diff --git a/multibody/parsing/BUILD.bazel b/multibody/parsing/BUILD.bazel
index 35d046035773..b497bfe82ddb 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/multibody/parsing/BUILD.bazel
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ drake_cc_library(
     ],
     deps = [
         "//common",
-        "@spruce",
         "@tinydir",
         "@tinyxml2",
     ],
@@ -80,7 +79,6 @@ drake_cc_library(
         "//math:geometric_transform",
         "//multibody/plant:coulomb_friction",
         "@sdformat",
-        "@spruce",
         "@tinyxml2",
     ],
 )
@@ -165,6 +163,7 @@ drake_cc_library(
     deps = [
         ":detail_sdf_parser",
         ":detail_urdf_parser",
+        "//common:filesystem",
     ],
 )
 
@@ -220,6 +219,7 @@ drake_cc_googletest(
     ],
     deps = [
         ":parser",
+        "//common:filesystem",
         "//common:find_resource",
         "//common/test_utilities",
     ],
@@ -234,9 +234,9 @@ drake_cc_googletest(
     ],
     deps = [
         ":detail_sdf_parser",
+        "//common:filesystem",
         "//common:find_resource",
         "//common/test_utilities",
-        "@spruce",
     ],
 )
 
@@ -250,11 +250,11 @@ drake_cc_googletest(
     ],
     deps = [
         ":detail_urdf_parser",
+        "//common:filesystem",
         "//common:find_resource",
         "//common/test_utilities",
         "//multibody/benchmarks/acrobot",
         "//multibody/benchmarks/acrobot:make_acrobot_plant",
-        "@spruce",
     ],
 )
 
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ drake_cc_googletest(
     ],
     deps = [
         ":package_map",
+        "//common:filesystem",
         "//common:find_resource",
     ],
 )
@@ -298,6 +299,7 @@ drake_cc_googletest(
     ],
     deps = [
         ":detail_misc",
+        "//common:filesystem",
         "//common/test_utilities",
     ],
 )
diff --git a/multibody/parsing/detail_path_utils.cc b/multibody/parsing/detail_path_utils.cc
index 8084cd2f33e9..e92952d41376 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/detail_path_utils.cc
+++ b/multibody/parsing/detail_path_utils.cc
@@ -4,10 +4,9 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
-#include <spruce.hh>
-
 #include "drake/common/drake_assert.h"
 #include "drake/common/drake_optional.h"
+#include "drake/common/filesystem.h"
 #include "drake/common/never_destroyed.h"
 #include "drake/common/text_logging.h"
 
@@ -34,19 +33,16 @@ string GetFullPath(const string& file_name) {
   if (IsAbsolutePath(result)) {
     // The specified file is already an absolute path. The following code
     // verifies that the file exists.
-    spruce::path path(file_name);
-    if (!path.isFile()) {
+    if (!filesystem::is_regular_file({file_name})) {
       throw std::runtime_error("drake::parsers::GetFullPath: ERROR: "
           "file_name \"" + file_name + "\" is not a file.");
     }
   } else {
     // The specified file is a relative path. The following code obtains the
     // full path and verifies that the file exists.
-    spruce::path path = spruce::dir::getcwd();
-    path.append(file_name);
-    if (path.isFile()) {
-      result = path.getStr();
-    } else {
+    result = (filesystem::current_path() /
+              filesystem::path(file_name)).lexically_normal().string();
+    if (!filesystem::is_regular_file({result})) {
       throw std::runtime_error("drake::parsers::GetFullPath: ERROR: "
           "file_name \"" + file_name + "\" is not a file or does not exist.");
     }
@@ -71,11 +67,11 @@ optional<string> GetPackagePath(
 
 string ResolveUri(const string& uri, const PackageMap& package_map,
                   const string& root_dir) {
-  spruce::path result;
+  filesystem::path result;
 
   // Parse the given URI into pieces.
   static const never_destroyed<std::regex> uri_matcher{
-    "^([a-z0-9+.-]+)://([^/]*)(/+.*)"
+    "^([a-z0-9+.-]+)://([^/]*)/+(.*)"
   };
   std::smatch match;
   if (std::regex_match(uri, match, uri_matcher.access())) {
@@ -83,15 +79,14 @@ string ResolveUri(const string& uri, const PackageMap& package_map,
     DRAKE_DEMAND(match.size() == 4);
     const auto& uri_scheme = match[1];
     const auto& uri_package = match[2];
-    const auto& uri_path = match[3];  // This includes the leading '/' (if any).
+    const auto& uri_path = match[3];
     if (uri_scheme == "file") {
-      result = uri_path.str();
+      result = "/" + uri_path.str();
     } else if ((uri_scheme == "model") || (uri_scheme == "package")) {
       optional<string> package_path =
           GetPackagePath(uri_package, package_map);
       if (!package_path) { return {}; }
-      result = spruce::path(*package_path);
-      result.append(uri_path.str());
+      result = filesystem::path(*package_path) / std::string(uri_path);
     } else {
       drake::log()->warn(
           "URI '{}' specifies an unsupported scheme; supported schemes are "
@@ -108,18 +103,16 @@ string ResolveUri(const string& uri, const PackageMap& package_map,
       result = root_dir;
       result.append(filename);
     } else {
-      result = spruce::dir::getcwd();
-      result.append(root_dir);
-      result.append(filename);
+      result = filesystem::current_path() / root_dir / filename;
     }
   }
 
-  if (!result.exists()) {
+  if (!filesystem::exists(result)) {
     drake::log()->warn("URI '{}' resolved to '{}' which could not be found.",
-                       uri, result.getStr());
+                       uri, result.string());
     return {};
   }
-  return result.getStr();
+  return result.string();
 }
 
 }  // namespace internal
diff --git a/multibody/parsing/package_map.cc b/multibody/parsing/package_map.cc
index 5938c5dee564..0134f4d4b5ad 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/package_map.cc
+++ b/multibody/parsing/package_map.cc
@@ -2,17 +2,19 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cstdlib>
+#include <iostream>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
-#include <spruce.hh>
 #include <tinydir.h>
 #include <tinyxml2.h>
 
 #include "drake/common/drake_assert.h"
+#include "drake/common/drake_optional.h"
 #include "drake/common/drake_path.h"
 #include "drake/common/drake_throw.h"
+#include "drake/common/filesystem.h"
 #include "drake/common/text_logging.h"
 
 namespace drake {
@@ -32,7 +34,7 @@ PackageMap::PackageMap() {}
 
 void PackageMap::Add(const string& package_name, const string& package_path) {
   DRAKE_THROW_UNLESS(map_.count(package_name) == 0);
-  if (!spruce::path(package_path).exists()) {
+  if (!filesystem::is_directory(package_path)) {
     throw std::runtime_error(
         "Could not add package://" + package_name + " to the search path "
         "because directory " + package_path + " does not exist");
@@ -68,18 +70,20 @@ void PackageMap::PopulateFromEnvironment(const string& environment_variable) {
 
 namespace {
 
-// Returns true if @p directory has a package.xml file.
-bool HasPackageXmlFile(const string& directory) {
+// Returns the package.xml file in the given directory, if any.
+optional<filesystem::path> GetPackageXmlFile(const string& directory) {
   DRAKE_DEMAND(!directory.empty());
-  spruce::path spruce_path(directory);
-  spruce_path.append("package.xml");
-  return spruce_path.exists();
+  filesystem::path filename = filesystem::path(directory) / "package.xml";
+  if (filesystem::is_regular_file(filename)) {
+    return filename;
+  }
+  return nullopt;
 }
 
 // Returns the parent directory of @p directory.
 string GetParentDirectory(const string& directory) {
   DRAKE_DEMAND(!directory.empty());
-  return spruce::path(directory).root();
+  return filesystem::path(directory).parent_path().string();
 }
 
 // Parses the package.xml file specified by package_xml_file. Finds and returns
@@ -141,10 +145,8 @@ void PackageMap::PopulateUpstreamToDrakeHelper(
   }
 
   // If there is a new package.xml file, then add it.
-  if (HasPackageXmlFile(directory)) {
-    spruce::path spruce_path(directory);
-    spruce_path.append("package.xml");
-    const string package_name = GetPackageName(spruce_path.getStr());
+  if (auto filename = GetPackageXmlFile(directory)) {
+    const string package_name = GetPackageName(filename->string());
     AddPackageIfNew(package_name, directory);
   }
 
@@ -157,8 +159,7 @@ void PackageMap::PopulateUpstreamToDrake(const string& model_file) {
   DRAKE_DEMAND(!model_file.empty());
 
   // Verify that the model_file names an URDF or SDF file.
-  spruce::path spruce_path(model_file);
-  string extension = spruce_path.extension();
+  string extension = filesystem::path(model_file).extension().string();
   std::transform(extension.begin(), extension.end(), extension.begin(),
                  ::tolower);
   if (extension != ".urdf" && extension != ".sdf") {
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ void PackageMap::PopulateUpstreamToDrake(const string& model_file) {
         "The file type '{}' is not supported for '{}'",
         extension, model_file));
   }
-  const string model_dir = spruce_path.root();
+  const string model_dir = filesystem::path(model_file).parent_path();
 
   // Bail out if the model file is not part of Drake.
   const optional<string> maybe_drake_path = MaybeGetDrakePath();
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ void PackageMap::PopulateUpstreamToDrake(const string& model_file) {
   }
 
   // Search the directory containing the model_file and "upstream".
-  PopulateUpstreamToDrakeHelper(spruce_path.root(), drake_path);
+  PopulateUpstreamToDrakeHelper(model_dir, drake_path);
 }
 
 void PackageMap::CrawlForPackages(const string& path) {
@@ -217,9 +218,9 @@ void PackageMap::CrawlForPackages(const string& path) {
         CrawlForPackages(file.path);
       } else if (file.name == target_filename) {
         const string package_name = GetPackageName(file.path);
-        spruce::path spruce_path(file.path);
-        const string package_path = spruce_path.root().append("/");
-        AddPackageIfNew(package_name, package_path);
+        const string package_path =
+            filesystem::path(file.path).parent_path().string();
+        AddPackageIfNew(package_name, package_path + "/");
       }
       tinydir_next(&dir);
     }
diff --git a/multibody/parsing/parser.cc b/multibody/parsing/parser.cc
index 42f63f98189d..114e6ee92570 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/parser.cc
+++ b/multibody/parsing/parser.cc
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include "drake/multibody/parsing/parser.h"
 
-#include <spruce.hh>
-
+#include "drake/common/filesystem.h"
 #include "drake/multibody/parsing/detail_sdf_parser.h"
 #include "drake/multibody/parsing/detail_urdf_parser.h"
 
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ Parser::Parser(
 namespace {
 enum class FileType { kSdf, kUrdf };
 FileType DetermineFileType(const std::string& file_name) {
-  const std::string ext = spruce::path(file_name).extension();
+  const std::string ext = filesystem::path(file_name).extension().string();
   if ((ext == ".urdf") || (ext == ".URDF")) {
     return FileType::kUrdf;
   }
diff --git a/multibody/parsing/test/detail_path_utils_test.cc b/multibody/parsing/test/detail_path_utils_test.cc
index 76d47f12bd00..6e6f52512f05 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/test/detail_path_utils_test.cc
+++ b/multibody/parsing/test/detail_path_utils_test.cc
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 #include <string>
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
-#include <spruce.hh>
 
+#include "drake/common/filesystem.h"
 #include "drake/common/find_resource.h"
 
 using std::string;
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ GTEST_TEST(ParserPathUtilsTest, TestGetFullPath_Relative) {
   ASSERT_NO_THROW(full_path = GetFullPath(relative_path));
   ASSERT_TRUE(!full_path.empty());
   EXPECT_EQ(full_path[0], '/');
-  spruce::path spruce_full_path(full_path);
-  EXPECT_TRUE(spruce_full_path.exists());
+  EXPECT_TRUE(filesystem::exists({full_path}));
 
   // Absolute path unchanged.
   string full_path_idempotent;
diff --git a/multibody/parsing/test/detail_sdf_parser_test.cc b/multibody/parsing/test/detail_sdf_parser_test.cc
index 0e0c6ca80813..16cf639fde70 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/test/detail_sdf_parser_test.cc
+++ b/multibody/parsing/test/detail_sdf_parser_test.cc
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 #include <sdf/sdf.hh>
-#include <spruce.hh>
 
+#include "drake/common/filesystem.h"
 #include "drake/common/find_resource.h"
 #include "drake/common/temp_directory.h"
 #include "drake/common/test_utilities/eigen_matrix_compare.h"
@@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ GTEST_TEST(MultibodyPlantSdfParserTest, PackageMapSpecified) {
 
   const std::string full_sdf_filename = FindResourceOrThrow(
       "drake/multibody/parsing/test/box_package/sdfs/box.sdf");
-  spruce::path package_path = full_sdf_filename;
-  package_path = package_path.root();
-  package_path = package_path.root();
+  filesystem::path package_path = full_sdf_filename;
+  package_path = package_path.parent_path();
+  package_path = package_path.parent_path();
 
   // Construct the PackageMap.
   PackageMap package_map;
-  package_map.PopulateFromFolder(package_path.getStr());
+  package_map.PopulateFromFolder(package_path.string());
 
   // Read in the SDF file.
   AddModelFromSdfFile(full_sdf_filename, "", package_map, &plant, &scene_graph);
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ GTEST_TEST(SdfParser, IncludeTags) {
   const std::string full_name = FindResourceOrThrow(
       "drake/multibody/parsing/test/sdf_parser_test/"
       "include_models.sdf");
-  sdf::addURIPath("model://", spruce::path(full_name).root());
+  sdf::addURIPath("model://", filesystem::path(full_name).parent_path());
   MultibodyPlant<double> plant;
 
   // We start with the world and default model instances.
diff --git a/multibody/parsing/test/detail_urdf_parser_test.cc b/multibody/parsing/test/detail_urdf_parser_test.cc
index 26fdd183914d..e6dc361029b3 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/test/detail_urdf_parser_test.cc
+++ b/multibody/parsing/test/detail_urdf_parser_test.cc
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 #include <limits>
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
-#include <spruce.hh>
 
 #include "drake/common/eigen_types.h"
+#include "drake/common/filesystem.h"
 #include "drake/common/find_resource.h"
 #include "drake/common/test_utilities/eigen_matrix_compare.h"
 #include "drake/multibody/parsing/detail_path_utils.h"
@@ -29,13 +29,13 @@ GTEST_TEST(MultibodyPlantUrdfParserTest, PackageMapSpecified) {
 
   const std::string full_urdf_filename = FindResourceOrThrow(
       "drake/multibody/parsing/test/box_package/urdfs/box.urdf");
-  spruce::path package_path = full_urdf_filename;
-  package_path = package_path.root();
-  package_path = package_path.root();
+  filesystem::path package_path = full_urdf_filename;
+  package_path = package_path.parent_path();
+  package_path = package_path.parent_path();
 
   // Construct the PackageMap.
   PackageMap package_map;
-  package_map.PopulateFromFolder(package_path.getStr());
+  package_map.PopulateFromFolder(package_path.string());
 
   // Read in the URDF file.
   AddModelFromUrdfFile(full_urdf_filename, "", package_map, &plant,
diff --git a/multibody/parsing/test/package_map_test.cc b/multibody/parsing/test/package_map_test.cc
index 8a72cb2fe10c..12f9138182a9 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/test/package_map_test.cc
+++ b/multibody/parsing/test/package_map_test.cc
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
-#include <spruce.hh>
 
+#include "drake/common/filesystem.h"
 #include "drake/common/find_resource.h"
 
 using std::map;
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ void VerifyMatch(const PackageMap& package_map,
 
 // Tests that the PackageMap can be manually populated.
 GTEST_TEST(PackageMapTest, TestManualPopulation) {
-  spruce::dir::mkdir(spruce::path("package_foo"));
-  spruce::dir::mkdir(spruce::path("package_bar"));
+  filesystem::create_directory("package_foo");
+  filesystem::create_directory("package_bar");
   map<string, string> expected_packages = {
     {"package_foo", "package_foo"},
     {"my_package", "package_bar"}
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ GTEST_TEST(PackageMapTest, TestPopulateFromXml) {
   const string xml_filename = FindResourceOrThrow(
       "drake/multibody/parsing/test/"
       "package_map_test_packages/package_map_test_package_a/package.xml");
-  const string xml_dirname = spruce::path(xml_filename).root();
+  const string xml_dirname = filesystem::path(xml_filename).parent_path();
   PackageMap package_map;
   package_map.AddPackageXml(xml_filename);
 
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ GTEST_TEST(PackageMapTest, TestPopulateUpstreamToDrake) {
 
 // Tests that PackageMap's streaming to-string operator works.
 GTEST_TEST(PackageMapTest, TestStreamingToString) {
-  spruce::dir::mkdir(spruce::path("package_foo"));
-  spruce::dir::mkdir(spruce::path("package_bar"));
+  filesystem::create_directory("package_foo");
+  filesystem::create_directory("package_bar");
   map<string, string> expected_packages = {
     {"package_foo", "package_foo"},
     {"my_package", "package_bar"}
diff --git a/multibody/parsing/test/parser_test.cc b/multibody/parsing/test/parser_test.cc
index e6e4ebc06db6..af58bbd9c6d5 100644
--- a/multibody/parsing/test/parser_test.cc
+++ b/multibody/parsing/test/parser_test.cc
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #include "drake/multibody/parsing/parser.h"
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
-#include <spruce.hh>
 
+#include "drake/common/filesystem.h"
 #include "drake/common/find_resource.h"
 #include "drake/common/temp_directory.h"
 #include "drake/common/test_utilities/expect_throws_message.h"
@@ -130,12 +130,11 @@ GTEST_TEST(FileParserTest, PackageMapTest) {
   // Copy the relevant files to the temporary directory.
   const std::string sdf_path = temp_dir + "/sdfs";
   const std::string mesh_path = temp_dir + "/meshes";
-  ASSERT_TRUE(spruce::dir::mkdir(sdf_path));
-  ASSERT_TRUE(spruce::dir::mkdir(mesh_path));
-  ASSERT_TRUE(spruce::file::copy(full_package_filename,
-      temp_dir + "/package.xml"));
-  ASSERT_TRUE(spruce::file::copy(full_sdf_filename, sdf_path + "/box.sdf"));
-  ASSERT_TRUE(spruce::file::copy(full_obj_filename, mesh_path + "/box.obj"));
+  filesystem::create_directory({sdf_path});
+  filesystem::create_directory({mesh_path});
+  filesystem::copy(full_package_filename, temp_dir + "/package.xml");
+  filesystem::copy(full_sdf_filename, sdf_path + "/box.sdf");
+  filesystem::copy(full_obj_filename, mesh_path + "/box.obj");
 
   // Attempt to read in the SDF file without setting the package map first.
   const std::string new_sdf_filename = sdf_path + "/box.sdf";