State guide

Waterfalls in South Dakota

7 waterfalls across 4 counties, ranked 40th nationally. The main waterfall regions are Black Hills and Sioux Falls and the Eastern Plains.

Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System, with visitor ratings from Google Maps listings.

Photo of Spearfish Falls in Lawrence County, South Dakota
Pictured: Spearfish Falls, SD

Towns

Where South Dakota's Waterfalls Are

Most of South Dakota is prairie and rolling plains, where rivers wander across thick glacial and sedimentary deposits with little gradient, so it is no surprise that the state has only 7 named falls in our directory, ranking it 40th nationally. Nearly all of them are found in the one place where the land rises sharply: the Black Hills. This isolated mountain range on the state's western edge is an uplifted dome with a core of ancient granite and metamorphic rock, ringed by tilted layers of limestone and sandstone. East of the Missouri River, glaciers left a low, rolling surface with few ledges.

Streams draining the Black Hills have cut deep canyons through those layers, and where they cross resistant limestone ledges they form small, attractive falls set among ponderosa pine and spruce. Lawrence County, in the northern Hills around Spearfish and Lead, holds three of the named falls, all in or near Spearfish Canyon. Pennington County, around Rapid City, adds two more, and Fall River County in the southern Hills has Cascade Falls near Hot Springs. The lone exception on the plains is the falls of the Big Sioux River, which gave the city of Sioux Falls its name as the river tumbles over hard pink Sioux quartzite in the state's southeastern corner.

South Dakota Waterfall Regions

Black Hills

6 waterfalls · Lawrence County, Pennington County, and Fall River County

Spearfish Canyon in the northern Black Hills is the state's waterfall showcase, a deep limestone canyon followed by a scenic byway. Bridal Veil Falls is visible from a roadside pullout, while Spearfish Falls and Roughlock Falls are reached by short trails near the community of Savoy; Roughlock Falls lies in a state-managed nature area on Little Spearfish Creek. Near Rapid City, Pennington County's falls include Thunderhead Falls, which drops inside an old mining tunnel as a private attraction. In the far southern Hills, Cascade Falls near Hot Springs is fed by warm springs, giving it a mild temperature and a popular swimming hole.

Start with: Spearfish Falls, Cascade Falls, Roughlock Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Thunderhead Falls

Sioux Falls and the Eastern Plains

1 waterfall · Minnehaha County

On the eastern prairie, the Big Sioux River drops over a series of ledges of Sioux quartzite, an extremely hard, pinkish rock that resists erosion far better than the surrounding glacial deposits. The falls became the founding reason for the city of Sioux Falls, and early settlers used them to power mills. Today they are the centerpiece of Falls Park near downtown, where paths, overlooks and the ruins of a historic mill frame a broad cascade rather than a single tall drop. The falls are fullest during spring runoff and after heavy rains, when the river carries noticeably more water across the quartzite ledges.

Start with: Sioux Falls

All 7 Waterfalls in South Dakota

Ordered by Google rating and review volume, then by documented USGS history.

  1. Spearfish Falls

    Lead, SD · Lawrence County
    4.8 (174 reviews)

    Spearfish Falls is a waterfall in Lawrence County, South Dakota, about 8.1 miles west of Lead. It appears on the USGS Savoy topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (174 Google reviews)
    Address
    North Lawrence, SD 57754
    Known for
    walk to falls, trail to bottom, pretty waterfall, view from bottom, easy walk
    Nearest town
    Lead, SD (8.1 mi)
    USGS topo
    Savoy quad
    View details Directions

  2. Cascade Falls

    Hot Springs, SD · Fall River County
    4.7 (145 reviews)

    Cascade Falls is a waterfall in Fall River County, South Dakota, about 9.0 miles southwest of Hot Springs. It appears on the USGS Cascade Springs topographic map.

    Rating
    4.7 (145 Google reviews)
    Address
    Northeast Fall River, SD 57747
    Known for
    Cascade Falls, swimming hole, rattlesnakes, picnic spot, natural pool
    Nearest town
    Hot Springs, SD (9.0 mi)
    USGS topo
    Cascade Springs quad
    View details Directions

  3. Roughlock Falls

    Lead, SD · Lawrence County
    4.8 (127 reviews)

    Roughlock Falls is a waterfall in Lawrence County, South Dakota, about 8.8 miles west of Lead. It appears on the USGS Savoy topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (127 Google reviews)
    Address
    South Lawrence, SD 57754
    Known for
    low cascading falls, walk to falls, streams, not too crowded, pretty area
    Nearest town
    Lead, SD (8.8 mi)
    USGS topo
    Savoy quad
    View details Directions

  4. Sioux Falls

    Sioux Falls, SD · Minnehaha County
    4.8 (21 reviews)

    Sioux Falls is a waterfall in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, about 1.2 miles west of Sioux Falls. It appears on the USGS Sioux Falls East topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (21 Google reviews)
    Address
    Sioux Falls, SD 57104
    Nearest town
    Sioux Falls, SD (1.2 mi)
    USGS topo
    Sioux Falls East quad
    View details Directions

  5. Bridal Veil Falls

    Spearfish, SD · Lawrence County
    4.6 (18 reviews)

    Bridal Veil Falls is a waterfall in Lawrence County, South Dakota, about 5.2 miles south of Spearfish. It appears on the USGS Maurice topographic map.

    Rating
    4.6 (18 Google reviews)
    Address
    North Lawrence, SD 57783
    Nearest town
    Spearfish, SD (5.2 mi)
    USGS topo
    Maurice quad
    View details Directions

  6. Thunderhead Falls

    Colonial Pine Hills, SD · Pennington County
    2.8 (5 reviews)

    Thunderhead Falls is a waterfall in Pennington County, South Dakota, about 6.0 miles northwest of Colonial Pine Hills. USGS notes: Falls located 600 ft inside Thunderhead Falls tunnel and drop over a 32 ft precipice.

    Rating
    2.8 (5 Google reviews)
    Address
    Mount Rushmore, SD 57702
    Nearest town
    Colonial Pine Hills, SD (6.0 mi)
    USGS topo
    Pactola Dam quad
    View details Directions

  7. Grizzly Bear Falls

    Custer, SD · Pennington County
    2.7 (3 reviews)

    Grizzly Bear Falls is a waterfall in Pennington County, South Dakota, about 9.5 miles northeast of Custer. It appears on the USGS Iron Mountain topographic map.

    Rating
    2.7 (3 Google reviews)
    Address
    Mount Rushmore, SD 57751
    Nearest town
    Custer, SD (9.5 mi)
    USGS topo
    Iron Mountain quad
    View details Directions

Highest Rated in South Dakota

  1. Spearfish Falls 4.8 from 174 reviews · Lead
  2. Roughlock Falls 4.8 from 127 reviews · Lead
  3. Cascade Falls 4.7 from 145 reviews · Hot Springs

Waterfalls with at least 25 Google reviews.

What Visitors Mention

  • Reviews of 1 South Dakota waterfall mention swimming, including Cascade Falls.
  • Reviews of 1 South Dakota waterfall mention easy access, including Spearfish Falls.

South Dakota Waterfalls by the Compass

The farthest-apart named falls in South Dakota are about 363 miles apart.

Names and History

From the USGS record for Thunderhead Falls: "Artificial waterfall created when miners in the late 1870s blasted a tunnel to direct water of Rapid Creek to make it easier to find gold thought to be in the stream bed."

Best Time to See Waterfalls in South Dakota

Spring is usually the best time for South Dakota's falls. In the Black Hills, snowmelt and spring rains raise the creeks from April through June, and May and June combine good flows with green canyons. Spearfish Canyon is especially popular in late September and early October, when aspen and birch turn gold against the limestone walls. Summer brings the heaviest tourist traffic to the Black Hills, along with afternoon thunderstorms that can briefly swell streams. In winter, Spearfish Canyon's falls partly freeze into ice formations, and snow makes the canyon quiet and striking. Cascade Falls, fed by warm springs, is pleasant even in cooler months, while the Big Sioux at Sioux Falls is most impressive during spring runoff.

Planning a Waterfall Trip in South Dakota

The Black Hills falls lie largely within the Black Hills National Forest and state-managed areas, with Thunderhead Falls a private, fee-based attraction. Spearfish Canyon is narrow, and parking at the trailheads near Savoy fills on summer and autumn weekends. Limestone and wet rock along the canyon trails are slippery, and the creeks are cold. Black Hills canyons are prone to flash flooding during intense summer thunderstorms; Rapid City's 1972 flood remains one of the deadliest in the region's history, a reminder to avoid streambeds during heavy rain. In the southern Hills, watch for rattlesnakes in warm weather. At Falls Park in Sioux Falls, stay off the rocks and out of the river, where currents are strong.

More: waterfall safety · packing list

Find Waterfalls Near a South Dakota Town

Waterfalls by County

CountyWaterfallsShareMost visited
Lawrence343%Spearfish Falls
Pennington229%Thunderhead Falls
Fall River114%Cascade Falls
Minnehaha114%Sioux Falls

All South Dakota Waterfalls A to Z

South Dakota Waterfalls: FAQs

How many waterfalls are in South Dakota?

Our directory lists 7 waterfalls in South Dakota, all officially named in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, 40th among the 50 jurisdictions in our directory and 0.3% of the national total. 86% of them are in just three counties: Lawrence, Pennington, and Fall River.

What is the most visited waterfall in South Dakota?

By Google review count, Spearfish Falls in Lawrence County leads with 174 reviews and a 4.8 rating. Cascade Falls is next.

Where are the best waterfalls in South Dakota?

Spearfish Canyon in the northern Black Hills holds the state's best-known group, including Spearfish Falls, Roughlock Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Cascade Falls near Hot Springs and the falls of the Big Sioux River in Sioux Falls are the other main attractions.

Why is Cascade Falls warm?

Cascade Falls near Hot Springs is fed by warm springs rising in the southern Black Hills. The water stays mild compared with other Black Hills streams, which makes the pool popular for swimming.

Which South Dakota town has the most waterfalls nearby?

Lead has 4 named waterfalls within 30 miles, the most of any town in our South Dakota directory.