Overview
Hot Springs is a town of about 3,000 people in the Black Hills of western South Dakota, founded as a resort around a historic warm spring. It's a jumping-off point for nearby Wind Cave National Park.
1 sights · 1 things to do · 1 places to eat · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Hot Springs
The Mammoth Site
The world's largest mammoth research facility. The museum encloses a prehistoric sinkhole that formed and was slowly filled with sediments and trapped wildlife during the Pleistocene era. Mammoth bones were found at the …
Evans Plunge
A water park owned and operated by the City of Hot Springs, that claims to be "the oldest tourist attraction in the Black Hills".
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 15°F. Cold months (Jan, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jun. (climate data from nearby Wind Cave National Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- CDR Chadron Municipal Airport, Chadron — 46 mi away. Directions
- RAP Rapid City Regional Airport, Rapid City — 47 mi away. Directions
- DEN Denver International Airport, Denver — 254 mi away (major hub). Directions
Hot Springs is at the junction of US Highway 385 and US Highway 18.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning The Mammoth Site
- Lunch Mornin' Sunshine Coffee House & Gifts
- Afternoon Evans Plunge
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
Hot Springs is at the junction of US Highway 385 and US Highway 18.
See
See The Mammoth Site
The world's largest mammoth research facility. The museum encloses a prehistoric sinkhole that formed and was slowly filled with sediments and trapped wildlife during the Pleistocene era. Mammoth bones were found at the site in 1974, and a museum for in situ preservation was built soon after. It remains an active excavation site: the remains of 61 mammoths have been recovered so far.
Do
Buy
Eat
Eat Mornin' Sunshine Coffee House & Gifts
Terrific breakfast, baked goodies and coffee. Friendly. Art on the wall is for sale. Opens 7AM daily, except Sunday opens at 8AM.
Sleep
Nearby
Wind Cave National Park
Park · 7 listings · 10 mi away
Custer State Park
Park · 6 listings · 22 mi away
Custer
City / town · 9 listings · 24 mi away
Jewel Cave National Monument
Park · 7 listings · 27 mi away
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Park · 6 listings · 31 mi away
Keystone
City / town · 6 listings · 32 mi away
Hill City
City / town · 7 listings · 35 mi away
Black Hills National Forest
Park · 9 listings · 37 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.