What Is the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota?
This is the largest collection of mammoth fossils found in the whole world!
What Makes It Historical?
In 1974, while leveling ground for a new housing development, George Hanson struck something hard that turned out to be a seven-foot tusk! His boss, Phil Anderson, tried and failed to interest four local colleges in the find, but his old professor, Dr. Larry Agenbroad of Chadron State College, took up the dig challenge, accompanied by his Arizona-based colleague, Dr. Jim Mead, and several volunteer teams! Their discovery was incredible: 58 Columbian mammoths, 3 woolly mammoths, and 87 other critters from the late Ice Age!
So how did they all get there? Well, just like at the La Brea Tar Pits they came for a drink at the wrong watering hole! Only, this pit wasn’t full of tar. It was a 65-foot deep sinkhole lined with smooth, slippery, Spearfish shale! Any critter that came down for a drink and lost their footing would never regain it! Today, most of these fossils are preserved in situ, meaning they’re all still in the rock where they were uncovered, protected from the elements by a museum! This museum, I might add, has great exhibits on their other fossil finds as well, including one that details the skulls of six different species of ancient pronghorn!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Become a member of the Mammoth Site!
- Donate to the Mammoth Site!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
1800 US-18 Bypass
Hot Springs, SD 57747
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
In spring and fall, the museum is open daily from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, in winter, it’s open from 9:00 AM until 3:30 PM, and in summer, it’s open from 8:00 AM until 6:00 PM!
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