“ We have a lot of those older recipes,” Kayla said.“ Everything we do – absolutely everything we do – is homemade, from sauces to desserts.” Just reading their menu is enough to make the mouth water, from their traditional Biscuits and Gravy or their Canyon Dip( sliced prime rib with Swiss cheese), to their variety of trout recipes, such as their Blackened Trout sandwich to their famous Trout Almondine, to their sirloins and ribeyes, grilled walleye and, of course, chislic, a South Dakota tradition. All their beef and bison is locally sourced, for a real South Dakota experience.
“ Trout is really popular for breakfast lunch and dinner,” Kayla said.“ We have bison stew that is really popular. We like to focus on a lot of the local foods and long-time recipes.”
The Latchstring is also able to host events in their Glendoris Room, and they have become known for their seasonal and holiday brunches, to which they see many return guests.
“ We host some really popular brunches,” Kayla noted.“ We’ ve got Thanksgiving, Easter, and Mother’ s Day, and we are adding on a Father’ s Day buffet this year as well.” Watch their schedule as well for some special dinner pairings with local brewers and other dinner events that are still in the works for this year.
And last but certainly not least, don’ t forget the Puppy Patio – The Lodge and the Latchstring are both extremely pet friendly, and the Latchstring has an outdoor dining area for those who have their pets with them, whether they brought their furry friend on a day hike or are spending the weekend at the Lodge. Their Puppy Patio menu offers three choices of dishes for your canine companion: beef and chicken patties, or an ice cream Milk Bone cup. What more could you need?
The possible itineraries are endless, whether you’ re planning a relaxed retreat or a full-throttle adventure.
“ For the adventures,” Kayla said,“ one day you can go fly fishing, the next day you could take a Slingshot through Custer State
Park to Mt. Rushmore. The next day you could rent one of our UTVs. We’ ve got the bar on site. It is just a nice cozy place to unwind and relax. You can walk right out your hotel room and enjoy two really nice waterfalls.”
Tumble out your door in the morning, grab a bird book and a pair of binoculars, and take a short walk to the Savoy Ponds, or Spearfish Falls, right below the Latchstring Inn. A little longer of an excursion could bring you to the iconic Roughlock Falls, with well-maintained walking trails to take you to the base of the falls, and enjoy a picnic lunch at one of their picnic tables along the creek, with plenty of shallow spots to dabble your feet. Their UTVs are brand new every year.“ Top-of-the-line Polaris units, Generals, Razors, the new Expeditions,” Kayla said.“ We’ ve got 2-, 4-, and 6-seaters, that can be rented multiple days, including overnights. There is a liability and damage waiver, which is huge. It is nice to know you have that extra protection in case something happens. There are thousands of trails throughout the Black Hills for snowmobiles and UTVs. It is just a fun family adventure that is really popular while on vacation.”
The multi-day rentals are geared toward folks who want to spend some extended time on the trail, and take advantage of the camping opportunities available in and around Spearfish Canyon, or even the cabins up at Terry Peak, and they also offer snowmobile rentals for wintertime adventures, snowshoe rentals, and fat tire bikes.
“ We are on track to have a busy season,” Kayla said confidently.“ We see people from everywhere – A lot of the surrounding states of course love to come to the Hills. People are looking to get their families out and enjoy the outdoors.”
Check out their website at www. spfcanyon. com, for information on lodging, rentals, the Latchstring Inn Restaurant and menus, and for ideas to help you plan your next adventure!
58 Black Hills Adventure Guide 2025