Wind Cave National Park, located in South Dakota’s southern Black Hills, is home to one of the world’s longest and most complex caves, as well as ponderosa pine forests and one of the last mixed-grass prairies in North America. The park’s 28,295 acres invite visitors to explore both above and below ground.
According to the National Park Service, Wind Cave National Park is open year-round, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The Visitor Center opens at 8:00 a.m. While there is no fee to enter the park, visitors are charged for cave tours and camping.
The park is located 35 miles south of Rapid City, SD. The surrounding area includes many of the Black Hills’ historical and natural attractions, such as Mount Rushmore National Monument and Badlands National Park, making Wind Cave an excellent stop along a journey of South Dakota’s tourist sites.
Wind Cave History
The existence of Wind Cave has been known to local Native American groups for centuries. The cavern is sacred to both the Lakota and Cheyenne tribes. Settlers Tom and Jesse Bingham are credited with the modern discovery of the cave’s natural entrance in 1881. Extensive exploration began in the 1890s, and in 1903, the area was named a national park, making it one of the oldest in the nation and the first devoted to the preservation of a cave.
Tours of Wind Cave
At approximately 300 million years old, the park’s cave is one of the world’s oldest. Wind Cave is so named because differences in air pressure between the cavern and the surface cause air to flow in and out of the cave’s entrance. It is the fourth longest cave in the world, with 132.05 miles of mapped passages.
The park offers six different cave tours varying in price from $5 to $23. The tours range from easy to strenuous, including tours for visitors with special needs. Tour scripts are available for the hearing impaired. The tours are filled on a first come, first served basis. However, reservations are required for the Candlelight tour, the Wild Cave tour, and all large groups. Visitors can make reservations by contacting the park at (605) 745-4600. To avoid long waits, park officials recommend arriving early in the morning and visiting on the weekend.
Camping on the Prairie
Camping is a great way to experience the park’s grassland environment. The Elk Mountain campground is open year-round for tent and RV campers. During the warmer months, water is provided at the campground, with a $12 nightly fee. During colder months, the water is turned off, and the fee is reduced to $6 per night. There are no electric hookups, showers, or dump stations. Visitors are encouraged to contact the park to reserve group or handicap accessible sites.
Visitors may also opt for primitive backcountry camping. Backcountry camping is limited to the northwest corner of the park, where there are several hiking trails. A free permit is required. Campers may obtain these permits from the Visitors Center or the Centennial trailheads. Park officials recommend that backcountry visitors bring their own water since natural water sources in the park are scarce. No campfires are allowed in the backcountry because a moderate to extreme threat of wildfires exists year-round.
Educational Activities at Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park is dedicated to educating visitors about the science and history of the area, and there are many ways for visitors to experience these opportunities. One of the best ways to appreciate the park’s stunning vistas and catch a glimpse of its wildlife, such as bison, elk, pronghorn antelope, coyotes, and prairie dogs, is to hike one of its many trails. The park boasts 11 maintained trails – three one-mile nature trail loops and eight backcountry trails. These trails range from easy to strenuous to accommodate the varying ability levels of all visitors. However, the entire park is open to cross-country hiking.
There are a series of activities led by park staff to give visitors a more in-depth view of the region. Discovery Activities are ranger-led educational tours on various topics pertaining to the park, such as wildlife, geology, or Lakota culture. These include a popular campfire program. The Prairie Hike is a two-hour guided hike designed to inform visitors about the park’s history and ecology.
Experience the Natural Sciences in the Black Hills
Wind Cave National Park is home to an impressive cave, as its name suggests. Yet there is an exciting landscape to explore on the surface as well. In addition to exploring Wind Cave and learning about the area’s geologic history, park visitors can enjoy the wildlife and scenery of the prairie. Located in the vicinity of South Dakota’s well known tourist attractions, Wind Cave is an excellent stop in a journey through the Black Hills.
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Dianne Turgeon - Dianne is a freelance writer and state government employee. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Environmental ...
