The Black Hills from Sheridan, Wyoming
The Black Hills begin about 2 hours east of Sheridan on I-90. Closest in: Spearfish Canyon's roadside waterfalls and Deadwood's Wild West streets, both easy day trips. Push deeper for Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse as an overnight loop — with the Vore Buffalo Jump worth the stop en route.
Spearfish Canyon & WaterfallsSD
~120 mi · ~2 hr
A jaw-dropping limestone canyon with roadside waterfalls (Bridal Veil, Roughlock) and blazing fall color — the prettiest 2-hour drive to a day trip you can make east of here. Easy stops the whole family can do.
Chase waterfalls in the Black Hills and be home for dinner.
DeadwoodSD
~150 mi · ~2.5 hr
The Wild West town of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane — gold-rush history, saloons, and gaming, only 2.5 hours east. An easy add-on to a Devils Tower or Spearfish day.
Wild West by day, back to the quiet of the Bighorns by night.
Custer State ParkSD
~230 mi · ~3.75 hr
71,000 acres of granite spires, the famous Wildlife Loop with free-roaming bison, and the white-knuckle Needles Highway. The best of the Black Hills in one park — anchor an overnight around it.
The Black Hills wildlife loop, from a Wyo Stays basecamp.
Mount Rushmore National MemorialSD
~250 mi · ~4 hr
The face of America, ~4 hours east through the Black Hills. Sheridan is almost exactly halfway between Rushmore and Yellowstone — which is the whole point: do both from one Wyoming basecamp. Best as an overnight loop with Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, and Deadwood; doable as a very long day for the determined.
Rushmore one direction, Yellowstone the other — Sheridan is the hinge of the Great American West road trip.
Crazy Horse MemorialSD
~255 mi · ~4.25 hr
The largest mountain carving in the world, still in progress, honoring Lakota leader Crazy Horse. Pairs naturally with Mount Rushmore on a Black Hills overnight from Sheridan.
Add it to a Black Hills loop out of your Sheridan basecamp.
BeulahWY
~130 mi · ~2 hr (I-90 E toward the Black Hills)
Wyoming's easternmost town and the gateway to the Black Hills — home of the Vore Buffalo Jump, a natural sinkhole where tribes drove bison from ~1500–1800 A.D., holding the bones of an estimated 20,000 buffalo. The Buffalo Jump Saloon serves grass-fed bison, and Sand Creek is a blue-ribbon trout fishery. The perfect break on the run to Devils Tower, Spearfish, or Mount Rushmore.
On the road to the Black Hills? Start from Sheridan and hit Devils Tower + the Vore Jump on the way.
Good to know
How far is Spearfish Canyon & Waterfalls from Sheridan, Wyoming?
The Black Hills begin about 2 hours east of Sheridan on I-90. Closest in: Spearfish Canyon's roadside waterfalls and Deadwood's Wild West streets, both easy day trips. Push deeper for Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse as an overnight loop — with the Vore Buffalo Jump worth the stop en route.
Where should I stay for a Spearfish Canyon & Waterfalls trip?
Base in Sheridan or the Bighorn foothills with Wyo Stays — a licensed Wyoming brokerage with vacation rentals across Sheridan and Johnson County. Booking direct saves 16–20% versus Airbnb and VRBO, and every stay includes the concierge map with drive-times from your door.
Make Sheridan the basecamp
Day-trip out, come home to the quiet side of the mountains. Plan the whole day on the concierge map with drive-times from your actual front door.