Tuesday marked the first full day of autumn.  Many people will spend time over the next month searching for the best fall colors as trees begin to turn and drop their leaves. You won’t have to go far to find one of the best fall foliage sites in the nation.

From the yellow-leaved trees scaling the cliffs to the red bushes at the banks of the rushing waters, Spearfish Canyon is some of Mother Nature’s best work.

“Breathtaking. It’s beautiful, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Sandy Caulfield of Florida said.

“Oh I love it. It’s the best place in the United States, as far as I’m concerned,” Clara Ness of Spearfish said.

Officials with Forbes Magazine agree; they’ve named the Canyon as one of the top fifteen places to watch the colors change in the fall.  Caulfield made the trip from Florida to do so.

“I’ve never seen the color changes before so this is the first time for that.  It’s gorgeous,” Caulfield said.

Even those who’ve seen it many times still say it’s the best place in the region to take in the fall beauty.  Ness lives in Spearfish, but makes the trip out of town as often as possible.

“Very much so. Roughlock Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls, they’re it,” Ness said.

While it’s gaining notoriety for its fall colors, people who visit the Canyon regularly say it’s beautiful during every season.

“When it snows, when it’s spring, in the summertime, in the fall. All seasons,” Ness said.

A breathtaking view of the Black Hills no matter the weather.

Another Black Hills drive has also been added to the Forbes list.  The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway is noted for its fall colors as well.