I was up in South Dakota a couple of weeks ago and decided to get some hikes in. The first of the trails we took was the Roughlock Falls Trail out in Spearfish. The Roughlock Falls Trail is an easy 2.1 mile trail that leads up to the beautiful Roughlock Falls. The trail is easy to follow, and not very steep making it a great option for a hike with the family. My biggest complaint about the trail would be the smell. Every time I have been there a portion of the trail has smelled like stale animal deposits. If you are interested in hiking this trail you can find maps and other helpful info at AllTrails.

Another one of the trails we hiked was the Devil’s Bathtub trail. Devil’s Bathtub is a moderately challenging 1.6 mile trail that is also located in Spearfish. The trail starts at a pullout off the road, and there are no big indicators that you are at the right place until you hit the trailhead, a little ways ahead. When you first start hiking it is fairly easy, and most of the challenge is in the many water crossings on the trail. It follows the stream up through a beautiful forest, and some epic hills, until you finally reach the infamous bathtub. The Devil’s Bathtub is a natural waterslide, carved into the rock by the running water. I was hesitant to slide down, due to my dislike for cold water, but I told my brother that if he did it I would. After he completed his slide, and came out of the water shivering like crazy, I began my trudge to the dreaded slide. Stepping down into the hollow I was shocked by the freezing cold water, but, despite my better judgement, down I slid. It was awesome. Even though it was cold, it was worth it. I even went down again. I would highly recommend going to Devil’s Bathtub on your next trip to South Dakota. I would also recommend packing a change of clothes. (A necessity I happened to overlook.) If you are looking into hiking this trail more info can be found here.

I will be adding a few more trail reviews in the upcoming weeks. If you’ve been to any of these trails feel free to share your opinion in the comments, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the upcoming posts.