French Creek (Cheyenne River tributary)

French Creek
Location of French Creek
Location
States	South Dakota
Physical characteristics
Source	confluence of North Fork French Creek and South Fork French Creek
• location	Black Hills
• coordinates	43°46′51″N 103°43′12″W / 43.780951°N 103.720116°W / 43.780951; -103.720116
Mouth	Cheyenne River
• location	Red Shirt, South Dakota
• coordinates	43°38′45″N 102°55′20″W / 43.645777°N 102.922106°W / 43.645777; -102.922106
Length	62 mi (100 km)

French Creek^[1] is an intermittent stream located in the Black Hills region of western South Dakota, United States. It is a tributary of the Cheyenne River. French Creek flows year-round, but in drier periods it flows into an underground drainage near the eastern boundary of Custer State Park and never reaches the Cheyenne.

French Creek rises approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Custer, South Dakota and extends for a length of 62 miles (100 km). The river flows in a generally eastward direction through Custer State Park and empties into the Cheyenne River near Red Shirt west of Badlands National Park. Custer State Park has a trail in French Creek Natural Area^[2] and a horse camp, both along the river.^[3] Near the river's eastern terminus on the prairie, French Creek Camping Area is part of a National Forest.^[4]

French Creek most likely was named for the ancestry of early trappers.^[5] Gold was discovered in French Creek during an expedition led by George Armstrong Custer in 1874. This discovery triggered the Black Hills gold rush of the late 1870s.