Thank you to our 2026 Season Sponsors
Thank you to our 2026 Season Sponsors
September 30, 2025
It is peak leaf watching time in Spearfish Canyon! Birch and aspen are showing off their yellow hues around Kissing Rocks all the way past Roughlock Falls. Sumac and dogwood are still sparkling with deep reds and purples. The first miles of the byway are seeing significant leaf drop after a rainstorm rolled through town last evening. But the foliage colors and leaf abundance start to perk up after Bridal Veil Falls. In this area especially, the marsh elder are towering high with orange-ginger shades until Maurice Intake.
September 30, 2025
Color Change: 100% (High)
Leaf Drop: Moderate
It is peak leaf watching time in Spearfish Canyon! Birch and aspen are showing off their yellow hues around Kissing Rocks all the way past Roughlock Falls. Sumac and dogwood are still sparkling with deep reds and purples. The first miles of the byway are seeing significant leaf drop after a rainstorm rolled through town last evening. But the foliage colors and leaf abundance start to perk up after Bridal Veil Falls. In this area especially, the marsh elder are towering high with orange-ginger shades until Maurice Intake.
Here's a treat for insect lovers today. Check out the photo in today’s report of the pinecone-looking growth on the willow leaf. The pinecone actually houses a small midge, a two-winged fly. The larvae live on the willow branch which prompts the gall (pinecone formation). These late September days are when the larvae reach maturity. On this particular willow tree, several gall were already dried up and had taken on a black color. Luckily for the tree, the midge do not cause serious harm to the host. The tree serves as a neighborhood to build the midge gall homes for a few months. Sometimes the midge will stay the winter in their pinecone gall.
September 25, 2025
Fall foliage in Spearfish Canyon is approaching its most vibrant colors of the season, with 86% color saturation. Botany Bay and the areas south of Bridal Veil Falls and Devil’s Bathtub parking area are at or near peak colors. You can observe the season still in transition around Maurice Intake and south of 11th Hour Gulch where trees will continue to golden throughout the weekend.
Color Change: 86% (High)
Leaf Drop: Low
Fall foliage in Spearfish Canyon is approaching its most vibrant colors of the season, with 86% color saturation observed Sept. 25, 2025.
Botany Bay and the areas south of Bridal Veil Falls and Devil’s Bathtub parking area are at or near peak colors. You can observe the season still in transition around Maurice Intake and south of 11th Hour Gulch where trees will continue to golden throughout the weekend. Savoy and the locations around Spearfish Canyon Lodge are very close to peak, but some green can still be observed in the deciduous trees.
Crimson Virginia creeper is scaling the trees near Rim Rock Lodge. Wildflowers are still present throughout the Canyon, including a beautiful display of forget-me-nots on the banks of Spearfish Creek on Iron Creek Trail.
Leaf drop is still low, but you will see fallen leaves at the mouth of the Canyon and on the hiking trails. Take time to bask in the Canyon this weekend and you might just see a leaf fall!
September 23, 2025
The Spearfish Canyon trees and flora have reached 72% of their most vibrant fall colors. Prominent yellow leaves in the Canyon right now are from the birch trees. Birch have been captivating us all season near Savoy, but as of late we have been waiting to see those golden hues emerging south of 11th Hour Gulch. Finally today we see hints of the brilliant yellow colors to come in that area. Prominent red leaves in the Canyon right now are from the Virginia creeper, also called five-leaf ivy.
Color Change: 72% (High)
Leaf Drop: Low
The Spearfish Canyon trees and flora have reached 72% of their most vibrant fall colors.
Prominent yellow leaves in the Canyon right now are from the birch trees. Birch have been captivating us all season near Savoy, but as of late we have been waiting to see those golden hues emerging south of 11th Hour Gulch. Finally today we see hints of the brilliant yellow colors to come in that area.
Prominent red leaves in the Canyon right now are from the Virginia creeper, also called five-leaf ivy. You will see this vibrant plant climbing tree trunks and spreading on the ground south of the Devil’s Bathtub parking area.
In the Sept. 18 Leaf Report, I shared one of the two most important factors that influence when leaves reach their peak: the decrease in daylight hours.
The second most important factor in the fall leaf transition is cooler temperatures. Forecasted weather for this week is warm and sunny, with daytime temperatures in the high 70s. It looks like a beautiful weather week to hike, bike, and cruise in the Canyon. The warm weather we are currently experiencing may be slowing down the leaves’ progression towards fall colors.
This month’s balminess is actually on par with what Spearfish typically experiences in the month of June. Yet in late September, it is the combination of 1) less daylight hours along with 2) cooler, longer evenings (nighttime temperatures in the 50s this week) that are signaling to the leaves it is time to prepare for winter.