Outdoor Recreation

Courtesy Photo

Courtesy Photo

Recognized as one of the top “50 Sports Towns of America” by Sports Afield, Spearfish is an outdoor sports enthusiast’s dream. It’s a community that loves outdoor recreation, with ample opportunities for fishing, rafting, hiking, bicycling, boating, and more, all close to the population centers. Paved walking and biking trail systems are abundant throughout the community enabling residents of all ages to walk safely, bike, and enjoy the outdoors. National parks and forests, state parks, county parks, and city parks, as well as designated open space and open land areas, are found throughout the region and are treasured by residents. Situated on the edge of a 1.2 million-acre national forest, Spearfish provides endless opportunities for playing outside.

BIKE PATH, PARK SYSTEM There are sixteen developed parks and “pocket” parks, 2 dog parks, and many sports field areas. Spearfish parks offer a little something for everyone. Kids love the Playland in the City Park, as well as all the other parks throughout town. Sports enthusiasts will delight in the baseball and softball fields, basketball courts, football fields, horseshoes, sand volleyball, a skate park, soccer fields, tetherball, and pickleball courts. Enjoy the 7.4-mile recreation path on foot or bicycle. The path runs alongside Spearfish Creek and winds in and out of several Spearfish parks. Bring fishing gear and find a spot along the Creek, which is home to rainbow, brook, and brown trout. GOLF Golfers can enjoy two 18-hole courses within the city limits, both with spectacular views. Or enjoy one of the 20 other golf courses in the Black Hills twisting through pine forests across rushing trout streams and opening up to mountain vista views. Disc golf is also an option with two courses right in town. SPORTS COMPLEX Local softball teams and soccer teams practice and play on many wellmaintained fields. A large local sports complex is host to city and regional events in baseball, softball, and soccer. It is also home to the new wood-bat collegiate baseball league, the Spearfish Sasquatch. From May-September, you will find the 2-acre outdoor pool full of residents and visitors alike. The water park includes slides, a lazy river, and other outdoor water features. NATIONAL FOREST Both experienced and novice adventurers will find the limestone routes, cliffs, and craigs in Spearfish Canyon perfect for rock climbing at its best. The canyon and surrounding Black Hills are some of the nation’s most popular up-and-coming climbing destinations. The community is a mountain biking mecca with hundreds of miles of rocky single tracks and paved trails. Spearfish is also home to one of the largest mountain bike races, the Dakota Five O. Enjoy running versus riding? You can find a running/walking marathon just about every month in Spearfish, if not every weekend during the summer. Fishers can find their own personal paradise, whether it’s casting a line in Spearfish Creek or venturing to one of the Black Hills’ 14 mountain lakes. The area also contains some great birding habitats, including for the Great American Dipper. Spearfish also encourages a variety of hunting. Adjacent to town is a rifle range, an archery range, an eagle viewing area, and a multi-acre game production area that caters to turkey, deer, and a variety of wildlife. The game production area has open hunting with a section being archery only. Those interested in larger game will find premier hunting for wild turkey, elk, pheasant, deer, and even mountain lion in each direction of Spearfish. For those who prefer hunting rocks, the diverse caves throughout the Black Hills are a perfect playground. Within a few minutes drive of town is access to 350-miles of marked, mapped, and groomed snowmobile trails that weave through the Black Hills National Forest. It is easy to find a three to four foot base of snow for winter fun, including some of the best cross-country ski trails and recreation areas for downhill skiing enthusiasts. There are also ample opportunities for ice climbing, downhill and Alpine skiing, snowshoeing, snow kayaking, and more! Looking for some off-road fun without the snow? Within minutes you can enjoy hundreds of miles of out-of-the-way back roads and trails for ATV’s, 4x4’s, extreme rock crawling, and single-track motorcycles during the warm months. Spearfish Canyon is a hiker’s paradise with numerous and easily accessible trails. You will also find pleasure in exploring the many U.S. Forest Service maintained trails in the Spearfish vicinity. Birding, geocaching, rock collecting, and horseback riding are all popular activities for the locals and visitors alike.

RECREATION FACILITIES

16 Parks & Playground 7+ Miles of Recreation Path City Recreation Center Outdoor Water Park Bowling Alley BHSU Fitness Center Indoor Pool 6-Plex Movie Theater Ball Fields Band Shell Basketball Courts Disc Golf Courses Dog Parks 18-Hole Public Gold Courses Horseshoe Courts Indoor Walking Tracks Performance Theaters Outdoor Ice Rink Picnic Shelters Skateboard & Bike Park Pickleball Courts