Hiking the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail in Spearfish Canyon of the Black Hills, South Dakota
Distance: 0.3 miles / 0.5 km
The Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail in Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota is one of the best hidden gems anywhere in the Black Hills!
I believe this as someone who has explored the Black Hills over numerous trips over many years, because Eleventh Hour Gulch is one of the best effort-to-reward adventures in South Dakota, being that it is so quick, the views are spectacular, and the short but steep scramble up the gulch is such a fun part of the experience!
That said, the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail is certainly not an adventure for people of all abilities, as the steep scramble to the overlook is more challenging than it may initially seem, due in large part to one Class 3 section that must be climbed to reach the top.
However, for those up for the challenge, the Eleventh Hour Gulch is a really fun little hidden gem that’s absolutely worth going out of the way for, even if it’s all you have time for in Spearfish Canyon!
Eleventh Hour Gulch Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail is located directly alongside Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway in one of two pullouts on either side of the gulch, just to the south of Victoria Lane.
Google Maps Directions: Eleventh Hour Gulch Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - South Dakota
According to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) and the U.S. Forest Service, there are Black Bears in South Dakota, but encounters are considerably rare.
That said, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in South Dakota.
Hiking the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail
From the closest pullout on the north side of the gulch, walk south and cross the highway carefully to find the unmarked trailhead on the far side.
Eleventh Hour Gulch Trailhead
At this unmarked trailhead directly alongside Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail begins, where it heads straight into the mouth of the gulch.
Almost immediately, the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail begins scrambling its way up this steep boulder field.
At this first section, it’s easiest to begin climbing up the left-hand side.
This is the first of two ladders in Eleventh Hour Gulch.
This is the second and final ladder in Eleventh Hour Gulch, with the most challenging scramble located on the upper side of this rock tunnel.
At the top of the second ladder, the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail makes a hard U-turn to continue up to the overlook.
It is here that hikers reach the most difficult part of the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail.
That said, I usually say the photos I share make it look more challenging than it actually is, but in this case, I think the uppermost parts of this scramble are actually more difficult than they may seem because it’s so tall—not to mention, it can be slippery!
At the top of the steep climb, the Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail splits, with one path running along the gulch and the other through the trees on the right.
From here, it makes no difference which direction you decide to hike, as the paths meet again a short distance ahead.
Eleventh Hour Gulch Overlook
This overlook above Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway is the end of the very short Eleventh Hour Gulch Trail.
If you have the opportunity to visit the canyon during peak fall colors, as I was fortunate to, I hope it can be just as beautiful as you see here!
South Dakota
Wyoming
