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Wind Cave National Park
Native American exhibits outside the Visitor Center at Wind Cave National Park, 2024. Courtesy America's Best History.
Associate Pages
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Visitor Statistics
489,399 Visitors
Wind Cave National Park
#120 Most Visited National Park Unit
Source: NPS, Rank among 398 National Park Units 2024.
Park Size
33,971 acres (Federal); 33,971 acres (Total)
Park Fee
Free Entrance to Park
Garden of Eden Tour - $14 adults (16+), $7 under 16 and seniors, 5 and under Free.
Natural Entrance Tour - $16 adults, $8 Youth; Free 5 and Under.
Fairgrounds Tour - $16 adults, $8 Youth; Free 5 and Under.
Candlelight Tour - $16 (Must be 8)
Wild Cave Tour - $45 (Must be 16)
Unlike some needed reservation at other parks, half of the tour tickets at Wind Cave, are saved for first come first served visitors.
Fees subject to change without notice.
Black Hills Weather
Summer - Moderate to hot depending on day and elevation. By September, cold weather starts to come in, and snow can be seen in higher elevations.
For some reason, Jewel Cave is one of the coldest caves out there, a cool 49 degrees. Dress warmly.
Transportation
Several tour companies in the area provide buses to not only Wind Cave, Mount Rushmore, and other Black Hills sites. Check with the Visitor Bureaus of the area for suggestions.
Photo above: Large bison at Wind Cave National Park. Courtesy National Park Service. Right: Early tour group in the Wind Cave Model Room, 1902. Courtesy National Park Service.
Wind Cave National Park
So with two National Park Service caves in the Black Hills area, which one, Wind Cave or Jewel Cave, is the best. It is very difficult to say, ... for one, we visited when the elevator was being fixed at Wind Cave during 2024. Expected reopening date somewhere around November 2024. So we never took that tour. Wind Cave is shorter as caves go, with less steps, but has a Lakota history through the tale of its emergence that heightens, to us, its importance. There are more hiking opportunities at Wind Cave as the park is much much larger. There's a campground. If best goes to the cave that draws in more visitors, well ... it would be hands down Wind Cave, which has four times the attendance. But, in the end, they are both great, and both should be visited if you are in the Black Hills. You can tell us your preference after you go or if you already have.
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Wind Cave Then
The Lakota tribe knew of the importance and existence of Wind Cave since its and their existence. They initially lived in a Spirit Lodge inside it and never came up and out through the small entrance that breathed, Maka Oniye. They would be lured out of the cave despite warning not to do so, and their punishment was to become bison. The others who did not leave the cave were then allowed to come to the surface, and were taken care of by the bison through the centuries across the Black Hills and plains. For a full recount of that story, please listen to Ranger Kim in the video on this page.
Photo above: Current Visitor Center photo from the past, date unknown. Courtesy National Park Service. Below: Park Ranger on tour at original Lakota historic entrance telling origin tale of Lakota and the bison, 2024. Courtesy America's Best History.
Wind Cave Now
Wind Cave National Park includes not only the cave and the story behind its importance to the Lakota, but hiking trails throughout the park, plus Bison, Prong Horn Antelope, and lots of other wildlife. It's a great place to camp; Elk Mountain Campsite or primitive. It has a two story visitor center, including the basement, with visitor orientation, and tours, even during our time there when the elevator was not working. It is the sixth longest cave in the world, and the third longest in the United States.
Many of the buildings, as at Jewel Cave and in the Black Hills, were built during the era of the depression and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corp. Some interesting facts ... the original Lakota entrance is now too small to go through, but its wind can breath in or out at forty-five miles per hour. Record day - seventy-one miles per hour. It was taking a light nap when we were there, but still blowing slowly out.
Minute Walk in History
Take a walk with us to hear the emergent story of the Lakota tribe that surrounds the legacy of Wind Cave and its importance to the Native Americans of the Black Hills. While Wind Cave National Park is one of the oldest caverns discovered in the USA, it also has unique features like created by the water that seeped from the sea that once covered this land. Video courtesy of America's Best History and the National Park Service.
T-Shirts and Souvenirs
Adorn yourself and your family with this Wind Cave National Park design on t-shirts, sweatshirts, mug, sticker, and other souvenirs. Great for cavers or Black Hills fans.
Wind Cave National Park
Things You Should Not Miss
1. Of course, once the elevator is operational, take a cave tour. There are many to choose from, but be conscience of your capabilities, as footing is tricky and the stairs, around one hundred and fifty for most tours, can be arduous for some.
2. If they are having the Lakota Emergence Story walk and talk, it's a must. You gather outside the Visitor Center and walk about one quarter mile to the original entrance and will be entranced by the Park Ranger and their retelling of the story. There are also campfire talks at the Visitor Center that are great for night visitors.
3. There are many trails here to hike, some short and easy. Some long and hard. From north to south; Sanctuary Trail (3.6 miles, strenuous), Centennial Trail (6 miles, strenuous), Rankin Ridge Trail (1 mile), Highland Creek Trail (8.6 miles, strenuous), Lookout Point Trail (2.2 miles), Wind Cave Canyon Trail (1.8 mile), Elk Mountain Trail (1 mile), Prairie Vista Trail (1 mile), East Bison Flats Trail (3.7 miles, strenuous), and the Cold Brook Canyon Trail (1.4 mile). These are all on the western side of the park. One trail is on the eastern side, accessed off Route 6, is the Boland Ridge Trail (2.6 miles, strenuous). Bring plenty of water. There is very little water in the park and all of it should be boiled before drinking.
Visitor FAQ
What's There Now
Wind Cave Visitor Center - Built by the Civilian Conservation Corp and located close to the cave entrance. All tours start there. There are exhibits, a film called "One Park, Two Worlds," a small bookstore and gift shop, facilities, and picnic tables across from it on the hillside. There is another picnic area prior to reaching the Visitor Center parking lot.
All those trails, which we won't repeat, but are great for able hiking enthusiasts. Be prepared with food and water. Be careful of poison ivy, rattlesnakes, and ticks.
Photo above: Exhibit in Visitor Center of Wind Cave, 2024. Courtesy America's Best History.
Location, Lodging, Camping
Wind Cave National Park is located at 26611 US Highway 385, Hot Springs, SD 57747. It can also be accessed down Route 87, which runs through the park. There is a campground here, Elk Mountain Campground, with sixty-four spaces with flush toilets and water in the height of the season. They can be reserved or, taking a chance, book when arriving if spaces are available. That latter option is becoming more difficult throughout all national parks as people book well in advance. However, at Wind Cave there is also backcountry camping allowed in the north part with a camping permit.
The area of the Black Hills has many motels, hotels, cabins, and campsites to spend the night near Hot Springs or further north toward Mount Rushmore. For campers, beyond Elk Campground in the park, there are numerous places to camp in the Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park, both which surround Wind Cave National Park.
Photo above: Small sample of the rock formations inside Wind Cave. Courtesy National Park Service.
History of Wind Cave
As we spoke above, its major significance is the Native American history that surrounds the cave and land around it. As far as white Europeans go, Tom and Jesse Bingham heard the wind coming from the cave in 1881. In 1889, the South Dakota Mining Company hired Jesse McDonald to look into the cave for mining purposes, but nothing was found. The McDonald's then began to give tours after their sons Alvin and Elmer began to investigate and prepare the cave in 1891. By 1892, the first tourists came. It cost $1 to tour by candlelight with a guide.
Althought Herb and Jan Conn are mostly known for their exploration of Jewel Cave, they also spend time at Wind Cave mapping out the passages.
Photo above: Buildings constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corp, likely during the 1930's, date unknown. Courtesy National Park Service.
