Private Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon and Deadwood Tour from Rapid City
Devils Tower and Spearfish Canyon Adventure from Rapid City, designed around scenic drives, short walks, and the most beautiful overlooks of the Northern Black Hills. Along the way, you’ll stop in historic Deadwood, the gold rush town where Wild Bill Hickok played his last hand. Expect flexible pacing, time for photos, and a guide who adds context on geology, landscapes, and local history as the day unfolds.
Private tour, your group only
From$1,011.50for two guests
That price is for tour dates Jan 1 to Mar 15, 2027, and other dates cost more. Each added guest is from $297.50, plus tax and fees, and a group can have up to 5 guests.
★★★★★My XO Adventures is rated 5.0 on Google from 657 reviews.
This private full day adventure pairs Devils Tower National Monument with the waterfalls and limestone walls of Spearfish Canyon. The pacing stays calm and flexible, with scenic drives, short walks, and time to take in the overlooks instead of racing from stop to stop.
Private tour, your group only
Full day, about 10 hours, flexible pacing
Devils Tower National Monument, the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway and historic Deadwood
Waterfall highlights like Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls, and Roughlock Falls when conditions allow
All park admissions included, including entry to Devils Tower National Monument
Operates under a US Forest Service special use permit on the Black Hills National Forest
What kind of Experience is this?
This Devils Tower and Spearfish Canyon Adventure is a full-day private tour from Rapid City designed around scenic drives, short walks, and unhurried time in wild places. It focuses on the natural side of the region, with time to see and photograph Devils Tower, and time to enjoy the waterfalls and limestone walls of Spearfish Canyon.
We’re not rushing from one landmark to the next. The day is built around scenic drives, overlooks, and optional short walks that let you feel the landscape.
Tour Snapshot
Tour type: Private (your group only)
Duration: Full day, about 10 hours (flexible pacing)
Pickup: Rapid City and nearby areas, or Deadwood at no extra cost
Core destinations: Devils Tower National Monument, Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway and Deadwood
Waterfall highlights: Time at Spearfish Canyon favorites like Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls, and Roughlock Falls
Deadwood stop: About an hour mid-afternoon, with a Main Street walk plus your choice of trolley tickets or Adams Museum admission, all included
Scenic travel style: Backroads through open countryside, ranch land, and small historic towns, with optional stagecoach era stops along the way
Walking level: Easy to moderate (short walks to overlooks and waterfall viewpoints, optional uneven ground)
Plenty of time for photos, plus professional-quality photos included from your day when possible
Best for: Nature lovers, photographers, geology fans, couples, and families who want a calm, guided pace
This experience is designed for travelers who want to understand the Black Hills, not just check off landmarks. It’s well-suited for those who enjoy scenic drives, short walks, thoughtful conversation, and learning how history, geology, wildlife, and culture connect across the landscape.
If you value flexibility, appreciate a calm pace, and want the freedom to linger when something captures your attention, this tour tends to be a great match.
This tour isn't a good fit if...
This tour may not be the best choice if you’re looking to rush through as many sites as possible, prefer a rigid schedule, or want a highly scripted experience.
It’s also not designed for guests seeking strenuous hiking, nightlife, or a fast-moving group environment. The focus here is on depth, flow, and connection to place rather than speed or entertainment.
How the Day Flows
We start with a clear plan, then let the day breathe. After pickup in Rapid City, we head north and west through the Black Hills and surrounding countryside, often using backroads that most visitors never take. These quieter routes give you a more authentic feel for the region, with opportunities for small towns, historic stagecoach era stops, and scenic pullouts when something is worth a closer look.
The day centers on meaningful time at Devils Tower National Monument and in Spearfish Canyon. We build in stops for canyon views and waterfalls such as Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls, and Roughlock Falls when conditions allow, plus short walks and overlooks that fit your comfort level. The pacing stays flexible and natural, adjusting to weather, light, road conditions, and your interests so the experience feels smooth, personal, and unhurried. Mid-afternoon, we stop in Deadwood for about an hour, starting with a walk down Main Street.
Places We Spend Time
This tour is built around a few places that are worth slowing down for. We spend real time at Devils Tower and in Spearfish Canyon, then shape the rest of the day with overlooks, waterfall stops, and backroad travel that helps you feel the region instead of just passing through it. Stops can shift slightly based on weather, road conditions, and what you’re most excited about, but the places below capture the heart of the experience.
Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower is one of those places that feels even bigger in person. We give you time to see it from more than one viewpoint and to photograph it. Along the way, we share the geology that formed it, what makes it so rare, and the human stories connected to this landscape, all in a way that adds meaning without turning the visit into a lecture.
Spearfish Canyon is a completely different kind of beauty. Limestone cliffs rise above the creek, the forest closes in around you, and the canyon changes mood as light and weather shift. We take our time through the byway, using pullouts and viewpoints intentionally so you get the best angles, the best light, and the quiet moments that most people miss when they rush through.
Waterfalls of Spearfish Canyon
The waterfalls are a highlight for a reason. When conditions allow, we spend time at Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls, and Roughlock Falls, with short walks and viewing areas that keep things comfortable. Each waterfall has its own character, and we pace this portion so it feels like a set of meaningful stops, not a quick hop out of the vehicle and back in.
Historic Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is the Old West stop on this tour, and it’s a fun change of pace after a morning of rock towers and waterfalls. We get there mid-afternoon and spend about an hour in town, starting with a walk down Main Street that’s included in your tour. Staying in Deadwood? We can pick you up there at no extra cost.
The whole town is a National Historic Landmark, and it wears its history openly. Wild Bill Hickok was shot here on August 2, 1876, while playing poker, holding the black aces and eights that became known as the dead man’s hand. He and Calamity Jane are buried up the hill at Mount Moriah Cemetery.
Your hour in Deadwood includes:
Main Street walk (included): brick storefronts, saloons and the spot tied to Wild Bill’s last game, with your guide sharing the stories.
Trolley tickets or the Adams Museum (your choice, included): ride the trolley around town, or step into the oldest history museum in the Black Hills, home to the Thoen Stone and a gold nugget found by Potato Creek Johnny.
Want more time in town? Read our article on things to do in Deadwood for ideas before your trip.
Backroads, Small Towns, and Stagecoach-Era Stops
We often leave the main highway for backroads through open countryside, ranch land and small historic towns, with stagecoach era stops along the way when they fit your day. These quieter routes show you a side of the region most visitors never see.
Scenic Overlooks and Photo Stops
Throughout the day, we make room for the moments that don’t show up on a brochure. A shifting cloud layer, a canyon view that opens up unexpectedly, wildlife near the roadside, or a stretch of quiet landscape that deserves a few minutes. We build in time for photos and observation so the tour feels personal, not rushed, and you leave with memories that look and feel like your own day in the Hills.
Wildlife and a Living Landscape
This day also moves through living habitat. As we travel the backroads and canyon corridors between stops, we’re passing through grasslands, forest edges, creek bottoms, and open ranch country where wildlife lives year-round.
Sightings always happen on nature’s terms, but it’s common to see deer, wild turkeys, hawks and other raptors, and a wide range of songbirds. Depending on season and timing, we may also spot pronghorn or other animals along the way.
Spearfish Canyon adds another layer, with cool shaded creek habitat, limestone cliffs, and pockets of lush vegetation that feel completely different from the open country outside the canyon. You’ll notice how the landscape changes quickly as elevation, water, and rock type shift, and how that shapes what grows and what lives here.
We don’t treat wildlife like a checklist. We watch carefully, keep a respectful distance, and use the moments that appear naturally. For guests who enjoy photography, some of the best surprises happen between the headline stops.
Scenic Drives That Shape the Experience
On our Devils Tower and Spearfish Adventure tour, the drive is part of the experience, not just how we get from one stop to the next. We use scenic highways and quieter backroads to move through ranch land, forested valleys, and canyon corridors, choosing routes that feel beautiful and calm instead of busy and rushed.
In Spearfish Canyon, the scenery becomes the storyline. Limestone walls rise above the creek, the forest tightens around the road, and the light changes constantly as you move through the canyon. We use pullouts and viewpoints intentionally, so you get the best angles, the best light, and the kind of stops that make the day feel spacious and memorable.
What's Included
Private guiding for your group only with flexible pacing and a calm, unhurried flow
Pickup and drop off in Rapid City and nearby areas
All park admissions included, including entry to Devils Tower National Monument
A nature first itinerary focused on the Northern Black Hills and Wyoming, with Devils Tower and Spearfish Canyon as the anchors of the day
Flexible stops for viewpoints, photos, short walks, and backroad pullouts whenever something is worth your time
Time at Devils Tower to see and photograph the Tower, with your guide’s stories about its geology and history
Spearfish Canyon waterfall viewing when conditions allow, including stops like Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls, and Roughlock Falls
Bottled water, soda, and light snacks throughout the day
Professional quality photos included when possible, shared after the tour
What’s Not Included
• Meals not specified above • Tipping is part of how your guide is paid, so if they gave you a good day, a tip is expected rather than a bonus • Personal expenses or souvenirs
This tour is designed as a full day, typically about 10 hours. We use a standard 8:30 AM pickup, but we’ll call you ahead of time to fine-tune the start time around summer crowd patterns at Devils Tower.
If we arrive between about 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, there can be a line of vehicles to enter and park, and that wait can reach an hour at peak times. To avoid that, we often adjust to either a 7:00 AM pickup so we visit Devils Tower first, or an 11:00 AM pickup so we visit later in the day after most visitors have cleared out. We’ll talk it through with you and choose the option that creates the smoothest day.
If you’d like to extend your time to see more of the Black Hills or Badlands we’re happy to arrange this. Please call for details.
Optional Picnic-Style Meal
If you’d like, we can add a simple picnic-style lunch for $20 per person, and we highly recommend it. It saves a surprising amount of time, keeps the day flowing, and lets you eat in a beautiful setting instead of spending a big chunk of your tour waiting at a restaurant. We’ll confirm dietary needs when we call to finalize timing.
What to Bring
Weather can shift quickly between open country, higher elevations, and shaded canyon corridors. Dress in comfortable layers and plan for sun, wind, and cooler temperatures near the creek in Spearfish Canyon. The goal is simple: stay comfortable so the day feels calm and easy.
A warm layer, even in summer (a light jacket or fleece goes a long way)
Closed toe shoes for short walks and uneven ground
Any medications you rely on during the day
Your camera or phone, plus a portable charger if you use it for photos
Sunglasses
A reusable water bottle
If you’re unsure about conditions on the day of your tour, we’re always happy to offer guidance ahead of time. The goal isn’t to be over-prepared, but to feel comfortable and at ease as the day unfolds. Are you unsure which private tour is the best fit? Check out our guide to the best private tours in Rapid City to help you choose.
FAQ: Devils Tower & Spearfish Canyon Adventure
This combined adventure pairs the rugged wonder of Devils Tower with the lush scenic drive of Spearfish Canyon. These answers focus on what to expect, how the day flows, and how to make the most of both landscapes without rushing or missing the highlights.
Do we need tickets for Devils Tower?
You don’t need tickets on this tour, because your entry to Devils Tower National Monument is included and there’s nothing to buy at the gate.
Why visit Devils Tower and Spearfish Canyon on the same day?
They contrast beautifully, because Devils Tower’s striking monolith pairs with Spearfish Canyon’s waterfalls, cliffs and forested drive, so you get two very different landscapes in one trip.
How long is the driving portion between the two areas?
Rapid City to Devils Tower is about 1 hour 45 minutes with stops along the way, and Devils Tower to Spearfish is about 1 hour. The drive is scenic, with pullouts for photos. It isn’t highway speed the whole way, and the scenery itself becomes part of the experience.
What do we do at Devils Tower?
We spend time at the Tower, see it from more than one viewpoint, and leave room to photograph it. Your guide shares the geology behind it and the stories connected to it, and we take our time instead of rushing to the next stop.
Can we spend as much time as we want at each stop?
Yes, the itinerary builds in flexibility so you can linger at your favorite spots, take photos, and soak in viewpoints without feeling rushed.
Is this adventure good for families?
Yes, especially for families who enjoy scenic drives, easy walks, and varied terrain rather than long hikes or strenuous activity.
Are there opportunities to see wildlife on this day?
Yes, deer, turkeys and occasionally elk can appear along the routes, particularly in quieter morning or late afternoon windows, and you may see bison on privately owned land near the tower, but nobody can promise a sighting.
Do we stop for food along the way?
There are convenient spots for lunch and snacks, or you can add our picnic-style lunch for $20 per person and eat with a view in the canyon or near the tower.
What if the weather changes during the day?
Weather can shift from sun to wind or cloud quickly. Layered clothing and a flexible pace help you stay comfortable regardless of changing conditions.
Do you stop in Deadwood on the Devils Tower tour?
Yes. Deadwood is a stop on this tour, mid-afternoon, for about an hour. A walk down Main Street is included, plus your choice of trolley tickets or admission to the Adams Museum.
Can you pick us up in Deadwood?
Yes. We can pick you up in Deadwood at no extra cost. When we start your tour in Deadwood, the route skips the stop in Nemo.
Can we see a Main Street shootout in Deadwood?
Free shootout reenactments run three times a day, Monday through Saturday, from mid-May to mid-September. Your Deadwood stop is mid-afternoon, so ask your guide if one lines up with your visit.
Price
Two guests pay from $1,011.50 plus tax and fees on tour dates Jan 1 to Mar 15, 2027. Other dates cost more, so two guests pay up to $1,369 from Jun 15 to Sep 30, 2027. Each added guest is from $297.50, and a group can have up to five guests. You see the exact price for your group and date before you pay. The day runs about 10 hours, entry fees are included, and a picnic-style lunch can be added for $20 per person.
Every departure is private to your group, with pickup from your Rapid City area lodging. My XO Adventures is rated 5.0 out of 5 on Google by 657 travelers.
Who is taking you
Your guide will be one of the named, certified guides on our Meet Your Guides page, and if you want to know which one leads your date, ask us before you book and we will answer with a name.
Availability and Booking
Pick a date and see real-time availability. Please take note that we’ll call after your booking to adjust pickup times if necessary.
Book Your Devils Tower And Spearfish Canyon Adventure
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Experience Devils Tower and Spearfish Canyon at Their Best
This tour is designed for guests who want more than a quick stop or a rushed checklist. We build the day around real time at Devils Tower and in Spearfish Canyon, with the flexibility to pause at overlooks, take photos, and enjoy the waterfalls when conditions allow. The experience is private, nature first, and guided with context so what you’re seeing makes sense, not just looks beautiful.
If a full day of wide open scenery, limestone cliffs, canyon creek views, and one of the most iconic landmarks in the country sounds like your kind of adventure, we’d love to guide you through it.
Don't just take our word for it.
See what our clients have to say.
Our clients love experiencing the best tours with us.
Catherine Samatas★★★★★2 months ago
I can’t recommend this company and its wonderful guides enough. The experience from beginning to end was seamless and stress free. Having never been to this part of the country, we booked back to back days to make sure we got the chance to really see/experience all that this beautiful land had to offer and to learn more about the Lakota. The tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and fun! If you’re lucky enough to get a Dan - there are two and we had both, you’ll have an amazing tour. The tour was not a scripted presentation - it was a thoughtful, customized and engaging experience that exceeded our expectations! Dan brought in a Native American educator named Jake who joined us for the trip and shared with us his perspective. Don’t think twice about booking with My XO Adventures, an awesome adventure awaits you!
Sue Lightner★★★★★2 weeks ago
We spent two days touring with Daniel and learning so much about the beauty and diversity of South Dakota. He has so much knowledge. We have done tours all over the world and Daniel is perhaps the most knowledgable and entertaining guide we’ve ever had. We think if you want to really experience South Dakota, give XO Adventures a call!
Ami Cadugan★★★★★2 months ago
My husband and I just took a My XO Adventures Badlands “sunset and golden hour” photo tour from Retired Dan. It was phenomenal - and highly recommended! He picked us up a bit before 3:00 p.m. and whisked us off to Badlands National Park. Along the way he gave us some history about the development of the Rapid City area, and how it’s connected to this land. The photos started once we entered the park, with some prairie dogs and cattle. We quickly started shooting the stunning geography. Then we became the subjects as well! Dan challenged us to climb to “just to right spots” to get some spectacular shots. As the sun started setting and the “golden hour” arrived, we were treated to a real show by Mother Nature. Once the stars came out, Dan gave us some astronomy lessons - and helped us capture some great shots of the Milky Way. Along the way, Dan made sure to stop for bio breaks, ensured we had snacks, and were well hydrated (it’s super-dry here). We also stopped for dinner (everyone packs their own) after witnessing the glorious sunset. We cannot recommend this experience enough!
Laura Landis★★★★★a month ago
My husband and I think this is the BEST way to experience the National Parks like Rushmore and the Black Hills. A private tour with our guide, Logan, driving so that we could both take in the scenic views and learn the history/ background of the park. I did not know that Iron Mtn road was created to show us multiple views of Rushmore on our way.. and the reason homesteaders thought the hills were black ! Multiple stops, hikes, lunch, private places to enjoy the wonder! Logan was very knowledgeable, (biology, history, animal sighting) and made the day fun and enjoyable!!! Highly recommend!!
Amy A★★★★★4 months ago
An unparalleled experience for wildlife professionals and enthusiasts alike!
My son and I, both biologists, recently joined Logan for the Wildlife Biologist’s Field Expedition in the Badlands and outer prairie lands of South Dakota. To put it simply, we had an amazing time.
This tour is truly one-of-a-kind; it is the only one in the region that provides such deep access to both the Badlands and the surrounding prairie ecosystems. What really set this experience apart was how Logan customized the entire day to match our specific interests. It was immediately evident that Logan isn’t just a guide—he has genuine, extensive field experience in tracking and working with wildlife, and his knowledge of both biology and local history is top-notch.
The logistics were perfect. We traveled comfortably in his roomy, air-conditioned van, which allowed us to navigate between optimal wildlife viewing locations with ease. He even provided extra sets of high-quality binoculars, which were a great touch. Throughout the trip, he took professional-grade photos of the wildlife and shared them with us, providing a fantastic memento of the day.
We had incredible sightings, including prairie dogs, burrowing owls, bison, a bald eagle, several pronghorns, and mule deer. If you are a wildlife enthusiast looking for a professional, expert-led expedition, I cannot recommend Logan’s tour enough.
