You have 2 trips in progress.   See all
Trip Planner:   USA  /  South Dakota  /  Hot Springs  /  The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs

The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, Hot Springs

4.7
#1 of 93 in Museums in South Dakota
Natural History Museum · Science Museum
Create an itinerary including The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs
The largest working paleontological site, The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs has unearthed nearly 70 Woolly and Columbian mammoths. The remains of 85 other species from the Ice Age have been discovered here as well. Your visit begins with a short video describing the history and discovery of the site, followed by a 30-minute guided tour. After the tour, explore the Ice Age Exhibit Hall. Windows into the paleontology lab give you a peek into the process of uncovering these remains. For more information on geology, mammoths, or the people and animals that lived during the Ice Age, catch one of the many short films shown throughout the museum. Work out when and for how long to visit The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs and other Hot Springs attractions using our handy Hot Springs trip itinerary site.
Create a full itinerary - for free!

The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs reviews

Rate this attraction
TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
1,758 reviews
Google
4.7
TripAdvisor
  • I stayed in Hot Springs, SD specifically so I could go see the Mammoth Site, and it did not disappoint. If you have a smartphone, you can read or listen to the tour on their site, which really added.....  more
    I stayed in Hot Springs, SD specifically so I could go see the Mammoth Site, and it did not disappoint. If you have a smartphone, you can read or listen to the tour on their site, which really added.....  more »
  • We had never seen anything like this before. A building built over an amazing cache of mammoth skeletons! The walkway around the pit gave us great views of the dig site. Our only regret was that... 
    We had never seen anything like this before. A building built over an amazing cache of mammoth skeletons! The walkway around the pit gave us great views of the dig site. Our only regret was that...  more »
Google
  • This was awesome. A live dig site, indoors, with AC. The staff were actually working on the fossils while we were there. Scraping with a dental pick. You can watch them work, talk to them, learn about their job and the site. There is a self-guided tour with QR codes you scan at each stop. The tour guides you through the site explaining the numbers, the fossils, the history…amazing. Plus, it is affordable. Pretty neat time, glad we made the drive here!
  • I'm so glad we stopped here! This was such an interesting place. There's so much information packed in about the fossils and the history of the site. The volunteers and workers are very friendly and informative. We had conversations with several about the fossil they were working on, what finds they had discovered that day, or how they worked with the various tools. Definitely scan the QR codes located on the walkway railing around the site. They explain the different areas you can see from each stop. I put it on speaker so the kids could listen with me. There's 4-5 codes to scan, so make sure you get them all. We spent a good hour and a half here. There's another portion in the museum at the back of the gift shop that we almost missed. The gift shop has a nice selection. You can also buy a bag of soil to sift using the sluice out front to discover stones and fossils. We did a medium sized fossil find and it had quite a bit of stones and shark teeth in it. The kids loved it. There's also a small snack shack out front with pizza, hotdogs, chips and drinks.

Plan your trip to Hot Springs

  • Get a personalized trip
    A full day by day itinerary based on your preferences
  • Customize it
    Refine your trip. We'll find the
    best routes and schedules
  • Manage it
    Everything in one place. Everyone on the same page.