Spearfish Canyon is the kind of place where the road follows the creek and the cliffs close in on both sides. The canyon, cut through the northern Black Hills by Spearfish Creek, has limestone walls hundreds of feet high, covered in pine and spruce, with aspen and birch that blaze yellow in autumn. US 14A runs along the bottom for about twenty miles, and Cheyenne Crossing, near the middle, is a small roadside stop where a store and a cafe serve riders, hikers and passing travellers. The name recalls the old stage route between Cheyenne and Deadwood during the gold rush years.
Gold is the history here. In 1874 Custer's expedition confirmed that there was gold in the Black Hills, which belonged to the Lakota under an 1868 treaty, and the rush that followed led to years of conflict over land that remains unresolved and important to the Lakota. Deadwood, a few miles east, grew into a boomtown, where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in 1876, and the town still has its historic main street. Lead, nearby, was home to the Homestake Mine, once among the deepest gold mines in the world, which closed in 2002 and now houses an underground science laboratory.
The riding is relaxed and rewarding. The canyon road has flowing bends, a good surface and a modest speed limit, and the cool air under the trees is a pleasure on a hot day. Roughlock Falls, a short walk from the road, drops into a pool, and Spearfish Falls lies near the northern end. The scenic byway is busy in summer, so ride in the morning if you can, and watch for deer, particularly at dusk. Autumn is spectacular, but rain and snow can come early, and the road is not always cleared immediately.
Services around the crossing itself are limited, so fill up in Spearfish, about thirteen miles to the north, or in Lead and Deadwood, where fuel, food and rooms are plentiful. A bit further on, Sturgis hosts its famous motorcycle rally every August, when traffic across the Black Hills grows heavy. For a quiet ride, late May to June or September offers the best balance of weather and space.