Hot Springs, SD Freedom Trail in the fall with leaves covering the ground and Fall River running alongside the trail.

Freedom Trail

Warm river, waterfall, mineral springs, and four parks — all on one 1.3 mile paved trail.

Hot Springs, SD

About

The Freedom Trail is a paved path following Fall River 1.3 miles through downtown Hot Springs, connecting Kidney Springs Park, Centennial Park, Brookside Park, and Veterans Memorial Plaza. It's flat, scenic, and free. The river is fed by an always-87-degree thermal aquifer and winds beneath tall sandstone cliffs with places to stop and wade or splash. About .2 miles from the north trailhead, a 1927 gazebo marks Kidney Springs, where a natural mineral fountain still flows free from the hillside. Just beyond, a waterfall cascades down a rocky cliff, with a bridge crossing directly in front — a favorite photo stop. Centennial Park offers a fountain and picnic shelters in the heart of downtown. Brookside Park has playground equipment and shoreline access to the river for wading and swimming. Dogs are welcome on leash. Lit at night for year-round use, the Freedom Trail is the ideal first stop for any visit to Hot Springs.

Photos

Swimming and splash area in Fall River (mineral water) alongside the Freedom Trail in Hot Springs, SD.
Fall River in autumn with steam rising from the warm mineral water. Alongside the Freedom Trail in Hot Springs, SD.
Fall River waterfall along the Freedom Trail in Hot Springs, SD. Sun shines through the clouds.
Deer grazing beside the Freedom Trail with Fall River mineral spring and lights along the pathway.
One of the bridges across the Fall River along the Freedom trail in Hot Springs, South Dakota.