.
Hiking the Trails
The canyon is also the best place for hiking some beautiful, scenic trails! Rimrock Trail, Little Spearfish Trail, Iron Creek Trail, and Lookout Mountain Trail are just a few of the great hikes you can take. Running along these trails is a great way to train for a half-marathon, 10K or even just a 5K. In the winter you can even put on your snowshoes and go up to Roughlock Falls to see the frozen water set in amongst a gorgeous winter landscape.
Want a difficult hike? Check out Crow Peak Trail or 76 Trail. The hikes are a bit more difficult, but the view is picture-perfect! Big Hill Trails are a series of loops that offers a range of difficulty. Take your dog for a hike in the summer or grab your cross-country skis during the winter. These trails are fit for both sports.
A Game of Disc Golf
Want a more low-impact sport to play? Disc Golf is a great low-impact sport that gets you outside and enjoying time with others. Spearfish has two disc golf courses. The Spearfish Canyon Disc Golf has 36-holes at the edge of Spearfish Canyon. Some slopes, rocks and trees offer a fun, challenging experience.
The second course that offers frisbee fun is the BHSU Disc Golf Course. This course is 20-holes that winds around the Black Hills State campus. A beautiful place to toss the frisbee in every season.
Whether it’s playing around of disc golf, doing yoga in the park, playing a game of sand volleyball, biking around town or hiking in the hills, there’s a perfect wellness activity for all!
