South Dakota's Scenic Black Hills Hide The State's Most Unique Hot Spring Wellness Destination

South Dakota is an idyllic vacation destination renowned for iconic sites like Mount Rushmore National Memorial and its captivating landscapes steeped in Native American heritage. Some of the state's best spots are often located off-the-beaten-track, like Hippie Hole, South Dakota's best secluded swimming spot. While Yellowstone boasts thousands of geothermal features, hidden gems like Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Spa in the city of Hot Springs set South Dakota apart as a wellness destination. Just 60 miles from the Black Hills region, Moccasin Springs is an ideal pit stop on a scenic drive through South Dakota's one of South Dakota's coolest natural wonders.

Hot springs are globally celebrated for their healing properties, offering medicinal benefits and relief for aches, pains, and stress thanks to their high levels of minerals. This picturesque spa, set within peaceful surroundings and rugged natural terrain, offers an elevated spa experience, offering a variety of treatments alongside its rejuvenating pools and an on-site restaurant. Visitors don't need to travel overseas or spend a fortune to enjoy hot spring destinations with beautiful views, as this South Dakota retreat — named one of USA Today's Best Hot Springs in the country — delivers the ultimate spa experience in a serene setting.

The therapeutic allure and properties of hot springs have drawn in visitors for thousands of years, and Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Spa is no exception. The spa was built atop an 1890 hotel and bathhouse, which fell into disrepair after it closed in the 1960s. The establishment you see today retains much of its original character, blending natural rock features with modern facilities and comforts. Spa owner Kara Hagen diligently worked to preserve its heritage, honoring its legacy as a site used by local Indigenous communities long before it became a hotel.

Moccasin Springs now boasts six hot pools, each offering a distinct experience for guests. The Moccasin Pool, named after the silhouette of the natural springs it comes from and its Native American heritage, is open-air and connected to the spa's heated Pool House, which provides a warm walkway between pools. The spa's largest pool, the 1913 Pool, reflects its year of construction and can be accessed by swimming from the Moccasin Pool. All the pools are heated between 80 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The spa welcomes adults aged 18 years and older year-round from Wednesdays through Sundays between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

To soak in the geothermally heated pools, you can purchase a Soak Pass, allowing you to enjoy the hot water therapy for up to three blissful hours. Plus, the spa experience at Moccasin Springs goes beyond simply going for a dip. Guests can enhance their visit with yoga classes, cupping, deep tissue massages, aromatherapy, and other holistic treatments designed to restore your body and mind. The spa also has a salt room, adding to its array of wellness therapies. For those traveling light, the spa provides robe, towel, and slipper rentals, ensuring a stress-free spa experience. 

The on-site Dragonfly Restaurant adds to your visit by offering a variety of healthy meals, from nourishing breakfasts to hearty dinners, all crafted to complement a day of indulgent self-care. With beautiful surrounding landscape views, tranquil gardens, firepits, and the soothing sounds of trickling water, Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Spa is the perfect getaway for couples, groups, or individuals looking to relax, rejuvenate, and replenish their mind, body, and spirit.