Mineral Springs and Sandstone

Also on OFD's list of places to revisit in the Black Hills was the community of Hot Springs. She remembered going there for Flintstone Village created because of the Fred Flintstone cartoon show and Evan's Plunge. Flintstone Village is gone, but Evan's Plunge still exists. We were happy to add Hot Springs to the travel stops because of another geocaching Adventure Lab. But as is often the case, our visit gave us an unexpected bonus.

The city of Hot Springs was founded as a frontier health spa to capitalize on springs of warm mineral waters rising in Fall River Canyon.

The springs continue to feed Fall River, which winds through historic downtown Hot Springs.

The water flows out of the rock canyon wall and into a basin at the Kidney Springs Gazebo, a Victorian trellis topped with a statue called "The Gift of Water." The water tastes just fine, but it seems odd that it is warm, not cold.

Hot Springs is home to numerous “Minnekahta,” or warm water springs, which are located in several areas around the area and feed into Fall River, which runs the length of downtown Hot Springs.

The town is set in a sandstone canyon with classic turn-of-the-century style sandstone buildings.

Minnekahta Block

Evan's Hotel, 1891-92

VA Center with sandstone staircase

not a sandstone building, but a beautiful home that looks down

on downtown Hot Springs

OFD remembers coming here a time or two with cousins

when they visited during our Camp Rapid stays

an outdoor water area has been added

mural shows the history of this natural spring

it wasn't very busy the day we stopped

she remembers its large water slides and huge pool

Six major thermal springs which emerge from the ground within the town of Hot Springs converge in a single canyon. The biggest spring of them all, and one of the warmest at 87 degrees, flows up through the gravel bottom of Evans Plunge.  It totally re-charges the water in the huge indoor water park seven times a day, then overflows into Fall River.

this was the bonus to our visit to Hot Springs

OFD's lunch ~ Smokehouse Mac

Hubby and I split a Pulled Pork

the Smokehouse Mac after the three of us enjoyed 

the ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and the mac 'n cheese

So YUMMY! It tasted as good as it smelled!

More interesting information about the history of Hot Springs can be found on the city's website.