Devils Falls
Worth a detour
Is it plungeworthy?
A cascade.
The details
- Type
- Cascade
- Coordinates
- 43.72182, -96.49816
About Devils Falls
Devils Falls is a 20-foot cascade in South Dakota.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Devils Falls 5.6/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
A real two-tier waterfall of roughly 15 feet inside Devils Gulch — an 18-foot-wide slot canyon of 1.6-billion-year-old rose quartzite just outside Garretson. (Our database said 20 feet; the World Waterfall Database's read of the lidar says 10 to 15. Nobody has field-surveyed it — treat both as estimates.)
The gulch's claim to fame is the legend that Jesse James jumped it on horseback in 1876 while fleeing a posse after the Northfield raid. A wire-grate footbridge marks the jump site, and a separate crossbridge was built specifically to view the falls.
The stream is a spring-fed branch of Split Rock Creek. Don't confuse this with the small dam spillway at Split Rock Park a half-mile away — same park complex, different feature.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Devil's Gulch Park lot, Garretson — visitors center at the entrance
- Parking
- Park lot
- Road
- City streets to the park
- Hike
- 1 mi round trip (Easy-to-moderate loop, about 45 minutes — rocky, uneven footing and a stone 'Devils Stairway' descent to water level)
- Heads up
- The Devil's Falls Crossbridge gives the close-up view; the Jesse James Jump footbridge is a separate crossing on the same short loop.
When to go
Best after snowmelt or heavy rain — the spring-fed flow visibly strengthens with precipitation.
Open year-round; April through October is the commonly cited window.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- Free — City of Garretson municipal park
- Dogs
- Leashed dogs welcome; clean up required
- Hours
- 7:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Camping
- None at the gulch — Split Rock Park's seasonal campground (May-Oct) is nearby
- Warnings
- Stone paths turn slippery after rain — real shoes, not sandals.
Researched from World Waterfall Database — Devils Falls · Daytripper28 — Hiking Devil's Gulch in Garretson · Our Downsized Life — Devil's Gulch and Split Rock Park · Garretson Gazette — The Devils Gulch. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Devils Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Devils Falls doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
How tall is Devils Falls?
Devils Falls drops about 20 feet, in South Dakota.
Where is Devils Falls?
Devils Falls is a cascade in South Dakota, at 43.72182, -96.49816.
Is Devils Falls worth visiting?
Worth a detour — Plungeworthy rates it 5.6/10.
Gear for the trip
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