Hot Springs, South Dakota has been a magnet for travelers for centuries. Long before white people built the town, the region's native people came here to enjoy the reputed healing properties of the many mineral-rich springs from which the town would get its name (and according to a sign, there are 170 springs in this valley!). When the town of Hot Springs was founded in the late 19th century, a new group of travelers started to come here to enjoy the waters, and many luxurious hotels and spas sprung up in town. 

Hot Springs retains its charms today. From its beautiful sandstone architecture to the gentle stream that flows through town, it's just a nice place to while away a few hours. Plus, it's very conveniently located to explore the attractions of the southern Black Hills, including Wind Cave and Custer State Park, which makes it a great place to base your Black Hills vacation. 

South Dakota's Badlands are best known for their scenery, but they also boast a sizable wildlife community featuring many of the animals that live in the nearby Black Hills. The Badlands are home to bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and, of course, prairie dogs. Several large prairie dog towns can be found on the western part of the park, which is where I saw this one. Its town was perched on a flat area right on the edge of the badlands wall. Doesn't it look like it's enjoying that view? 

The Mammoth Site, in the beautiful town of Hot Springs, South Dakota, is a truly unique place. What makes it so special is not the types of bones found here - mammoth skeletons have been unearthed throughout the Northern Hemisphere - but the sheer number of them. Over 60 mammoths have been found in an area that is only 36,000 square feet (that's a little more than half the size of a football field), and there are probably still more hidden below waiting to be uncovered. 

The bones in the site date to approximately 26,000 years ago, and were only uncovered in 1974. In that year, a construction company was commissioned to work on a new housing development on the southern edge of Hot Springs. As they were digging on a particular hill, they began to find some odd bones, which were soon identified as belonging to a mammoth. The land owner, thankfully, agreed to allow scientists to investigate the area, and more and more bones were discovered. Once the significance of the site was realized, it was saved from becoming a housing development and was turned into a museum, and excavation continues today. Over 60 mammoths have been found so far, as well as a few other animals like prehistoric camels, bears, wolves, llamas, and rodents.

I was standing on top of Mount Rushmore's parking garage when I took this picture, which just goes to show you that spectacular views can be found just about everywhere in the Black Hills. I ended a busy day of sightseeing with a trip to the monument, which is open quite late in the summer months, and as I was walking around there, the sky was already starting to show patches of pink and orange in the west. As I was heading back to my car about an hour before sunset, and the sky was a lovely orange color, and storm clouds were beginning to move in. The timing worked out great for me, not only because it made for some great photography, but also because it didn't start raining until after I was safely tucked away in my motel room. 

Rapid City's newest museum just opened earlier this year, and is dedicated to telling the story of the Great Plains' most iconic resident: the bison. The museum chronicles the history of North America's largest land animal from their evolutionary origins 5 million years ago to their modern struggles for survival. 

It's a pretty unique museum; I can't think of another museum that's dedicated to one animal species. But it fits in well in the Black Hills since the bison has been such an important part of the region's history. 

Mount Rushmore is easily the most famous tourist attraction in the Black Hills, but it's not the only place in the area where you can come face to face with the nation's presidents. To see all of them together, look no further than Rapid City. And, I mean, come on, isn't seeing all 42 former presidents better than seeing just 4 of them? Serious missed opportunity there, Mount Rushmore - you should have left room for 38 more faces up on that mountain!! 

The Black Hills of South Dakota is an incredibly scenic area. There are mountains, and forests, and prairies, and streams, and plenty of wildlife, and spectacular views all over the place. But of all the beautiful places in the Black Hills, I think Spearfish Canyon is one of the most picturesque and has some of the best views. 

In Spearfish Canyon, you get to travel along the course of a stream, and marvel as you look up at the tall canyon wall, which can get to be over 1000 feet high in some places. The canyon's also home to some really beautiful waterfalls! Plus, the area is really easy to get to, and easy to explore.