Boutel™

Lantern Inn

580 E Main St

Hill City, SD

WiFi

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

WiFi
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

There are nineteen rooms 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

Address580 E Main St
Hill City, SD 57745

Phone605-574-2582

Websitelanterninn.comLink opens in a new tab.

Book DirectSupport local and book direct. Booking directly with Lantern Inn keeps more of your money with the people who built it, and makes any changes or questions easier to handle. This link goes straight to their website.

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, Lantern Inn does not serve breakfast.

Does Lantern Inn have WiFi?

Yes, Lantern Inn has WiFi.

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 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.

How far is Lantern Inn from Mount Rushmore National Memorial?

14 miles, about a 30 minute drive.

How far is Lantern Inn from Crazy Horse Memorial?

5 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.

How far is Lantern Inn from George S. Mickelson Trail?

1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.

How can I give feedback on a property I stayed at?

If you are a guest that stayed at the property, we would love feedback about your experience. Boutels listed on this site do not pay to be included nor can they pay to be sponsored or promoted. Your feedback matters. Please .

I’m affiliated with this property and have feedback on this listing.

We’d love to learn more about your property. To provide images, simply log in as a member (it’s free), find your listing on the map, choose “Visited,” and you’ll be given the option to upload images and leave a note. You can also and we’ll be in touch, just be sure to provide us with contact information in that form. Thanks!