The hike
Devil's Bathtub Trail
A short out-and-back route through Spearfish Canyon that follows the creek upstream toward the natural pool and waterfall known as Devil's Bathtub.
At a glance
Trail specifications
These are the stable facts about the route. Anything that changes with the weather — water level, ice, closures — has to be checked the day you go.
- Distance
- Approximately 1.6 miles round trip
- Elevation gain
- Approximately 187 feet
- Difficulty
- Moderate — short but technical
- Route type
- Out and back
- Water crossings
- Multiple creek crossings each way
- Terrain
- Rocky creekside path, wet stone, boulders, short scrambles
- Dogs
- Commonly hiked with dogs on leash. Confirm current rules on posted signs at the trailhead.
- Best season
- Late spring through early fall. Water is highest during snowmelt and after heavy rain.
Reality check
What the Trail Is Really Like
The short mileage can be misleading, because the terrain is technical in places. People regularly plan for a twenty-minute walk and find something closer to a two-hour scramble.
There is no maintained tread for most of the route. You are moving along a creek bed, choosing lines between rocks and switching banks whenever the water forces it. Groups spread out, pace drops, and the return trip takes about as long as the way in.
Creek crossings
The route repeatedly moves from one bank to the other. There are no bridges — you pick your own line across rock, log and gravel.
Wet rocks
Stone near moving water stays damp and often carries a thin film of algae. Traction that feels fine on dry dirt can slide here.
Boulder sections
Stretches of the creek bed are filled with rounded boulders that require stepping up, down and across rather than walking.
Uneven terrain
Roots, loose cobble and narrow shelves make footing inconsistent. Expect to look down often.
Steeper scrambling
Short hands-on moves appear near the upper canyon where the walls narrow toward the pool.
Waterfalls
Small cascades and chutes drop through carved limestone along the way, with the bathtub feature itself at the turnaround.
Forest
Spruce, pine and birch shade most of the corridor, so the canyon floor stays cool and damp even on warm days.
Natural swimming area
The bathtub is a small carved pool below a rock chute. Depth, current and clarity change with the season.
Check before you go
Conditions change. These are the things this guide cannot tell you.
- Weather forecastPoint forecast for the canyon, not just the town.National Weather Service — Rapid City
- Trail conditions & closuresAlerts and notices for the forest that manages this area.Black Hills National Forest
- Road conditionsHighway 14A status, winter conditions and construction.SD511
- Fire restrictionsSeasonal fire and campfire restrictions across the hills.Black Hills National Forest alerts
Closures and parking rules can also be posted on site with no notice online. Read the signs at the trailhead and follow current restrictions when you arrive.