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Splashing in the Devil's Bathtub
Jul 2, 2013
Located between Savoy and Spearfish in the scenic byway of Spearfish Canyon is an unmarked, semi-secret place to enjoy a hike and a refreshing dip in a mountain stream. Ever since climbing behind the falls at Roughlock became verboten, the Devil’s Bathtub has been the best playground in Spearfish Canyon.
WHERE DOES THE DEVIL BATHE?
There are no signs disclosing the secret location of the Devil’s Bathtub. Most people that know about it found out from a local. My law school roommate, a Black Hills State grad, told me about it. I quizzed people on the trail this past week, and all were locals, or were told by locals. It’s kind of supposed to be a secret — at least before the Internet, Google and YouTube. Now, it’s a traffic jam to fun.
To get there, pull off the Spearfish Canyon highway at Cleopatra Place. There isn’t a parking lot, but these days there are a lot of cars along the narrow lane — park there. Hike across the bridge over Spearfish Creek and follow the trail to your right. The tributary to hike comes into Spearfish Creek at that point — DO NOT cross it and follow Spearfish Creek. Assuming you don’t make that mistake, you can’t miss the Bathtub. You definitely can’t miss the fun. The “trail” has a range of options — my crew prefers jumping on rocks and traversing fallen logs, but there is always the option of just walking on the dirt path adjoining the creek.
FALSE FINISH
After about thirty minutes of playing and hiking along the creek you’ll come to an area where the creek has cut a smooth swirl in to the rock. It looks like Mother Nature’s water slide. It’s a fun spot to stop and play on the rocks and in the creek. For the first three or four years, we took our family and friends. With me acting like some kind of an informed Sacagawea, this was where the hike ended. We all had fun sliding on the rocks and enjoying our lunches. One year, to our surprise, hikers came down upon us from farther up the canyon! They informed us that, while the spot we had hiked to was indeed fun, it was about 10 minutes short of the actual bathtub! At that point old “Sacagawea” felt a little stupid, but it did mean we now had new places to explore.
THE REAL BATHTUB
A little further up the canyon along the creek, the real Devil’s Bathtub is swirled out of the rock formations, and it definitely entertains. You can swim in the pool, slide down the chutes, or just lower your bottom into the coldest refreshing, rushing water you can imagine. The walls of the canyon at that point are steep — I mean mountain goat-quality steep — and tree covered. The setting is beautiful.
There are little brown trout in the stream and it’s entertaining to watch them jumping the rocks up the stream, like a fish ladder, until they reached a point just too steep to “climb.”
THE CROWD
When we pulled up, the parking area was filled. When we left, a van driver had his wife get out and navigate a squeeze play into Cleopatra. I quizzed people while we hiked, because we probably saw at least fifty people along the trail and at the bathtub. Almost everybody had a local connection — they knew somebody that knew the secret. A nephew and his wife met up with us there — both Mines grads who had heard of, but not seen, the Devil’s Bathtub. Having them and their sons with us meant the secret was passed on to another generation.
KEEPING SECRETS
Former Governor Bill Janklow used to say “a secret is something that you promise to only tell one person at a time.” So if you’re reading this, you need to promise to keep the secret. But if you know of any other secret or unmarked hiking trails in the Hills, fee free to email me the location. Other than to a few close friends of the outdoors, I’ll keep the secret.
Lee Schoenbeck grew up in Webster, practices law in Watertown, and is a freelance writer for the South Dakota Magazine website.
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Comments
The author of this post having even walked up that drainage has altered his genetics: had he been of child producing age he would have passed the neurotoxic effects of the mercury, cadmium, and strontium onto his offspring just from the acid salt spray mixed in the pollen and everything else he came in contact that day.
How conservative.
We used to make a point of exploring the Canyon all the time. There is a sun bathing rock on the top of a ridge point we would hike to; Devil's bathtub of course; Bridal Veil; Roughlock Falls... but honestly, since the change to Roughlock Falls, the whole thing is not like it used to be. Roughlock was my family's major destination any time we would be in the Hills. Now there is no point to even go. :(
I cannot wait to go see this. Traviling there the end of June by motorcycle from Ohio.
https://youtu.be/mEfLE6WbfuA
Badside is local sherriff will have yur cars towed along road...with very little signage or telling you where yur car is or got towed to, with NoCell reception to findout. So u and yur kids have to walk down the dangerous curvy road about a mile to make call.
We got lucky the tow truck was backed up to our truck....so we still had to pay off him in cash $50 or have it towed...sherrif was right there and told him to tow it if we didnt pay him...unfortunately alot of cars did get towed.
Very bad situation to put families in when there are better ways...tickets, fencing, chained off areas, better signage, etc....
There is no reason to tow!
When it puts families in more danger when no cell coverage.