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Mammoth Site is a museum and an ongoing paleontological dig outside Hot Springs. In the Pleistocene Era, commonly known as the Ice Age, some 26,000 years ago, woolly and Columbian mammoths stopped to drink at the spring-fed waters here, and fell into a sinkhole. Not until 1974 were their remains found by an eagle-eyed construction worker.

Also found at the site were remains of American camels, llamas, coyotes, birds, wolves, and shrub oxen, and more fossils are discovered regularly. The museum has an impressive collection of mammoth fossils and is both fun and educational. This is a fascinating place to bring children, and there are knowledgeable docents and a gift shop.

Address: Mammoth Site, 1800 U.S. Highway Bypass, Hot Springs, SD 57747, Phone: 605-745-6017

Mammoth Site | Things to Do in South Dakota
© Mammoth Site

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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