Spearfish Canyon and Pactola Lake

Waterfall in Spearfish Canyon South Dakota flowing between mossy canyon walls and green summer foliage.

Spearfish Canyon and Pactola Lake were two stops I had quietly been looking forward to all trip. Spearfish Canyon meant waterfalls, and waterfalls nearly always pull me in. I was also excited to try out my newer filter system and hoped for one of those days where the light, water, and scenery all came together.

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Deadwood and Sturgis

Sturgis sign on a hillside above homes and grassy slopes in Sturgis, South Dakota

Deadwood and Sturgis made for one of those travel days where the miles between stops were just as much a part of the experience as the destinations themselves. Between historic streets, rally-town energy, and a few unexpected detours, this stretch of our South Dakota trip offered a very different side of the Black Hills region. … Read more