Mammoth Site of Hot Springs

1800 U.S. 18 Bypass, Hot Springs, SD 57747

605 745 6017

Website

55 visitor photos

Ranked #1 of 5 attractions in Hot Springs

93 Reviews

Type: Historic Sites, Ancient Ruins

Activities: Group tours/walking tour

Owner description: America's International Treasure. This National Natural Landmark is an internationally renowned indoor working paleontological site/museum. More than...... more » Owner description: America's International Treasure. This National Natural Landmark is an internationally renowned indoor working paleontological site/museum. More than 59 Columbian & woolly mammoths have been unearthed, as well as over 85 other species of associated Ice Age fauna. Hands-on activities for children, an educational experience for the entire family. One of the top fossil interpretive sites in North America. Open year-round. Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Useful Information: Activities for young children, Activities for older children

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93 reviews from our community

LinYee

Chicago, Illinois

Reviewer

3 reviews

Reviews in 3 cities

3 helpful votes

“Great Experience”

Reviewed 10 May 2012

person found this review helpful

This attraction wasn't even on our list of things to do while in the Badlands, Keystone, Custer Park area in South Dakota but we are so glad we went. This gives a person the opportunity to see a live dig of a sink hole that they have found over 50 sets of tusk from Columbian Mammoths and various other animals... More

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LinYee: Thank you for visiting The Mammoth Site!! Also, thank you for taking the time to do a review of us on Trip Advisor, we take visitor comments very seriously those that are positive and those that are critical also. Again, thanks for your visit and positive comments. Joe More

red728

Minnesota

Contributor

18 reviews

Reviews in 11 cities

26 helpful votes

“This dang place was AMAZING!”

Reviewed 9 April 2012

people found this review helpful

We have a pretty skeptical teen and it was a bit of a struggle dragging husband & teen to a "mammoth site". What's a "mammoth site" anyway??? All I can say is ... GO!! it's worth the trip, especially if you have Hot Springs on the agenda (and don't miss the Wild Horse Sanctuary & Evans Plunge while you're there).... More

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See 2 more reviews by red728 for Hot Springs

red728: Thanks for your review. Your comment about skeptical visitors is quite common. We struggle with trying to depict what is happening and continues to happen at The Mammoth Site. I guess it is better to have praises like yours than to go the other direction and make people expect more than what they see/experience. Thanks again for your visit... More

tnttraveller

Utica, Michigan

Senior Reviewer

10 reviews

Reviews in 7 cities

4 helpful votes

“Educational but fun.”

Reviewed 6 April 2012

We didn't really expect to enjoy this as much as we did. But it was really interesting and exciting to be on a real dig. The guides were helpful so you knew what was going on. Doesn't cost a lot of money and really worth it. More

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Dear TNTTraveller: Thanks for your comments, it is hard to make our brochures and advertising really as good as what people experience, but that I guess is better than doing the opposite. We are glad you enjoyed your visit, we are an active excavation, so we keep changing, come see us again. Thanks for taking the time to write your... More

Chuck C

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Senior Contributor

30 reviews

Reviews in 10 cities

7 helpful votes

“A cool place to learn!”

Reviewed 3 April 2012

We found the whole experience to be a lot of fun. For me though, I found it to be a great place to think about man's place on the planet and how short our time has been. The tour guide Mary was great, in fact she is the foundations librarian. She had an excellent understanding of the site and was... More

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Chuck: Thanks for visiting us. We appreciate your thoughtful comments and appreciate you taking the time to write your review. Stop by and see us in the future, as you mentioned we keep excavating and growing. Thanks again, and have a great 2012. More

Gail W

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Contributor

11 reviews

Reviews in 4 cities

6 helpful votes

“Educational”

Reviewed 28 March 2012

person found this review helpful

We enjoyed our tour of the Mammoth Site - we were there with our young daughter and I know we all learned quite a bit. It's really worth taking the guided tour! More

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Gail: Thanks for visiting us and posting on Trip Advisor. We try to make everyone's experience educational and that has always been our #1 mission. We have a couple of new exhibits coming on shortly: Lyuba - a replica of a one-month old woolly mammoth discovered in 2007 in northern Siberia Bear sizes and bear bite exhibit - showing size... More

coloradosota

Castle Rock, Colorado

Contributor

12 reviews

Reviews in 9 cities

5 helpful votes

“Mammoth Bones Galore!”

Reviewed 27 March 2012

I had no idea how much I'd enjoy my tour of his ancient find. Young and old will find it fascinating. More

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LoveOurCabins

Hill City , SD

Senior Reviewer

10 reviews

Reviews in 6 cities

1 helpful vote

“Big big bones...”

Reviewed 24 March 2012

Can't help but make your imagination run wild! Would love to try the actual digging sometime. More

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Dear LoveOurCabins: Thanks for the review on Trip Advisor. What cabins do you have in Hill City? Maybe I can arrange for you to dig sometime, please email me - joem@mammothsite.org More

TheTravelingTwoo

Dallas

Contributor

15 reviews

Reviews in 6 cities

3 helpful votes

“Totally Cool!”

Reviewed 19 March 2012

Very interesting and close to Hot Springs. Wooly's is close and has the best food! More

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Thank you for your great review and for visiting us, we hope to see you again. I hope your visit to SD was a wonderful experience. More

vichig562

Long Beach, California

Senior Reviewer

6 reviews

Reviews in 4 cities

17 helpful votes

“Actively digging for prehistoric fossils in this day and age??? COOL!”

Reviewed 5 March 2012

person found this review helpful

Drove many many miles through deserted, flat, barren land. Ended up in the cruddiest of cruddy motels in all of a 1,000 mile radius (Best Western Hot Springs, SD - see my separate review). The only saving grace in this town was the optometrist (lost my contact lenses) and the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs. WOW! We are now proud... More

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Thanks for visiting The Mammoth Site and becoming a member. I am truly sorry about your experience at the Best Western. I haven't heard that from anyone before, but most people on our reviews only comment about us. Again thanks for your visit and we'll keep you posted on what's new through our news letters. More

40plusandtraveling

Faribault, Minnesota

Contributor

11 reviews

Reviews in 5 cities

3 helpful votes

“Spend the afternoon with the Mammoths and others”

Reviewed 17 February 2012

person found this review helpful

This is an absolutely interesting place. Definately plan on spending time there. It is not a rush through kind of place. Take your time. Ask questions and take it all in. Cameras are allowed so dont miss any photo opps. There is a gift shop as well and the must have thing that I suggest for anyone who likes unique... More

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See 3 more reviews by 40plusandtraveling for Hot Springs

Thanks for your wonderful review. While you were here we were in Alexandria, MN for a wedding, the bride had hoped for a winter wedding photo session but there was no snow. Thanks for the plug on our gift shop and the Poo Poo paper. Please come back and see us again, we have a new exhibit that will be... More