A Honeymoon at The Mammoth Site®

At the end of September, my new husband and I adventured to Hot Springs, South Dakota for our honeymoon.

Hot Springs was a beautiful little town that smelled like juniper and mint, but the real treasure in Hot Springs is The Mammoth Site.  My husband, the paleontologist enthusiast, and I, also intrigued by paleontology, were excited to go to the biggest known concentration of mammoth remains in the world.  We wanted to know why they were there, how they got there, and most importantly, we just wanted to see it!  So, my husband and I packed up a camera, a sketchbook, and began our adventure.

When we first arrived at the museum, we walked past a visual geological timeline, an epilog of sorts.  The timeline was created with signs full of illustrations showing the environment and some inhabitants from each era.  Each sign had some sample rocks (boulders) that were prevalent during that period.

Mammoth Site Museum Enterance
New Mr. and Mrs. Worrell at the entrance of the Mammoth Site Museum.

Upon entrance, we were greeted by a giant replica of a mammoth and very friendly staff.  After a few selfies and purchasing of tickets, we made our way into the theater to watch a short, informative video about the formation and creation of the dig site.  The content was astonishing, but I was interested in the animations and video content.  They were not only well done but were also attention-grabbing. The intro was so cool!

After, we began the tour.

Through some double doors, we were greeted by a giant mural reimagining the site when it was still a flowing waterhole.  Bright, lush, and alive!  Around the corner was the site.

Big and breath-taking!

The sedimented pit is 100 x 150 feet, and they have dug in 20 ft on one side and 15 ft on the other side.  However, according to Dr. Jim Mead from the museum, cores have proven there is still 40+ feet of sediment and bone!

Mammoth Dig Site-Pelvis

Mammoth Dig Site tag 9

As we made our way around the perimeter of the site, going up and down different viewpoints, our tour guide shared with us information about the site.  He covered everything from the composition of the soil to the different species that have been found in the pit.  I found the content interesting in itself, but the guide was funny and made the tour even more enjoyable!  Great for children if you have any.

A great supplement to the guide was the illustrations and wall paintings that covered the walls.

There were illustration posters covering everything from teeth composition to anatomy comparison. We spent a lot of time looking at these and trying to commit as much as we could to memory.  Ben was focused on content, I was focused on layout. My favorite one was the comparison of human versus mammoth teeth.  A lot of the work is done by volunteers, but they do have two artists on staff.

After we had our formal tour, we were encouraged to keep wandering around and keep taking pictures.  There were a few volunteers digging in the site, so we asked them about their process.  The volunteers were very friendly and welcomed our questions!

They were armed with water bottles and dental tools, gently moving dirt around, uncovering more specimens.

Volunteers Digging
Volunteers digging.

We learned that to officially help excavate, one has to be part of the Excavation and Preservation Program at the museum or part of a planned Roads Scholar visit. Both of these are a pay-to-excavate program.  Of course, there are other options via contacting The Mammoth Site.

After talking to volunteers, we made our way down to the prep room.  We watched skilled workers carefully remove casts from transferred specimens and clean them up.

Working in the prep lab is very similar to applying to help dig!

We then traveled into the exhibit room where there was more anthropology focused content.  Arrow points, dwellings, chipped bone, and pots.  There were also maps showing where different mammoths roamed the world and displays showing replicas of mummified mammoths found throughout the world.

Of course, we stopped at the museum gift shop!  There was a dig cave that would be awesome for curious kids and plushies for little future paleontologist (we bought a plushie mammoth for our nephew).  There were also site books, field books, and storybooks for all ages.

Throughout this post, I have mentioned Dr. Jim Mead.

Dr. Mead is the on-site paleontologist and is a walking encyclopedia of answers regarding the topic.

He was influenced into science at a very young age with biologist parents.  Upon going to college, he discovered the joy of the study of animal remains from archaeological and paleontological periods.  He later went on to achieve his Ph D.  He has since been doing research in the Pleistocene field for the past 40 years!

Dr. Mead shared with me that he has been with the Mammoth Site on and off throughout its discovery in July of 1974.  However, after the passing of the late Dr. Larry Agenbroad, Dr. Mead was willing to take the position of Director and Chief Scientist for the Mammoth Site.

The Mammoth Dig Site was a top ten adventure for me and the perfect honeymoon spot!

I was mind-blown with entertainment and education!  I walked away with so many ideas and new concepts, my husband walked away simply in aww, and I also got the opportunity to draw a bit, always a bonus.  We live in Iowa, how did we not know this place existed!?!  My husband and I are hoping to go back again in the future and maybe even get the opportunity to be dig volunteers.

Sketch By Assata C Worrell
Dig sketch by Assata C Worrell

A big thank you to both Bethany Cook for helping me get connected to Dr. Jim Mead and thank you to Dr. Mead for taking the time to answer my many questions.

86 thoughts on “A Honeymoon at The Mammoth Site®”

  1. Nice post. I used to be checking constantly this blog and I am impressed!
    Very helpful information specially the remaining section 🙂
    I care for such info much. I used to be seeking this particular info for a very long time.
    Thank you and best of luck.

  2. When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox
    and now each time a comment is added I get four e-mails with the same comment.
    Is there any way you can remove people from that service?

    Appreciate it!

  3. Hello there! This post couldn’t be written much better!

    Going through this article reminds me of my previous
    roommate! He always kept preaching about this. I most certainly will
    send this article to him. Pretty sure he’s going to have a great read.
    Many thanks for sharing!

  4. Hi there! This is my first visit to your blog!

    We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new project in a
    community in the same niche. Your blog provided us
    beneficial information to work on. You have done a wonderful job!

  5. This is very interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking
    more of your wonderful post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks!

  6. Normally I do not read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very pressured me to check out and do it!
    Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thank you, quite great post.

  7. Thank you for every other informative site.
    The place else could I am getting that kind of information written in such an ideal way?
    I’ve a undertaking that I am just now operating on, and I have been on the glance out
    for such information.

  8. Ahaa, its good conversation on the topic of this article at this place at
    this blog, I have read all that, so at this time me also commenting at this place.

  9. I have read a few just right stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting.
    I surprise how so much effort you set to make one of these great informative website.

  10. What’s up, for all time i used to check webpage posts
    here in the early hours in the dawn, because i like to find out more and more.

  11. I am sure this piece of writing has touched all the internet people,
    its really really pleasant piece of writing on building
    up new blog.

  12. Hey very cool site!! Guy .. Excellent .. Wonderful .. I’ll bookmark your
    web site and take the feeds additionally? I am glad to search out so many helpful information right here in the post, we’d
    like develop extra strategies on this regard, thank you for sharing.
    . . . . .

  13. Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this,
    like you wrote the book in it or something.
    I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is wonderful blog.

    A great read. I’ll certainly be back.

  14. What’s up, constantly i used to check web site posts here early in the dawn, for the reason that i
    enjoy to find out more and more.

  15. Hello my friend! I want to say that this article is amazing, great written and include
    almost all important infos. I would like to peer more posts like this .

  16. You can certainly see your enthusiasm in the article you write.
    The world hopes for even more passionate writers such as
    you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe.
    Always follow your heart.

  17. I am really impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog.

    Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it’s rare to see a
    nice blog like this one today.

  18. I do consider all the ideas you’ve offered on your post.

    They are very convincing and can certainly work.
    Still, the posts are very short for novices. May just
    you please extend them a bit from next time? Thank you for the post.

  19. I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your blog.
    It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me
    to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme?

    Fantastic work!

  20. Hi, I do believe this is a great web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I
    may revisit yet again since I book-marked
    it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be
    rich and continue to guide others.

  21. Hey! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with Search Engine
    Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but
    I’m not seeing very good success. If you know of any please share.
    Thank you!

  22. constantly i used to read smaller content which also clear their
    motive, and that is also happening with this piece
    of writing which I am reading at this time.

  23. This design is steller! You definitely know how to keep a reader entertained.

    Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start
    my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really loved what you had to say,
    and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!

  24. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme.

    Did you make this website yourself or did you
    hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to
    design my own blog and would like to know where u got this from.
    appreciate it

  25. Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this blog. It’s simple, yet effective.
    A lot of times it’s challenging to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and visual appeal.
    I must say you have done a superb job with this.
    In addition, the blog loads extremely fast for me on Firefox.
    Superb Blog!

  26. I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this
    post was great. I do not know who you are but definitely you’re going to a famous
    blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!

  27. Excellent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your site, how can i subscribe
    for a blog web site? The account helped me a acceptable deal.
    I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear idea

  28. Hi! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established blog.

    Is it very hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty
    quick. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where
    to start. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
    Cheers

  29. Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this,
    like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with some pics to drive the message home a little bit, but
    instead of that, this is fantastic blog. An excellent read.
    I’ll certainly be back.

  30. What’s up to every one, the contents existing at this web site are in fact amazing for people knowledge, well, keep up the nice work fellows.

  31. Hey there, I think your website might be having
    browser compatibility issues. When I look at your
    website in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet
    Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!
    Other then that, amazing blog!

  32. Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your website?
    My blog site is in the exact same area of interest as yours and
    my visitors would certainly benefit from a lot of the information you provide here.
    Please let me know if this okay with you. Cheers!

  33. Just want to say your article is as astounding.
    The clarity in your post is simply nice and i could assume
    you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep up to
    date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up
    the rewarding work.

  34. obviously like your web-site but you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts.
    A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very bothersome to tell the reality on the other hand I’ll definitely come back again.

  35. Hi there would you mind letting me know which web host
    you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different browsers and
    I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most. Can you
    suggest a good web hosting provider at a honest price?

    Thanks, I appreciate it!

  36. Hey, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues.
    When I look at your website in Ie, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer,
    it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!
    Other then that, wonderful blog!

  37. Great blog here! Also your site loads up very
    fast! What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host?
    I wish my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol

  38. Fantastic web site. Lots of useful information here.
    I am sending it to some pals ans also sharing in delicious.
    And naturally, thank you to your effort!

  39. What’s up to all, how is everything, I think every one is getting more from this site,
    and your views are nice in support of new viewers.

  40. Excellent post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed!
    Very helpful info specially the remaining section :
    ) I maintain such info a lot. I was looking for this particular
    information for a very lengthy time. Thank you and best of
    luck.

  41. Just desire to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness in your post is simply
    excellent and i could assume you are an expert on this subject.
    Well with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed
    to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the enjoyable work.

  42. If some one wants expert view regarding running a blog after that i advise him/her to
    pay a quick visit this webpage, Keep up the good job.

  43. Generally I do not read article on blogs, but
    I wish to say that this write-up very pressured me to check out and
    do so! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thank you, quite nice article.

  44. Howdy! This post could not be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my good old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this post to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

  45. It’s not too hard setting up a blog. This is actually my third, but it’s the first business blog. There are blog sites like medium.com or blogger.com that create a platform for you. You can also get a personal website and start blogging that way as well. I ended up going with godaddy.com but there are many other website platforms out there.

  46. Excellent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too wonderful.
    I actually like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you are
    stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it wise.

    I can’t wait to read far more from you. This is really a tremendous website.

Comments are closed.