Spearfish Canyon Lodge

Prospectors, settlers, and fortune seekers flocked to the Black Hills area during the Gold Rush of 1876, while Spearfish Canyon was still accessible only by mule and horse. The public began to realize the unique beauty of Spearfish Canyon 17 years later at the completion of the Deadwood to Spearfish Railroad. An office of the sawmill that initially occupied the site of the Latchstring today became the first guest room of a small log inn named Glendoris. In 1909 it was purchased by two ladies from Iowa and renamed The Latchstring, after its old latchstring-operated door that many visitors passed through. The Latchstring Inn became a rustic landmark for its warm hospitality, good food, and dazzling scenery.

These days the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway follows the route of the railroad before it, delivering the same natural wonder travelers have enjoyed for years. Today Spearfish Canyon Lodge & The Latchstring Restaurant are open year-round and offer some of the best lodging and dining in the black hills.