Lee and Karen Duquette,
The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
learned about The Legend of Jesse James
at Devil's Gulch Park
Garretson, South Dakota
September 5, 2016

USA map showing location of South DakotaSouth Dakota map showing location of Garretson SD

Devil's Gulch: Jesse James' Big Jump In 1876, Jesse James robbed the bank in Northfield, Minnesota. Jesse and his brother headed west toward Dakota Territory. They then went separate ways, trying to shake the posse. 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. There is now a foot bridge at Devil's Gulch, spanning the chasm that Jesse James jumped over during a pursuit. Fact or Fable? Either way, Devil's Gulch is an amazing geological curiosity in southeastern South Dakota.
bulletin board about the Legend of Jesse James
Devils Gulch sign dam

Below: A dam at the beginning of the trail
dam at the beginning of the trail dam at the beginning of the trail

Below: (The photo below is by SD Tourism because Karen Duquette could not get an angle like this). Unlike Jesse James, modern visitors do not have to worry about the 70-foot-drop at Devil's Gulch, nor jump over a 15-foot wide opening, thanks to an iron footbridge.

70-foot-drop at Devil's Gulch

Below: Lee and Karen Duquette walked over the iron footbridge mentioned and shown in the above photo.
Lee Duquette on the iron footbridge Karen Duquette on the iron footbridge
looking down through the iron footbridge

Below: View from each side of the footbridge
View from one side of the footbridge View from one side of the footbridge

Below; After crossing the footbridge there were a few steps down and Lee and Karen Duquette did not know which way to turn, so Lee Duquette led off to the right.
Lee Duquette on the stairs woods at Devils Gulch

Below: The Visitor Center was not open on this date, so Lee and Karen Duquette did not have a trail map and several times they found it difficult to know which way to go. It was a hot day and the mosquitoes were out in full-force and even though the two RV Gypsies had sprayed. So they decided not to stay in the woods for very long.
muddy looking water a small wooden bridge
Lee Duquette on a hill at Devils Gulch Karen Duquette in the grass at Devils Gulch

Below: Devils Gulch Falls drops 20 feet. Water Source: Split Rock River
sign: Devils Gulch Falls Devils Gulch Falls
Devils Gulch Falls Devils Gulch Falls

Below: The falls as seen through a bridge and the stream on the other side of the bridge
another iron bridge the stream
woods at Devils Gulch

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