The Mammoth Site
One of the best parts of a road trip is all of the fun side trips that you can take. One of the best side trips I have taken lately was to the Mammoth Dig Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota. The Dig Site is an amazing cross between an active site, a huge collection of mammoth bones, and a museum. It reminded me a lot of Dinosaur National Monument but in a smaller, more condensed and less crowded setting. The Dig Site is perfect for families or anyone who is interested in fossils and the history of these great lands.
The Mammoth Pit
The main draw of the Mammoth Dig Site is the is the large fossil pit. There is a large collection of mammoth fossils located in this one location. Many, many years ago, this site was a watering hole with steep sides that drew mammoth to it. However, with the steep sides, they couldn’t get back out and ultimately died. That is why there are so many specimen in the same location. In 1974, there was a construction project set to start when they found the first of the fossils. That discovery put in the works the conservation and education facility that we see now.
The Pit is pretty amazing. It is about the size of a gym but it is full of fossils and tusks. The site has many fossils in different stages of discovery. There are also a bunch of informational graphics showing the history of the region and the animals that roamed through history. My favorite part was the full sized mammoth’s that show how truly huge these animals were. I don’t think my words do this place justice, you really need to see it all with your own eyes!
The Museum
The second part of the Mammoth Dig Site is a small museum. In the museum section, there are lot more fossils and a so much more information. There is a ton of information about animals through the history of the area, the area itself and a ton of info from different mammoth around the world.
I learned a ton and really realized how happy I am to live in the world of today. These predators were so enormous. The short faced bear, is particularly terrifying. It is great to see how the world was before people showed up though. Before the ice ages when the mammals really had a run of all the fertile plains.
The Mammoth Dig Site is really a fascinating place and something that was completely unexpected for me. It is a little off the main routes to get to Rapid City or the Badlands but it is worth the detour. Also, Hot Springs is a great little town and I had a blast spending half a day at the Dig Site and the town.
Finding the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota
The Mammoth Site is located at 1800 US-18 in Hots Springs, South Dakota. There is a parking lot near the entrance which is free. Tickets are about $12-14 per person for general admission with other packages available for family digs and groups. The site is open from 8am-6pm during the summer with reduced hours off season.
