Lantern Inn
580 E Main St
Hill City, SD
A cared-for little motel with a trout stream, tucked into the heart of the Black Hills.
About Lantern Inn
The Lantern Inn is family-owned and family-run, a small motel that has been part of Hill City for generations of Black Hills travelers. What sets it apart from the older motels around it is care: the rooms have been refreshed and kept genuinely clean, and the owners live on the property and treat guests like people passing through their own front yard. Guests come back to that again and again in their words, the sense that someone actually looks after the place. Hill City calls itself the heart of the Hills, and the Lantern Inn earns the phrase honestly, sitting close to the center of town while still feeling tucked away from it.
What Lantern Inn Is Known For
We are proud to be a small, family-owned motel that people trust to be clean, welcoming, and genuinely cared for. We keep our rooms spotless, we live on-site so someone is always here for you, and we hold onto the things that make a stay feel human: a pool for the kids, a fire pit for the evening, and a trout stream you can hear from your room. In a corner of the country full of chain signs, we are glad to still be the little motel that remembers your name.
Amenities
- Outdoor pool
- Fire pit with grills and picnic tables
- Trout stream on the property, fishing lake nearby
- Free WiFi
- In-room coffee maker
- Mini fridge and microwave
- Air conditioning
- Flat-screen TV
- Room-front parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- On-site, live-in owners
- Trailer parking
What Guests Love
- Family-owned and run, with owners who live on-site and clearly take pride in the place
- Genuinely clean, refreshed rooms that punch above the price
- A trout stream on the property, plus a pool and fire pit, right on the grounds
- Walkable to Main Street and the 1880 Train, yet quiet at the back
- An ideal, central basecamp for Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and the Mickelson Trail
Worth Knowing
- This is a modest, older motel at heart, cozy and simple rather than luxurious.
- Some guests note the walls can feel thin and connecting doors let sound carry, so ask about a back-facing room if you are a light sleeper.
- The pool is on the small side, lovely for a quick cool-off but not a resort pool.
- It sits on Main Street, so choosing a room toward the rear tends to be quieter.
The Room
The rooms are spread across two buildings, Creekside and Mountains Edge, and you park right outside your own door in both, so unloading the car after a long day of driving takes about a minute. Rooms come with king and queen beds and are kept non-smoking and spotless. Inside you will find the practical comforts that matter on the road: a coffee maker, a mini fridge and microwave, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, and free WiFi that actually reaches the rooms. Nothing here is showy. It is clean, comfortable, and quietly upgraded, which is exactly what you want when the point of the day is out there in the hills.
The Grounds
The grounds are where the Lantern Inn stops being just a place to sleep. There is an outdoor pool that families love, small and clean and right there when the afternoon heat catches up with you. There is a fire pit with grills and picnic tables, so you can cook out and sit by the flames after dark instead of hunting down dinner in town. And running through the property is a trout stream, with a fishing lake just across the road, close enough that the sound of moving water follows you back to your door at night. It is a rare thing for a roadside motel to hand you that kind of quiet.
The Experience
This is a Black Hills basecamp in the truest sense. You are minutes from Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse, steps from the George S. Mickelson Trail and the 1880 Train, and within easy reach of Custer State Park, Jewel Cave, and the winding scenic roads the region is famous for. The Lantern Inn does not try to be the destination. It gives you a clean bed, a pool to cool off in, a fire to sit by, and a stream to fall asleep to, then sends you back out to the things you actually came for. Come back tired, cook something on the grill, and let the water do the rest.
Details
Hill City, SD 57745
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lantern Inn serve breakfast?
No, breakfast is not included at Lantern Inn.
What is there to do near Lantern Inn?
Mount Rushmore National Memorial: 14 miles, about a 30 minute drive. Crazy Horse Memorial: 5 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there. George S. Mickelson Trail: 1 mile, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Lantern Inn from Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is about 14 miles from Lantern Inn, roughly a 30 minute drive.
How far is Lantern Inn from Crazy Horse Memorial?
Crazy Horse Memorial is about 5 miles from Lantern Inn, roughly a 10 minute drive or a short bike ride.
How far is Lantern Inn from George S. Mickelson Trail?
George S. Mickelson Trail is about 1 mile from Lantern Inn, close enough to walk (roughly a 5 minute drive).
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Things to Do Near Black Hills
George S. Mickelson Trail
0.0 miles away
A 109-mile crushed-limestone rail-trail following the old Burlington railroad grade through the heart of the Black Hills, from Edgemont to Deadwood.
Needles Highway and Sylvan Lake
6.4 miles away
Needles Highway: SD-87 in Custer State Park, about 14 miles between Sylvan Lake and the junction with US-16A. Requires a Custer State Park entrance license.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
6.6 miles away
Mount Rushmore National Memorial holds the 60-foot carved faces of four presidents in the granite of the Black Hills.
Cosmos Mystery Area
7.3 miles away
Cosmos Mystery Area: on US-16 a few miles south of Rapid City toward Keystone. Admission charged, guided tour only, so you go in a group when a guide is free.
Crazy Horse Memorial
7.4 miles away
Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain in the Black Hills being slowly carved by hand into the likeness of the Lakota leader Crazy Horse on horseback, begun in 1948 and still unfinished.
Bear Country USA
13 miles away
Bear Country USA: on US-16 about eight miles south of Rapid City on the way to the monuments. Admission is per vehicle.
Chapel in the Hills
15 miles away
Chapel in the Hills: off Chapel Lane on the west side of Rapid City, tucked into the pines. The grounds are free to walk, with donations welcomed, and the chapel is usually open in the warmer months.
Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road
16 miles away
Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road: 18-mile loop off US-16A in the southern Black Hills. Requires a park entrance license, valid for the day. Drive at dawn or dusk when bison, pronghorn, and elk are most active.
Reptile Gardens
16 miles away
Reptile Gardens: on US-16 about 6 miles south of Rapid City. Admission charged. Best for ages 4 and up. The giant tortoises are the highlight for young children, slow enough to watch closely and often out in the open.
Wind Cave National Park
27 miles away
One of the world's longest and most complex caves, famous for its rare honeycomb boxwork formations.
Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway
28 miles away
Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway: US-14A between Spearfish and Cheyenne Crossing, about 22 miles. Free, open year-round though winter conditions can close sections. Bridal Veil Falls is roadside with a small pullout.