Hot Springs SD and Its Red Sandstone Architecture

We arrived at Hot Springs SD on a windy but otherwise pretty day.  We dropped by the Mammoth Site--the world’s largest mammoth research facility. You can tour an active paleontological dig site and view Ice Age fossils exhibited as they are found.  We joined a group for a 30-minute tour of the ongoing dig.  Very well done.  We highly recommend it.

The Mammoth Site

We were most impressed by the unique red sandstone architecture of many of the public buildings.  They were built in the late 19th century with the advent of many visitors arriving to access the perceived powers of the minerals in the hot springs in the area.  The red sandstone is building stone cut from the Fall River Formation.

A Public Building

River Avenue

We declined to pay the $11 each (for seniors) to access the hot spring water (87 deg F) available at the Evans Plunge, an indoor natural spring-fed mineral water pool, with a 164' indoor water slide, aqua jet speed slide, kiddy slide and traveling rings, health club, outdoor pool, hot tub, steam room, and weight room, among other amenities.

The KOA campground 6 miles east of Hot Springs was one of the nicest locations of all the places we have stayed on this trip.