Under Canvas Mount Rushmore

We woke up after a third and final night at Under Canvas Mount Rushmore and were glad to be leaving for a new destination on our last night of the trip.

I went to the showers early and noticed that the towel bin was barely stocked. I grabbed one for myself and proceeded to take another uncomfortable, one-handed shower. After finishing I walked back to the tent to begin packing up and carrying luggage out to the car.

When Shelley and Evan went to take showers, there were literally no towels left. At 7:30 AM. Add that to the fact that two of the shower stalls were out of order and you get the overall level of attentiveness and upkeep that the resort was offering.

I was going to walk up to the host tent and let them know that there were no towels (and to also convey the unfortunate fact that they were doing a really crappy job running the place), but Shelley and Evan just wanted to get going. They would get a shower later in a more comfortable place.

So do we recommend Under Canvas Mount Rushmore? Heck no.

We pulled into Keystone and decided to check TripAdvisor for a list of breakfast restaurants. We had a bit of a drive that day and checked what was available along the route. We stopped at one in Rapid City.

Rapid City

We chose Millstone Family Restaurant which was pretty crowded, but also pretty good. It was Father’s Day and there was a short wait to get seated, but once we did, we had everything we needed (pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc) to start out our day.

After breakfast, we started northwest on the I-90 toward Spearfish and from there we would be continuing on to Devils Tower.

Spearfish

Northeast Wyoming is sparsely populated and there are few options for gas and food. Thus, we made it a point to stop in Spearfish first for gas and coffee. I had spurned the black coffee available at Millstone in favor of trying out a coffee house in Spearfish.

I was definitely curious to see Spearfish since it seems like the kind of small town that has all the right things going for it: a historic downtown with modern eateries and businesses, proximity to the outdoors, and easy access to Rapid City and the I-90 corridor.

I liked the town right away. And the name of the town is cool.

We stopped at Blackbird Espresso which was clearly a popular spot among the locals (who were an interesting mix too). The coffees took a few minutes, but they were good. I always like visiting local coffee shops when we are out on the road.

After getting some coffee it was time to drive west toward one of nature’s most bizarre geologic wonders: Devils Tower.

Devils Tower National Monument

We visited Devils Tower in 2013 when Evan was in a stroller, so for him it was like the first time. I wanted to come back and see it for the third time in my life (my first visit was in 1988 as a school kid).

Driving in we had to wait about 45 minutes just to enter the parking area because traffic is metered to avoid congestion. We were in no hurry so it wasn’t a problem, but do expect delays in the summer months.

The tower is one of those sights that you just can’t believe is real. It just rises as a massive cylinder above the surrounding countryside.

The tower is the remnants of a volcano that once stood in place of the tower. The tower is a volcanic plug of solidified basalt that formed in the neck of the volcano. When the rest of the volcano eroded away, the basalt column remained.

There are two loop trails around the monument from the visitor center. The inner loop is a paved path of about a mile that circles the monument and offers views throughout. However, it is much more popular with visitors and doesn’t explore the surrounding landscapes.

The other option is the 2.5 mile Red Beds Trail, which I elected to take as an alternative hike. Shelley’s knee was bothering her from bicycling the prior day, so I hiked it alone, while Evan and her did the inner loop.

The Red Beds Trail

To access the Red Beds Trail, simply take the marked detour off the inner loop trail near the visitor center. The trail deviates away from the crowds and you’ll soon see that there is more to Devils Tower National Monument, including the Red Beds.

The attached videos show two locations on the trail, the first about one mile from the trailhead, and the second passing through the Red Beds section.

Both loop trails return to the visitor center parking lot so it is easy to rendezvous if you have hikers on both trails simultaneously.

After completing the hike it was time to drive back to Spearfish for some Father’s Day lunch.

Spearfish

Once back in Spearfish I routed us to a place I had found on TripAdvisor before our departure: Sawyer Brewing Company. The description was just exactly what I wanted, a place that served food and drinks with a nice view.

Well, unfortunately it was raining so the crowd was packed together inside. And that made the interior loud and crowded. Not quite what I wanted.

Add to that meh pizza, and meh service, and too much noise, and pushy people seated behind us, and it was not quite great overall.

Before heading down Spearfish Canyon for the final stop of the day, we stopped off at Walmart for some supplies. Spearfish Canyon is pretty, but there aren’t many services available.

Spearfish Canyon

I had never heard of Spearfish Canyon before researching this trip and I’m glad I found it. It’s yet another scenic area of the Black Hills, but one that is a bit more tucked away and quiet.

We first stopped at Bridalveil Falls which is an easy pull-off stop on the road. There are many Bridalveil Falls in the US, including the one in Yosemite.

Unfortunately this one was lacking the water volume it might have had in a snowier year and was therefore, not quite as impressive as we hoped.

But don’t worry, the falls and the views in Spearfish Canyon get better the further south you drive.

Spearfish Canyon Lodge

We continued on to our lodging for the night at Spearfish Canyon Lodge.

We liked the lodge right away. We had the Muir Suite which had two queen beds and a fireplace on the main level. It looked out on an expansive lawn.

We ate at the restaurant next door called The Latchstring. We weren’t starving but decided to have some beef stew anyway. It was good.

If you choose not to eat at the Latchstring the only other options are 30 miles away. So keep that in mind.

Spearfish Canyon Falls

After eating I took the quick hike down to Spearfish Canyon Falls. I loved it.

After enjoying the falls I hiked back up the short trail and back to the lodge.

I left one local falls for a hike early the next morning: Roughlock Falls.

With that we went to bed and finally enjoyed a comfortable night’s sleep. And had plenty of towels for showering.