Hot Springs, South Dakota
Hot Springs is a city of 3,548 people in Fall River County, South Dakota.
Why visit Hot Springs
Townapedia lists 13 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 15 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Hot Springs Theater, Hot Springs High School, Battle Mountain National Sanitarium and Mammoth Site, Hot Springs.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 32 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Hot Springs
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Hot Springs
Hot Springs (Lakota: mni kȟáta; "hot water") is a city in and the county seat of Fall River County, South Dakota, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 3,395. In addition, neighboring Oglala Lakota County contracts the duties of Auditor, Treasurer and Register of Deeds to the Fall River County authority in Hot Springs.
From the Wikipedia article Hot Springs, South Dakota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks13
Hot Springs High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Public high school in Hot Springs, South Dakota
Battle Mountain National Sanitarium
Monument and historic site · 1.3 mi
Battle Mountain Sanitarium
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Hospital
Governor Leslie Jensen House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in South Dakota, United States
Phillip Wesch House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
House in Hot Springs, South Dakota
State Soldiers Home Barn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Historical place in South Dakota, United States
The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, SD
Monument and historic site · 0.8 mi
1800 US-18 bypass, Hot Springs
1 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
Mammoth Site, Hot Springs
Park · 0.8 mi
Park in South Dakota, United States of America
Butler Park
Park · 0.5 mi
Picnic shelters, restrooms, playground, baseball field, little league field, softball field, soccer field, tennis court, basketball...
Cold Brook Park
Park · 1.8 mi
Also known as School Street Park. Picnic tables, Playground
Upper Chautauqua Park
Park · 1.9 mi
Picnic shelter, picnic tables, park grills, restrooms, playground
Veteran's Memorial
Park
Paved circle, flag poles,, fountain, connects to Freedom Trail, picnic area and grills at Mueller Center
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes15
Whiskey River
Restaurant · 1.1 mi
Tu-Th 11:30-20:00; Fr,Sa 11:30-21:00; Su,Mo 11:30-19:00
3 more on the map.
History
The Sioux and Cheyenne people had long frequented the area, appreciating its warm springs. According to several accounts, including a ledger art piece by the Oglala Lakota artist Amos Bad Heart Bull, Native Americans considered the springs sacred.
European settlers arrived in the second half of the 19th century. They first named the city "Minnekahta" after its Lakota name. It was renamed Hot Springs in 1882, which is a translation of the Native American name. A variety of health resorts were built on the tourism offered by the springs.
From the History section of Hot Springs, South Dakota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Americas Best Value Inn by the River
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
602 Sulphur Springs Street, Hot Springs
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare3
Lynn's Dakotamart Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.5 mi
501 South 6th Street, Hot Springs
Map of Hot Springs
70 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 14°F | 0.4 in | 5.2 in |
| Feb | 43°F | 15°F | 0.6 in | 6.3 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 24°F | 1.1 in | 5.6 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 31°F | 2.1 in | 4.7 in |
| May | 70°F | 41°F | 3.3 in | 0.4 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 51°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 57°F | 2.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 55°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 45°F | 1.4 in | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 33°F | 1.4 in | 1.7 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 23°F | 0.4 in | 2.5 in |
| Dec | 40°F | 15°F | 0.5 in | 5.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hot Springs Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Fall River County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-04-07: Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
- 2020-04-05: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2019-06-07: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2018-08-12: Vineyard Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 44 miles away.
- Edgemont 20 mi southwest, about 32 min by car
- Custer 25 mi north, about 40 min by car
- Hermosa 32 mi northeast, about 52 min by car
- Keystone 33 mi north, about 53 min by car
- Hill City 36 mi north, about 57 min by car
- Oglala 41 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Colonial Pine Hills 42 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Rapid City 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Chadron 47 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Box Elder 52 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- US18 West US385 North Signs - Hot Springs, formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Digger, and bones, Mammoth Site, Hot Springs, Dino, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arctodus at Mammoth Site, Hot Springs, SD, sporst, CC BY 2.0
- Bones at Mammoth Site, Hot Springs, SD, sporst, CC BY 2.0
- Arctodus Simus, Hot Springs, South Dakota, Dino, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mammoth fossils at The Mammoth Site, Hot Springs, South Dakota, AnnieTye, CC BY-SA 4.0
- US18 West Left - US385 North Ahead Signs - Hot Springs, formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hot Springs High School, Alexander Daubert, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hot Springs Historic District 1, Alexander Daubert, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Evans Hotel - Hot Springs, formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hot Springs, State Veterans Home Barn, Alexander Daubert, CC BY-SA 3.0
- US385 North - Leaving Hot Springs, formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Battle Mountain Sanitarium, Alexander Daubert, CC BY-SA 3.0
- GOVERNOR LESLIE JENSEN HOUSE, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mammoth Site Hot Springs, Jeff the quiet, CC0
- US18 West US385 North - Truck US18 to SD71 Signs, formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mammoth Site 2, Ajheindel, CC BY 4.0
- Mammoth Site 4, Ajheindel, CC BY 4.0
- Mammoth Site 3, Ajheindel, CC BY 4.0
- Mammoth Site 1, Ajheindel, CC BY 4.0
- Furcula wileyi, Raesha Svatora, CC BY 4.0
- US385 South - US18 Truck to SD71 Signs, formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
- HotSpringsSD PettyHouse, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 3D ABD 4212--Anaglyph Photo 3D (36562010093), relaxednow, CC BY 2.0
- HotSpringsSD CityHall, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- HotSpringsSD Library, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Battle Mountain Sanitarium National Historic Landmark near Dusk, Justin Gausman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Building One of Battle Mountain Sanitarium in Winter, Justin Gausman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 7413a sm, Wacekj, CC BY-SA 4.0
- HotSpringsSD PhilipWeschHouse, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- HotSpringsSD LogCabinMotel 1, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- HotSpringsSD LogCabinMotel 2, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- HotSpringsSD LogCabinMotel 3, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- US18 West US385 North - Ess Curve, formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
- ISS047-E-59282 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-77470 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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