If there is one favored destination in the Black Hills, it's the famed Spearfish Canyon in the northern region during fall leaf color...and for good reason, as you are about to see...
Unlike other landmarks in the region that have legendary Lakota names, there is no known reference to this spectacular canyon in Native lore...
The above panorama was 'stitched' together with my Canon S2, and taken from the one major motel and restaurant complex along the highway, which has some nice vantage points. As always click pics to enlarge...may have to pan the panorama to see it all, depending on what program opens the picture.
Spearfish Creek is what's left of the mighty waters that carved this canyon, though it wasn't running very strongly when I was there. Bridal Veil falls is one of the landmarks along the canyon wall, but it was not very picturesque due to the low flow (hence no picture of it).
The first commercial transportation was a railroad built in 1893; after a devastating flood in 1933, a permanent road was put in in place of the railway beds, what is today's Highway 14A.
The canyon lies at the north end of the Black Hills, with the quaint town of Spearfish just past its mouth at the base of the mountains. I rather took a liking to the town, which boasts some really good art festivals throughout the year...
Somethin' about those Black Hills rock formations that just trip my trigger, especially when so colorfully adorned...
Don't forget, if you don't have any good vistas to shoot, you can always move in more closely and enjoy the beauty of the 'little stuff'...
'Bout that time for the ol' color change here in the NC mountains...reckon I better make sure my batteries are charged and head for the hills before too long...!
Unlike other landmarks in the region that have legendary Lakota names, there is no known reference to this spectacular canyon in Native lore... 
The above panorama was 'stitched' together with my Canon S2, and taken from the one major motel and restaurant complex along the highway, which has some nice vantage points. As always click pics to enlarge...may have to pan the panorama to see it all, depending on what program opens the picture.
Spearfish Creek is what's left of the mighty waters that carved this canyon, though it wasn't running very strongly when I was there. Bridal Veil falls is one of the landmarks along the canyon wall, but it was not very picturesque due to the low flow (hence no picture of it).
The first commercial transportation was a railroad built in 1893; after a devastating flood in 1933, a permanent road was put in in place of the railway beds, what is today's Highway 14A.
The canyon lies at the north end of the Black Hills, with the quaint town of Spearfish just past its mouth at the base of the mountains. I rather took a liking to the town, which boasts some really good art festivals throughout the year...
Somethin' about those Black Hills rock formations that just trip my trigger, especially when so colorfully adorned...
Don't forget, if you don't have any good vistas to shoot, you can always move in more closely and enjoy the beauty of the 'little stuff'...
'Bout that time for the ol' color change here in the NC mountains...reckon I better make sure my batteries are charged and head for the hills before too long...!
3 comments:
These are really beautiful pictures-some of the best you've shown.
With the drought situation, I don't know if we will be getting good color in the mountains. I felt a little drizzle of rain around 6 or after this morning. It was nice and I hope we get a lot more. Lori
Been doing some research myself on drought stuff, Lori, and honestly drought has a tendency to delay color changing by up to a couple of weeks,but color is always there. Sometimes a hard rain will rinse dust off the leaves and make them look brighter...and there are always those trees like sycamores and some white oaks whose color is never very impressive. However, there will still be plenty of beautiful color to see...and I do hope you get more than drizzle over the next 36 hours!
Those ARE great pics, Bob! Thanks for the perfect travelogue!
I know, drought or rainfall DOES affect the so-called "timing" of the Fall colors --- I noticed this driving home last weekend, some areas that one would THINK should have more color by this time of year, didn't ..... while I was pleasantly surprised in other areas!
Fall colors were just awesome in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. While there aren’t any mountains, there are significant hills, and the views from atop these 200’ – 300’ hills were incredible. Portions of small inland lakes were visible, and hundreds of thousands of acres of hardwoods (maple, oak, hickory, and birch primarily) were ablaze with red, orange, and yellow leaves melding perfectly with embedded pine forests ---- phenomenal color in the crisp sunshine one day, and the same color literally brightened the overcast skies the next morning. I tried, but neither my digital nor 35mm cameras could capture what my eyes took in.
Change-of-seasons are my favorite times of the year --- especially winter-into-spring and summer-into-fall !
Suzy :)
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