Eleventh Hour

Updated on December 9, 2023  •  3 minute read  • 541 words

 0.74 mile hike  • 115 feet elevation

Eleventh Hour is a short but rewarding hike a quarter of the way down Spearfish Canyon. Formed by a naturally running stream that joins with the larger Spearfish Creek flowing through the canyon. The entrance to the hike is easily missed by those not looking.

Useful Information

• The pull off area is free but only has room for a 2-3 vehicles.
• There is no drinking water or bathrooms available on the trail.
• Leashed pets are allowed but animals will have difficulty climbing the rocks and ladders.
• The trail is open year-round but the falls are ice in the winter months.
• Most of the trail is shaded by the canyon walls and stays cool year-round.
• This hike is very vertical and requires some climbing.

Directions

To reach Eleventh Hour, start your journey in Spearfish, South Dakota, and take West Jackson Boulevard (Highway 14A) until you reach the stoplight marking the intersection of US-85 S/N Main St and US-14A E marking the beginning of Spearfish Canyon. Turn onto US-14A E and continue past Bridal Veil Falls and Devil's Bathtub parking areas. After the second bend in the road after Devil's Bathtub , the pull off area will be on the left side of the road. The trail entrance is on the right side of the road and is difficult to see from the road. There is no sign marking the trail entrance but the trail is well worn once you are close enough to see it through the trees.

The Trail

This hike is nestled inside of a rock crevasse making it difficult to see from the road. The trail is short but has some points that may be difficult for some to climb. Most of the climb requires using fallen rocks as natural stairs. Ladders have been built for some points of the hike but they are sometimes washed out from snow melting in the spring. The stream that formed this trail is also the reason it’s full of debris from fallen trees and other runoff. It also makes the trail very slippery and cool year-round.

Two man-made ladders exist along the climb. One lies halfway up at an angle that acts more as a bridge. The second stands vertically and waits for you at the final part of the climb. The quality of this ladder can vary depending on the time of the year and generosity of its maintainer. Transitioning from the top of the ladder to the rock it leans on can be difficult and not for the faint of heart. Water throughout the trail makes the rocks slippery and the ladders are no exception.

The trail has multiple locations with water running from the top of the crevasse. Depending on the time of year, these may be frozen into massive ice waterfalls. They are beautiful to look at but care should be taken if one of these giants blocks your path.

After climbing the final rocks to the top, the entire area flattens out. Following the trail’s direction will lead you into larger piles of fallen debris. Turning back towards the road takes you to a large platform perfect for warming up in the sun. The view overlooks the Spearfish Canyon road from both directions and the surrounding mountains.