At Savoy, the midpoint of Spearfish Canyon, a narrower side canyon branches off to the west, and a short road leads up it to Roughlock Falls. This is Little Spearfish Canyon, a more intimate and secluded place than the main canyon, with spruce and pine forest, mossy boulders and a clear stream tumbling over a series of limestone ledges. The falls are reached by a short, easy trail from a picnic area, and they are particularly lovely in spring, when the water is high.
The name Roughlock comes from the days when wagons came down this canyon on their way to the mining camps. The road was so steep that the drivers had to lock the wheels of their wagons with chains, a technique known as roughlocking, to stop them running away. The canyon was also used as a location for the final scenes of the film Dances With Wolves, which was shot in South Dakota in 1989, and the winter camp in the movie was set up here.
The area around Savoy is a junction of canyons, with Spearfish Creek and Little Spearfish Creek meeting nearby. The canyon walls here are steep and dramatic, with limestone cliffs rising high above the road. The forest is thick and green, and in autumn the colours are spectacular. There is a lodge at Savoy, which has a restaurant and accommodation.
The road up Little Spearfish Canyon is narrow and winding, with good asphalt but tight curves and limited visibility. Beyond the falls the road gets rougher and quieter as it heads west into the forest. On a road bike it is best to turn around at the falls and return to the main canyon, which continues south toward Cheyenne Crossing and east toward Lead and Deadwood.
Fuel and basic services are limited in the canyon, and the nearest towns with fuel are Lead, about fourteen kilometres away, and Spearfish, about seventeen kilometres to the north. Lead and Deadwood, the historic mining towns in the hills to the east, have more services, including casinos and hotels. The canyon is quiet and peaceful, and it is a good place to stop for a picnic or a short walk.