the wild wild west

Kevin Costner knew the beauty of Spearfish, South Dakota. The winterscenes from his movie, "Dances With Wolves," were filmed in SpearfishCanyon. The highway along the Canyon is so picturesque, it was designatedas a National Scenic Byway. What a perfect place to explore the snowy trailswith a snowmobile.

Spearfish is in the northeast corner of the famous Black Hills where,more than 125 years ago, a young soldier named George Armstrong Custer discoveredgold. That find forever changed the area. The town of Custer, Custer StatePark, the towns of Deadwood and Lead and historic Mount Rushmore probablyare the most well known tourist haunts in the Black Hills. But Spearfishhas lots to offer the snowmobiler, including twisty tree-lined trails, openplains, panoramic views and even waterfalls.

Trails

The favorite snowmobile trails in the Spearfish area are those to CementRidge Lookout, the Big Hill Lot and very photogenic waterfalls called RoughlockFalls.

We began our journey to Cement Ridge near the Trailshead Lodge, the sortof starting and ending point which offers food and drink for both riderand machine. A quick hop across the paved road leads you along Trail #1on Map A of the Black Hills Trails Systems. It's about a 20-mile ride toCement Ridge Lookout- if you take the direct route. It's a few more if youenjoy exploring.

The first four miles offer a windy ride along towering Ponderosa pines.It then opens up to lots of possibilities for free riding in open meadows.When the conditions are right, there's tons of powder to plow through andsmall trees to go around. Trail #1 also criss-crosses its way along theSouth Dakota and Wyoming borders. The area has colorful names like Riflepit,Wagon and Rattlesnake canyons and Elk Springs. It really gives you a feelfor the Old West. If cowboys had snowmobiles, there's no telling how theWest might have been won.

After trying our machines in the open areas, we again made our way throughsome narrowly cut trails- I just hoped we would'nt meet any riders goingthe opposite way. The colors of the snow-topped trees on a clear sunny daymake you appreciate the scenery even more. And it is possible to meet upwith the local wildlife here. Some 130 different species of birds live inthe area- so bird watchers, have your binoculars ready. You also could encounteran elk or coyote. And, if you're into identifying plants, it could takeyou a while, since there are more than 1,000 types of vegetation to catalog.

A few miles in, we again came upon wide-open spaces that included somedeep snow- just watch for the hidden brush underneath, it will keep youfrom getting stuck and having to dig out. One or two in our group got caughtup in the hazard. Also be aware there are many alternate trails on the wayto Cement Ridge that can lead you astray, especially if you're unfamiliarwith the area. We heard of one rider who went a bit too far off trail, onlyto get his snowmobile stuck in the soft snow while trying to turn around.After walking back out, he found his group had moved on. It took more thanan hour for his party to locate him as dusk approached.

A big help, however, are the posted maps at many of the offshoot trails.The maps show where you're located, and the options you have. One of myfavorite intersecting trails also had a small stop sign to alert ridersof possible on coming traffic. The sign probably saves some hard feelingsand possible scrapes on a busy Sunday afternoon.

Another open area to explore includes an old run down shack, called McInerty'sPlace. It was named for an old rancher from the area. The shack looks readyto fall down, but maybe that's the beauty of it. And it made for some nicepictures.

The last bit of snowway to Cement Ridge switches to Trails # 3A and 3C.The trail goes uphill for a mile or two before you finally reach the CementRidge Lookout. You also can get to Cement Ridge by following Trail #3 onthe Wyoming side heading north, or from Big Hill Lot traveling south.

Cement Ridge gets its name from extremely hard ground on which the lookoutsits. Supposedly, almost nothing grows here. Riders can get out and walkaround and there's a little warming hut to cut the chill of the wind. Thelookout is actually in Wyoming, but you have a 360-degree view of both stateswhich, on a clear day, is just spectacular.

You also can spot a place called Inya Kara, where Custer originally exploredand carved his initials into some rocks (No, you can't see his initialsfrom the lookout). And the old Tinton Gold Mines are within view, whichare presently being renovated for future use. And if you're lucky, you mightsee some of the local inhabitants in the huge Winter Wildlife Range offin the distance.

Also at Big Hill Lot, there are adjoining trails for those who enjoycross-country skiing or snowshoeing. So there's something for all tasteshere.

Lodging

The Spearfish Canyon Resort near Roughlock Falls is a great place tospend a day or two exploring the surrounding trails, or for resting wearybones after a tough day of riding. The area around the Resort was once thesite of an old sawmill, but it also had a small log inn for visitors whocame in on the local train. The rail service, completed in the 1890s, wentfrom Spearfish Canyon to the town of Deadwood. A big flood in 1933 damagedmost of the rail line. Much of today's Scenic Byway, Highway 14A, travelsalong the same roadbed.

The inn was later taken over by two ladies from Iowa, who renamed it"The Latchstring Inn" because of the old pioneer-style, latchstring-operateddoor. The current restaurant is called the Latchstring.

Today's Spearfish Canyon Resort has a rustic flavor, with big, log beamsin the ceiling and a huge fireplace in the lobby. The rooms are comfortableand the food at the restaurant is excellent. Don't miss out on the localtrout with almonds.

There are a number of trails setting out from the resort. If you don'twish to bring your own snowmobile, the Winter Sports Center offers machinesfor rent. The resort also has package deals that include snowmobile rentals,lodging and meals.

Just a quick ride from the lodge is Roughlock Falls. Visitors have ashort walk from the trail to the waterfalls. In winter, it's covered withseveral natural ice sculptures. If you prefer, you can take the horse-dawnsleigh ride to the falls. Draft horses, Tom and Mike, are happy to leadthe way.

Other Activites

The town of Spearfish also offers other winter festivities. There's HotChocolate Days, where local merchants offer a free mug of the steaming beverage.That usually coincides with the Winter Art Show. In late February localartists show off their wares for sale or just for looks.

Or, you can visit the High Plains Heritage Center and Museum. It showcasesWestern art and artifacts and is home to the National Cowboy Song and PoetryHall of Fame.

And if you'd like to lose a little money, the gambling town of Deadwoodis just a short drive by car. You also can ride your snowmobile, as thereare some trails into town.

Deadwood keeps up its image of a Wild West Town. Characters such as CalamityJane and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were known to hang around Deadwood.At Saloon #10, you can have a cold one and view what is supposed to be verychair Wild Bill Hickok was sitting in when he was shot in the back whileplaying poker. His hand, aces and eights, is commonly referred to as DeadMan's Hand. On the upper floor of the #10, the Edge Gallery & Studiohas an interesting collection of local and Western art.

From the "new" Old West, visit the Midnight Star Bar and Casino,which is owned by Costner. Many of his movie outfits are in glass cases,including those from "Dances With Wolves." On the top floor isJake's Restaurant, rated one of the top eateries in South Dakota.AS


SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

711 E. Wells Avenue

Pierre, SD 57501-3369

605/773-3301

FAX: 605/773-3256

www.state.sd.us



SPEARFISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

106 W. Kanas Street

PO Box 550

Spearfish, SD 57783

800/626-8013; 605/642-2626

FAX: 605/642-7310

www.spearfish.sd.us



SPEARFISH CANYON RESORT

PO Box 705

Spearfish, SD 57783

800/439-8544, 605/584-3435

FAX: 605/584-3990

www.blackhills.com/comm/spfcanyonresort



DEADWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

735 Main Street

Deadwood, SD 57732

605/578-1876

FAX: 605/578-2429

www.deadwood.org