Made a quick stop in Hot Springs, South Dakota as something caught my eye as I was driving down the main street. Lots of construction so I had to drive past and then park in the Centennial Park lot and walk down the paved path that runs parallel to the Fall River. Not pictured but a wild or semi-domesticated group of turkeys greeted me in the parking lot and didn’t seem to care I was only feet away.
Right in the middle of the walking path is this “waterfall” dribbling down the cliff side. It caught my attention because yes of course it looks like a waterfall, but also because it has some gnarly moss formations that make the rocks look like a huge fuzzy Christmas tree and that kind of thing stands out.
Looking further up the walking path you can see it rises in elevation ever so slightly to the road level and beyond. I didn’t know at the time but the white gazebo in the distance houses Kidney Springs and a tap where you can get mineral water. Apparently there are several of these springs around town which is how I am assuming it got it’s name.
One more look directly upwards at the “falls”. I’m putting this in quotes because I can’t figure out from searching online if it’s a real falls or man-made (leaning towards the latter but I have no proof). You can see there is a small cave-like hole in the rock and of course the big slimy moss formations.
Temperatures were warm here – about 90°F in the daytime today – and it’s late now. I wanted to visit the mammoth site but it’s the off-season and no time today or the next so will have to save that for another trip. Sunlight was disappearing so for now it’s time to find a place to camp.
Lat = 43.4336166 , Long = -103.4802856 -- Show at Google Maps