The top of Spearfish Canyon is a different world from the bottom. Around Cheyenne Crossing, where US 14A meets US 85, the canyon opens out into high, rolling country of spruce and pine forest, meadows and small streams, at around 1,800 metres. From here, the road heads east over the hills to Lead, a historic mining town clinging to the steep slopes of a gulch, and Deadwood, its more famous neighbour, a few kilometres further on.
Lead was built around the Homestake Mine, which operated for more than 125 years and became the largest and deepest gold mine in the Western Hemisphere, reaching depths of more than 2,400 metres. The mine closed in 2002, but its deep tunnels are now used for scientific research, as the Sanford Underground Research Facility, where physicists study neutrinos and dark matter far beneath the surface. The Open Cut, a massive open-pit mine on the edge of town, can be seen from a viewing platform.
Deadwood, just down the hill, is one of the most famous towns of the Old West. It sprang up during the gold rush of 1876, when prospectors poured into the Black Hills in violation of a treaty with the Lakota, and it quickly became a lawless boom town. Wild Bill Hickok was shot dead in a saloon here while playing poker, and Calamity Jane is buried beside him in Mount Moriah Cemetery, overlooking the town. Today Deadwood is a lively place with casinos, saloons and historic buildings, and it is a major stop during the Sturgis Rally.
The road from Cheyenne Crossing to Lead is a fine ride, with long curves through the forest and a steep, twisting descent into the town. The asphalt is good, but the gradients are steep, and there can be heavy traffic in summer. The weather in the hills can be cool and wet, with snow in winter, and fog sometimes settles in the valleys.
Cheyenne Crossing has a small store and café, but services are limited. Lead and Deadwood have fuel, food and lodging, and Spearfish, about twenty kilometres to the north, has more services. The roads around here are some of the best in the Black Hills, and it is worth taking the time to explore them.