Hot Springs

Black Hills Putt 4 Fun Mini-Golf: 18 holes of mini-golf in the shadows of the Seven Sisters mountain range. Have fun & be challenged on our popular 5-hole which is a tough one & great for laughs, with a narrow bridge & pools of water. Beautiful landscaping & waterfalls with blue flowing water.     640 South 6th Street Hot Springs, SD 57747, Ph # 605-745-7888

Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary: Over 500 hundred horses run free across endless prairies, hooves striking thunder, manes and tails flying in the wind… Sanctuary Founder: Dayton O. Hyde – The Institute of Range and American Mustang (IRAM), a 501 © 3 non-profit corporation, was founded in 1987 by Dayton O. Hyde to provide a home for America’s unadoptable wild horses. IRAM’s  Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is home to more than 500 unwanted mustangs. Working as a volunteer Dayton committed himself to giving freedom to hundreds of wild horses held in government feedlots. The Sanctuary continues through hard work of volunteers and donations from good, caring people. This is not a fancy place. You’ll see old homestead farm building and evidence of how hard it was (and still is) to survive on the prairie. Today there are colts to wean, horses and cattle to gather, fences to fix, trails to tend.        Adventure Tour—Travel in 4-wheel drive vehicle with a special guide to the wildest parts of the 11,000 acre Sanctuary that few people see. Full picnic lunch with beverages is provided! Call today for your reservation! $750 for an adventure of a lifetime. Fee is tax deductible.       Come see wild herds running free!—Two-hour guided bus tours in small buses out to see the wild horse herds. Available seven days a week, even when it rains. June 1 – Sept. 15 tours depart hourly 9-5 each day.   See hundreds of wild horses up close! –Special bus stop for photos! You may get off bus to take pictures! Stop for the Crazy Horse movie set, the scenic overlook of the Grand Canyon of the Cheyenne River, the Native American Sundance ceremonial site and Indian petroglyphs, pioneer and Native American history, the Prairie Dog Colony and lots more! Contact Information: Email: iram@gwtc.net , www.wildmustangs.com or www.freetorun.org . Phone 1-800-252-6652. Just minutes form Hot Springs, South Dakota off Highway 71 South. Twelve miles down 71, cross Cheyenne River Bridge, turn right on Rocky Ford Road, then right on Highland Road, follow the road three miles to the Visitor’s Center.

Evans Plunge: A Million Gallons of Fun!! Spend a refreshing, fun-filled day at Evens Plunge, the World’s largest natural warm water indoor swimming pool. Try our waterslides or relax in our gigantic pool filled with rejuvenating naturally warm mineral water (87*F). This sparkling spring water flows from an enormous thermal spring at a rate of 5000 gallons a minute. The therapeutic “healing” water has soothed visitor for over one hundred years. Today it’s no different, only with more excitement available with three Waterslides, Tarzan Rings, Fun Tubes, Kids Pools and a fun service Health Club. Enjoy some quality time with your family at Evens Plunge. It will make everyone feel younger. Extreme Fun Since 1890.

The Mammoth Site: Experience America’s greatest Ice Age treasure!!        The research continues… Dr. Larry Agenbroad and  staff continue to excavate, conducting paleontological studies on-site.             Imagine visiting an Ice Age museum filled with huge fossils didplayed as they were uncovered! Imagine walking the edges of a 26,000 year old sinkhole where mammoths, bears, lions, and wolves once walked! And, after your 30 minute guided tour.       Muller Exhibit Hall features fascinating exhibits: a full-sized Columbian mammoth replica, a walk-in- bone shelter, and skeletons of now-extinct carnivores, the giant short-faced bear and the American lion. A kid’s activity area offers young scientists “hands-on’ learning, while one floor below, the laboratory windows provide a “behind the scenes” glimpse of the scientific work conducted on-site.  Time travel to the Ice Age when mammoths, camels, lions, wolves and giant bears roamed this area. Tour an ancient sinkhole and stand on the edge of discovery. View fossils displayed in an unforgettable exhibit of Columbian and woolly mammoths.  The Mammoth Site has been featured on Discovery Channel. CBS Evening News. NBC Evening News, Today Show, BBC Television programs, and in many magazines, including National Geographic.  The 36,000 square foot visitor center is recognized world-wide for its interpretation and exhibits. Scientists from around the world have conducted research here along with Dr. Larry Agenbroad, Site Director and Principal Investigator. The Mammoth Site has co-hosted international symposiums and conferences, as well as published scientific Quaternary research books.  After the tour, take time to visit the museum’s gift shop. The bookstore excels, offering a “mammoth” variety of Pleistocene journals, publications, DVDs, videos, and scholastic items for students of all ages. Full-sized fossil replicas, unique gift items, Mammoth Site apparel, plus kid’s books, games, puzzles and science project kits are available.  The Mammoth Site, Hwy 18 By Pass Hot Springs, SD 605-745-6017 Email mammoth@mammothsite.com

Pioneer Historical Museum:           

Built in 1893, and used as a school until 1961, this historical sandstone building is located on the hill between upper and lower town. The original building plans were drawn by William Gray of Lincoln, Nebraska, with the construction contact won by the lowest bidder, A. D. McKay for $23,550.00.

Using stone from the Burke quarry, the teamsters unloaded rock from railroad cars and
hauled it up the steep hill, finding it "a hard pull!"

Noted in the Hot Springs Star on June 25, 1893: "Contractor McKay has decided not to use the steam hoisting machine on the new school as it is too expensive. He is having the stone carried up by hand on litter bearers. He will find it slow work and more expensive in the end in the opinion of the Star" (the local newspaper). By August the Hot Springs Star reported that "It will only take 5 more cars of stone to finish the schoolhouse and Dr. Hargens, president of the school board, informs us there is sufficient money to complete the new school under the present contact".
In 1893, the school board fixed the salaries as follows: school principal at $1,200.00 per year, one teacher at $75.00 per month, one at $55.00 per month, and four at $50.00. By January 8, 1894, Hot Springs celebrated the dedication of the new school. In 12 years its school had progressed from a small log house with a volunteer teacher to a beautiful three-story Burke quarry sandstone building with seven teachers and 264 students.

1910...Hot Springs' first football team!
The school district's (#10) emblem and seal were designed by noted sculptor, James A. Frazier, who is most famous for his "End of the Trail" sculpture and who drew the buffalo for the buffalo nickel.
Today the school turned museum is a wonderful example of local adaption of the Richardsonian Romanesque style building. A.D. McKay, utilizing local craftsmen, constructed one of the finest sandstone structures in the city. With its broad roof plane, round arched openings and straight forward treatment of the stone characteristics of the style. Heavy stone lintels appear over the windows on three stories of the structure, while round arched windows appear in the wall dormers. Both east and west facades have projecting rectangular entry ways with a Romanesque arch and turned, cresting devices. Other elements include: checkerboard stone work along the cornice, an applique at each gable end in the two major wall dormers, large squat chimneys on the roof line, columnar trim along each side of the dormers, and three bands of stringcourse.

The metal chimney-like structure on the north side was used as a fire escape.

             300 North Chicago St. Hot Springs, SD 57747, (605) -745-5147

Rockin R Trail Rides: Rockin R Rides, Inc. is located at Allen Ranch, a private ranch just outside of Hot Springs, SD. This southern Black Hills location offers great trail riding with stream crossings and spectacular views on all rides.

The whole family will enjoy the fun, interpretative sites along the one hour ride. The longer rides climb to the top for outstanding views in all directions. Look into the heart of the Black Hills to the north. Angostura reservoir to the south and east across the plains to the edge of the Badlands.

New this summer is the Canyon Rim Ride. Get away from the hustle and bustle with a relaxing ride to the top for home-cooked meals and a night under the stars.
(Under special use permit with the Black Hills National Forest)
Wagon rides are available for your groups, weddings and family reunions. Trail rides operate 7 days a week, Memorial weekend through Labor Day. The Allen Ranch also offers tipi camping, RV sites, tent camping and cookouts. Hwy 385/18 at the Allen Ranch. Ph 605-745-7868 or cell 520-349-6078

       
Trout Haven Ranch:

Excellent trout fishing, always biting! Everything furnished, and no license needed, Packed to go. You pay only for what you catch. We raise more then 1 million trout each year for stocking in ponds & streams in Canada and USA. Located 9 miles North of Hot Springs, just off Hwy 385 and 79, Ph 605-833-2571.

Wind Cave National Park:

American Indian stories dating back centuries speak of a "hole that breathes cool air" in the Black Hills. Cowboys came across a breathing hole in 1881 and the exploration of Wind Cave began. In 1903 Wind Cave became the first cave anywhere in the world to be designated a national park. Cave explorers are still finding new rooms and passages in Wind Cave, the fourth longest cave in the world.

Learning About the Cave
Right now there could be cave explorers discovering a new room or passage in Wind Cave. Find out more about the geology, unique formations, the places in Wind Cave, and the people who find them.

                                                            Wind Cave National Park
One of the world's longest and most complex caves and 28,295 acres of mixed-grass prairie, ponderosa pine forest, and associated wildlife are the main features of the park. The cave is well known for its outstanding display of boxwork, an unusual cave formation composed of thin calcite fins resembling honeycombs. The park's mixed-grass prairie is one of the few remaining and is home to native wildlife such as bison, elk, pronghorn, mule deer, coyotes, and prairie dogs.

                                     Climate
Climate and weather are not the same! Climate is a general term used to express broad patterns - for example, South Dakota's climate is sunny with warm summers and cold winters. Weather applies to specific movements of air masses, levels of precipitation, and temperature fluctuations at specific times of year--for example, today's weather is partly cloudy.
Education Programs
The environmental education programs at Wind Cave National Park help students discover relationships between the mixed grass prairie, the ponderosa pine forest, water, the cave, the plants and animals that live in these environments and themselves.  Find out more about these and other education programs at Wind Cave National Park.
Write to
Wind Cave National Park
26611 U.S. Highway 385
Hot Springs, South Dakota 57747
E-mail Us
Phone
Visitor Information
(605) 745-4600
Fax
(605) 745-4207

Black Hills Bad Lands :

Badlands National ParkTruly a part of, but not exclusively Old West, this region showcases diverse terrain and scenery. The area contains three major landforms: the Black Hills, the Badlands and the high plains, short-grass prairie. All can be found within a 50-mile radius of Rapid City, the region's hub.
The Black Hills are a beautiful, accessible extension of the Rocky Mountains. Thick forests of tall ponderosa pine, spruce and aspen alternately blanket and reveal towering granite peaks, deep canyons, cascading trout streams and clear, clean lakes. The granite faces of Mount Rushmore National Memorial gaze out over this mountainous landscape. Buffalo herds, elk, deer, antelope and mountain goats make their homes in public parks. Private parks add grizzly bear, wolves and cougars to the list, displayed in their natural environment. Logging is a principal industry.
Badlands National Park encompasses 244,000 acres of striking formations - spires, pinnacles, buttes and gorges of multi-colored sandstone - blended with mixed-grass prairies. Enjoy scenic drives and watch for buffalo, deer, pronghorn antelope, coyotes and other wildlife that freely roam this striking area.
The balance of the region is high plains, short-grass prairie. Predominantly rolling upland, irregularities such as Castle Rock, Slim Buttes and Thunder Butte rise to 600 feet above the surrounding landscape. The Cheyenne and other rivers meander through the region, providing water for large-scale cattle and sheep ranching operations.
The history of the region includes legendary figures such as Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull and George Armstrong Custer, who led his 1874 expedition into the Black Hills, starting the last great gold rush. Others such as Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok shaped the wild frontier town of Deadwood, which lives up to its Old West image with legalized gaming. Ghost towns, nestled quietly in more remote areas of the Hills, may still be explored.

Where to stay

1. Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Hot Springs
101 HWY 18 BYPASS
Hot Springs, SD 57747
Nightly Rates: ($171.99 - $216.99)
2 Star
A brand new Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites is located in historic Hot Springs, the Southern Gateway to South Dakota's gorgeous Black Hills. The hotel is located just East of the nationally rated ...

2. Hot Springs Super 8 Motel
800 Mammoth St.
Hot Springs, SD 57747
Nightly Rates: ($46.69 - $70.88)
2 Star
The Super 8 Hot Springs welcomes you to the beautiful Southern Black Hills. We are conveniently located next door to the world-famous Mammoth site, Hot Springs. The Super 8 Motel is the perfect jumping.

3. Best Western Sundowner Inn
737 S 6th Street
Hot Springs, SD 57747-2963
Nightly Rates: ($230.99 - $230.99)
2 Star
The Best Western Sundowner Inn of Hot Springs South Dakota is close to all the major attractions in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Just one mile from the Mammoth Site, two miles from Evans Plunge an...

4. Rodeway Inn Hot Springs
402 Battle Mountain Avenue
Hot Springs, SD 57747
Nightly Rates: ($134.99 - $149.99)
1 Star
Hotel fetures free high speed internet, continental breakfast and spacious guestrooms with microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers hair dryers and irons. Located next to Evans Plunge Famous Water Pa...

5. A Dakota Dream Bed & Breakfast: We offer seven guest rooms each with their own private bath, cable TV, DVD player, CD player and phone. Massage therapist on-site. Make us your home base for exploring the Black Hills! Air-conditioned, non-smoking facility. 801 Almond St., Hot Springs, SD 57747. Ph # 605-745-4633, or 1-888-881-4633.

6. Angostura Resort: Large, completely furnished two and three bedroom cabins that offer a lakefront view and all the comforts of home. Enjoy warm sandy beaches, swim in Angostura Lake or in our outdoor heated pool. Boat slips. HC 52, Box 125, Hot Springs, SD 57747 Phone # 1-800-364-8831.

7. Bison Motel: 18 unit locally owned motel located in historic Hot Springs. Queen beds, DD phones, AC, HBO, continental breakfast. Open year around. Look for buffalo out front. Ph # 605-745-5191 or 1-800-456-5174

8. Budget Host Hills Inn : AAA Approved. Take a dip in a heated Olympic size pool. Finish a fire, fresh air day with 18 holes of miniature golf at a discount 35 updated rooms. Variety of locations to southern attractions. 640 S. Sixth St. Hot Springs, SD 57747. Ph # 605-745-3130 or 1-800- BUD-HOST (283-4678)/.

9. Dakota Prairie Ranch B&B: Spacious home with antique & suite. Full country décor. Private baths. Hot tub suite. Full country breakfast. Whole horse accommodations. 20 min. SE of Hot Springs on Hwy 385/18 Chuck & Lois Seger. Ph 1-888-535-2001.

10. Historic Log Cabin Motel: Located on a hilltop with a great view. One to four bed log cabins, AC, cable TV, some with kitchens. Viewing deck, hot tub, playground, basketball count, bikes, gas grills, gift shop. RR1 Box149G, Hwy 385 North. Hot Springs, SD 57747, Ph # 605-745-5166

11. Skyline Motel: Queen, doubles, kitchenettes, 2 room units, all with CCTV, AC, DD phones. Non-smoking rooms available. Playground, patio, guest laundry. Hwy385. Po Box 689, Hot Springs SD 57747 Ph# 605-745-6980 or 800-380-8494

12. Sojourner Inn: Featuring one and two bedroom suites, fully furnished kitchens, living rooms and private verandas. Private meditation garden featuring a beautiful waterfall into a mineral water bath. 1729 Minnekahta, Hot Springs SD 57747 Ph# 605-745-3361 or 605-890-0692

13. The FlatIron Coffee Bar & Guest Sites: 4 Guest suites available with coffee bar just downstairs. Wireless Internet access throughout building. 745 North River St. Hot Springs SD 57747 Ph# 605-745-6439 and guest suites 605-745-5301