Devil's Gulch is an amazing geological curiosity in southeastern South Dakota. You'll find it not far from the Minnesota border, and just seven miles north of Interstate 90. Work your way into the town of Garretson, and simply follow the signs out along 5th Street. The park containing Devil's Gulch lies on the outskirts.

The Outlaw's Big Jump

I don't know how much of what follows is really fact, but here's the story as it's been told for ages. In 1876 Jesse James robbed the bank in Northfield, Minnesota, in which two of his partners were killed. Fleeing town, the gang split up, with Jesse and his brother Frank heading west toward Dakota Territory. When the two got to this neighborhood, they went separate ways, trying to shake the posse that was still hot in pursuit. At some point the lawmen were literally right on the heels of Jesse, as he and his horse stood on the precipice of a dizzyingly high bluff; this was Devil's Gulch. A fifteen foot gash in the rocks separated him from the other side and freedom. Supposedly he spurred on his horse and actually leapt across the canyon, evading the posse and eventually linking up with brother Frank in the Palisades State Park area not far away. Some accounts indicate that a bullet fatally struck his horse during the leap.

It's quite story. But there are so many legends concerning the James Gang, it's hard to tell how much is fact and how much embellishment. I don't want to be a scrooge, so let's all assume it really happened as I proceed to describe Devil's Gulch here.

Devil's Gulch and the surrounding terrain is today a municipal park, owned by the town of Garretson. As the billboards proclaim, this truly is one of South Dakota's best kept secrets! I've run into very few people who have heard of it, and yet I feel it has every bit the charisma of a state or even national park. You really need to put this on your itinerary, for even if you're not a believer in the legend I think you'll be awestruck by the beauty of the rock formations.

The picture to the left shows just one of the many impressive palisades making up the terrain. (Click the thumbnail to enlarge it to full size.) You'll notice the reddish tint of the rocks and even the water. This tiny part of the Great Plains is unique in that the predominant bedrock is Sioux quartzite, an incredibly old and incredibly hard stone. Red is its color, and the particles within it sparkle like Queen Elizabeth's crown jewels. When green, yellow and blue lichens grow on it, the show is outstanding.

The water you see below runs incredibly deep. People taking plumb line readings years ago supposedly gave up after feeding out 600 feet of line! A hidden spring feeds the rushing water, which eventually works its way to the Split Rock River nearby. Be sure to follow the link, below, to Garretson's other attraction, Split Rock Park, which lies on this interesting stream.

By the way, as you tour some of the towns in this area, you'll notice that a number of dams, bridges and buildings are constructed of Sioux quartzite; the distinctive red tinge is the giveaway. For example, check out the county courthouse in Luverne, Minnesota, just across the border; they don't build 'em like that anymore!

Exploring the Park

Fortunately, Devil's Gulch has been preserved as a municipal park — a big thank-you to Garretson for that. You're free to tour the site on your own during the months of May to October, or can arrange for guided tours. See some of the links at the bottom of this page.

When you pull into the parking lot, the first thing you'll notice is the Log Cabin Visitor Center. This was sponsored by a chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was built by volunteers. Inside are all sorts of interesting artifacts and photographs on display. And there's a neat gift shop as well; I picked up several mementoes here. You might ask if they still have the walking tour guide available. Put out on newsprint, at one time this was free. It's interpretive in nature and covers some 10 stops along the trail. The walking tour takes about an hour. (Or if you're like us and stop all the time to key out a new grass, flower or butterfly, perhaps three hours.)

When you're done in the Log Cabin Visitor Center, head out to the parking lot again and look for the trail head. There's a large placard there explaining what you'll see as you walk.

I hope you're not acrophobic, for one of the very first features you'll come across as you start hiking is the infamous leap site. But unlike Jesse, you can now walk across the chasm; there's a steel bridge in place there. But even with something as solid as this underfoot, looking down the canyon can really bring on vertigo! This is a good place to pull out the camera.

As you amble further along the trail, you'll be treated to some wonderful water shows, like the one to the right. If you look carefully, you might notice Marie perched on a rocky ledge near the top. This photo is from a later trip, in 1998, and the falls were really gushing. I suppose that drought years might slow them down a bit from time to time, though.

Actually, the enormity of the palisades (both vertically and horizontally) makes picture taking a challenge. It's hard to capture the grandeur of it all, so perhaps you're better off simply sitting and soaking in the view from time to time, letting memory be your scrapbook. There are a number of excellent spots up high from where you take in the panoramic expanse.

Other stops along the trail here include the Cedar Observation Point, Bottom Observation Point (you can enjoy the Gulch from above and below), the Devil's Stairway, the Devil's Kitchen and more. It's really a very nice walking tour, and quite worthy of packing in a sack lunch for a prolonged sit-down somewhere on the way.

I've been dwelling on the geology for most of this description, but I'd really be remiss if I didn't say something about the plant life here. I've come to Devil's Gulch a couple times now and have always been impressed with the varied species of grasses and flowers; the prickly pear cactus that grows on the rock tops is especially attractive and makes you feel like you're truly getting out west. Another neat feature is the eastern redcedar that grows in the most precarious of places, often clutching the quartzite with exposed roots looking like the sinewy hand of an old witch. This is the only evergreen native to Devil's Gulch. But as the pictures above show, there's actually quite a bit of other summer greenery growing in the park.

Finally, when planning a trip here keep in mind that there are a number of other attractions in the area, including Split Rock Park in downtown Garretson (free camping!) and Palisades State Park. Just across the border, in Minnesota, you'll find Split Rock Creek State Park (similar name, different place) and Pipestone National Monument all within a short driving distance. Back in 1998 we put together a nine day excursion to this neck of the woods, seeing all of these and throwing in Blue Mound State Park and a bit of Nebraska to boot.

• Federal
  • Daughters of the American Revolution
  
  
• State
  • Blue Mounds State Park, Minnesota
  • Minnesota State Parks
  • South Dakota State Parks Homepage
  • Split Rock Creek State Park, Minnesota
  
  
• Municipal
  • City of Luverne, Minnesota
  • City of Northfield, Minnesota
  • Split Rock Park, Garretson
  
  
• Other Interesting Sites
  • About Quartzite
  • Eastern Redcedar
  • Jesse James
  • Prickly Pear Cactus