The D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery is one of Spearfish's best small sights: part working hatchery, part museum, part creekside park. Trout ponds, old stone-and-wood buildings, and the fisheries archive make it more engaging than most visitors expect.
It is an easy walk from downtown and works well for families, history-minded travelers, or anyone who wants a gentle hour before heading into the canyon. The grounds are prettiest when Spearfish Creek is running clear and the cottonwoods have leafed out.