The Story
Roughlock Falls sits in Little Spearfish Canyon, near the old sawmill hamlet of Savoy, reached by an easy one-mile trail. The name comes from "roughlocking" — chaining wagon wheels so they wouldn't spin freely on the steep grade nearby. The surrounding hills held mining and logging camps now used as hiking destinations, and the falls area is one of the few reliable Black Hills spots to see the American dipper, a songbird that forages underwater.
Surprising Facts
→ The name comes from a wagon-braking technique ("roughlocking"), not a person or Native name.
→ It sits in a side canyon (Little Spearfish), not the main canyon that carries the highway.
→ It's one of the few places in the Black Hills to reliably spot the underwater-foraging American dipper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Roughlock Falls?
Roughlock Falls is at Roughlock Falls Rd, Little Spearfish Canyon, Savoy, SD. Explore it on the When It Was interactive map.
Can you still visit Roughlock Falls?
Yes — the site at Roughlock Falls Rd, Little Spearfish Canyon, Savoy, SD still stands and remains in use today.