Thank you to our 2026 Season Sponsors
Thank you to our 2026 Season Sponsors
September 10, 2026
The fall foliage in Spearfish Canyon is currently at 29% toward its peak seasonal colors. The Canyon will be the perfect backdrop for those ready to embrace the cooler, fall-like temperatures forecasted this weekend. As you drive along the Scenic Byway, watch for golden trees around Split Rock (about 1.7 miles into the Canyon from Spearfish). Then, on the western side of the road, consider parking at the large semicircle near Botany Bay.
September 10, 2026
Color Change: 29% (Low)
The fall foliage in Spearfish Canyon is currently at 29% toward its peak seasonal colors. The Canyon will be the perfect backdrop for those ready to embrace the cooler, fall-like temperatures forecasted this weekend.
As you drive along the Scenic Byway, watch for golden trees around Split Rock (about 1.7 miles into the Canyon from Spearfish). Then, on the western side of the road, consider parking at the large semicircle near Botany Bay. The flora here is reaching peak colors into the mountain inclines. Look for additional buttery yellows in the birch trees on the western side of the byway as you approach Bridal Veil Falls.
I anticipate the vibrant greens across from Maurice Intake will begin to lighten their leaves into yellow hues over the next week. Iron Creek Trail hikers will notice golden dogbane at the trail entrance. Dogbane is giving us the most substantial color of all foliage right now throughout the Canyon.
Be sure to gaze beyond the vertical trucks of the evergreen trees this weekend. Doing so will give you glimpses of the seasonal changes on the forest floor, along with swaths of green deciduous trees ready to reveal their colors.
September 7, 2026
This is the first Spearfish Canyon Leaf Report of 2026. Our prayers are with our firefighters and neighbors impacted by the fire on Lookout Mountain that started Monday afternoon, September 7. For our out-of-town readers, Lookout Mountain is two miles north of Spearfish Canyon across Interstate 90.
The fall foliage in Spearfish Canyon is currently at 18% of its peak color saturation. As you enter the Scenic Byway 14A, you will see yellow dogbane with its distinctive red stems sprinkling the forest floor. Ground cover and shrubs are the stars of the Canyon right now.
September 7, 2026
Color Change: 18% (Very Low)
This is the first Spearfish Canyon Leaf Report of 2026. Our prayers are with our firefighters and neighbors impacted by the fire on Lookout Mountain that started Monday afternoon, September 7. For our out-of-town readers, Lookout Mountain is two miles north of Spearfish Canyon across Interstate 90.
The fall foliage in Spearfish Canyon is currently at 18% of its peak color saturation. As you enter the Scenic Byway 14A, you will see yellow dogbane with its distinctive red stems sprinkling the forest floor. Ground cover and shrubs are the stars of the Canyon right now! There are patches of radiant red Virigina creeper and sumac making their presence known throughout the Canyon, with more color saturation to come.
Mostly notably, we are seeing changes in the deciduous trees about four miles into the Canyon from Botany Bay through Bridal Veil Falls. Watch for bright greens and emergent yellows in some hop-hornbeam and birch trees in this area. The leaf colors create a striking contrast with the warm layers of sandstone rock, which is about 300 million years old.
We typically see the height or “peak” fall colors in Spearfish Canyon between September 23 to October 3. The hot, dry weather we have been experiencing in Spearfish during the later summer could indicate an earlier peak color season.
October 3, 2025
This is the final Spearfish Canyon Leaf Report of 2025. Spearfish Canyon displayed peak levels of fall colors earlier this week. Fall foliage is currently at 90% of its greatest color saturation. Breezy conditions this week have contributed to heavy leaf drop at the mouth of the Canyon and south of Devil’s Bathtub.
There are still many spots in the Canyon to enjoy the fall season. Look for lime green grapevine turning yellow as it climbs from Split Rock through Bridal Veil Falls. Ash and elder in this area will continue to golden throughout the next week. Also watch for the deep purple berries from Virigina creeper vines.
October 3, 2025
Color Change: Past-peak at 90% of full color
Leaf Drop: Moderate
This is the final Spearfish Canyon Leaf Report of 2025. Spearfish Canyon displayed peak levels of fall colors earlier this week. Fall foliage is currently at 90% of its greatest color saturation. Breezy conditions this week have contributed to heavy leaf drop at the mouth of the Canyon and south of Devil’s Bathtub.
There are still many spots in the Canyon to enjoy the fall season. Look for lime green grapevine turning yellow as it climbs from Split Rock through Bridal Veil Falls. Ash and elder in this area will continue to golden throughout the next week. Also watch for the deep purple berries from Virigina creeper vines.
My favorite spots in the Canyon right now are south of Rim Rock Lodge and south of 11th Hour. Shimmering aspens are in their prime around Devil’s Bathtub, across the Scenic Byway from the parking area. As you approach Savoy on the Byway, look west to the tip-top of the cliffs for clusters of golden birch.
Last year I shared a video of the “Savoy Bowl” of deciduous trees changing throughout the month of September: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBusk3fRmYc
This year, I captured the leaves changing at another of my favorite leaf-watching spots, Long Valley: https://youtu.be/2B-NRZ0CXhA
In the Long Valley video, you will first notice the shrubs changing from greens and yellows into reds and burgundies. Next, look along the Canyon walls, where deciduous trees change into their golden hues. Finally, along the roadway the birch and aspen pop out behind the evergreens and line the Scenic Byway.
Long Valley showcases the Canyon’s diverse flora. But what makes this area extra special is the beautiful display of limestone as a backdrop to the fall foliage. I talked with a local geologist who shared that the top tier of Long Valley is Paha Sapa limestone that is 600 feet thick. Lower down we see lavender-colored Englewood limestone.
Your Leaf Reporter is signing off for 2025; enjoy fall in Spearfish Canyon!