Waterfalls in South Dakota

Overview of waterfalls in South Dakota

At Falls Park, the Big Sioux River drops about 100 feet over a series of cascades, per Experience Sioux Falls. Roughlock Falls and Spearfish Falls are at Savoy in Spearfish Canyon. Both belong to the Spearfish Canyon Nature Area, run by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) inside the Black Hills National Forest.

GFP says the nature area 'includes the Roughlock Falls, Spearfish Falls, and the Savoy Pond area,' and that 'A trail system connects all three areas'. Spearfish Falls is about 47 feet high, per Travel South Dakota, and we list no height for Roughlock Falls.

Roadside Bridal Veil Falls on US 14A in Spearfish Canyon, about 60 feet per Travel South Dakota, is covered on the Spearfish Falls page. Falls Park and the Spearfish Canyon Nature Area list no entrance fee, and we found none for Bridal Veil Falls. The bigger planning questions are seasonal road access, trail length and dog rules.

Entry fees at each falls

None of the three South Dakota falls on this site charges an entrance fee, per the City of Sioux Falls and GFP.

Falls Park: the City of Sioux Falls says, 'There is no cost to visit The Falls, even during Winter Wonderland'. We could not confirm whether the viewing tower charges a fee.

Spearfish Canyon Nature Area: GFP's page says 'No entrance fee required' (checked October 25, 2026). The official page lists no fee or license for day use.

Bridal Veil Falls: this is a Forest Service roadside pull-off on US 14A, and we found no fee.

Black Hills waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon

Roughlock Falls, Spearfish Falls and roadside Bridal Veil Falls are all in Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills.

Travel South Dakota puts the scenic byway at 19 miles. The Forest Service says the road follows an old railroad grade 'abandoned after massive flooding in 1933'. It calls the byway 'a favorite fall color drive when the aspens change in Sept'. It also says 'Dispersed camping is not allowed in Spearfish Canyon' and 'Potable water is not available.'

At Savoy, FS Road 222 forks west up Little Spearfish Canyon. It reaches the Roughlock Falls trailheads and lots after about 1 mile, but GFP says it is closed from December 15 through March 31 during snowmobile season. GFP keeps the trail from Spearfish Canyon Lodge to Roughlock Falls open year-round, at your own risk.

The Spearfish Falls trail starts beside the Latchstring Restaurant at Savoy, per GFP's map. It runs 0.7 mile one-way, descending into the main canyon and then following Spearfish Creek. Bridal Veil Falls needs no walk: Travel South Dakota says it falls 'right alongside the road.'

Sources disagree on how many waterfalls the canyon holds. The Forest Service calls the byway 'the best place in the Black Hills to see waterfalls, including Bridal Veil, Little Spearfish & Roughlock Falls'. Travel South Dakota calls Roughlock the most popular of the canyon's four waterfalls. GFP's map also shows a separate Little Spearfish Falls Trailhead, which is not Spearfish Falls.

Dogs and swimming at South Dakota waterfalls

We found no official swimming rule at any South Dakota falls on this site, and dog rules differ by manager.

Dogs in the Spearfish Canyon Nature Area: South Dakota's park pet rule, ARSD 41:03:01:13, has two seasons. From April 1 to September 30, pets must be 'under immediate control on a leash not more than ten feet long'. The other option is control at more than 200 feet from others.

From October 1 to March 31, 'leashes are not mandatory; however, the person shall keep the pet under immediate control'. The rule also bars pets from enclosed GFP buildings and from within 200 feet of designated swim zones. Owners must also pick up waste.

Dogs at Falls Park: we have not confirmed a city dog rule for Falls Park, so check with the City of Sioux Falls.

Swimming: we found no official swimming rule at any of these falls. At Falls Park, the city warns of turbulent water and slippery rocks. In Spearfish Canyon, GFP lists birdwatching, fishing, hiking, picnicking, snowmobiling and snowshoeing, but not swimming, so do not assume it is allowed.

Our waterfall safety guide covers slippery rock, cold water and flash floods in more depth.

Waterfalls in South Dakota: trails and access compared

Falls Park and roadside Bridal Veil Falls need almost no walk, while Spearfish and Roughlock Falls are trails of 0.7 and 1.1 miles one-way.

Falls Park: paved walking paths and overlooks wrap around the falls, and a five-story viewing tower opens during Visitor Information Center hours.

Roughlock Falls: GFP's current map lists 1.1 miles one-way along Little Spearfish Creek, rated moderate. Black Hills & Badlands Tourism says the trail 'is handicap-accessible,' but we found no GFP accessibility statement, so call the park at 605.584.3896.

Spearfish Falls: GFP's current map lists 0.7 mile one-way, rated easy to moderate. The trail descends into the canyon and has no accessible designation.

Bridal Veil Falls: the Forest Service built a roadside viewing platform for safety and erosion control, per a search excerpt of its 2012 project decision. Visit Spearfish says the flow is strong in spring and slower in late summer and fall.

South Dakota waterfall closures and conditions (Oct 2026)

As of late October 2026, Falls Park and Spearfish Falls are open, and Roughlock Falls is seasonal, per the City of Sioux Falls and GFP.

Spearfish Canyon, checked October 25, 2026: GFP lists the nature area as open year-round for day use. FS Road 222 to Roughlock Falls is closed December 15 through March 31; for winter 2026-27, that starts December 15, 2026.

We found no 2026 full closure of US 14A. A rockslide closed the highway between Long Valley Lane and Victoria Lane on July 5, 2025, and it reopened July 6, KOTA reported, citing SDDOT.

From January 19, 2026, SDDOT ran one lane with signals at a landslide buttress about 0.5 mile north of Cheyenne Crossing. SDDOT expected the one-lane work to finish by July 2026, with overall completion on December 18, 2026. As of October 2026 we could not confirm its status, so check sd511.org.

Recreation.gov says Rod & Gun Campground closes December 1, 2026, for snowmobile routes.

Falls Park, last checked October 27, 2026: the city keeps the park open 5am to 11:59pm daily. Winter Wonderland lights run November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 5pm to midnight, per the City of Sioux Falls.

South Dakota waterfalls FAQ