AMERICA’S WIDE-OPEN WONDERS

Wind Cave National Park

Cave formations & prairie wildlife
South Dakota
Wind Cave National Park · NPS Photo · Photo credits
A PLACE TO REMEMBER

Make room for the wonder.

Wind Cave brings together an underground world and Black Hills prairie above it. Pair a properly arranged cave visit with scenic driving or a short surface walk if access and time allow.

Thin fins of calcite forming box-shaped openings, called boxwork, on a cave ceiling.
The boxwork on the ceiling of the Elk's Room is a popular photography subject and has been featured on many postcards and other souvenirs.
NPS Photo · Photography credit
a bison cow and calf on the prairie
Several hundred bison roam the rolling prairie of Wind Cave National Park.
NPS Photo / Dan Roddy · Photography credit
BUILD YOUR OWN PARK DAY

Places to consider

  • 01Cave tours when offered
  • 02Visitor center
  • 03Prairie and wildlife viewing

Choose the stops that suit your time and your party. These are ideas for exploring, rather than a fixed itinerary or a promise that every road, trail or facility will be open.

Before you set out

Check cave-tour and elevator availability before making the underground visit essential to your itinerary. Surface wildlife viewing has its own rewards.

Give the day room

Allow time for the approach, parking and breaks. Pick walks for the least mobile members of your party, and leave space for weather or a change of plans.

Bring your group

Confirm vehicle access, drop-off and parking with the park. Check any guided tours, transport and accessibility arrangements before fixing the rest of the itinerary.

Official park visitor guide ↗Current conditions ↗

Check the official NPS guide for current access, fees, passes, reservations and permits. Gateway names identify useful surrounding communities or access areas, not exact entrance directions. Photographs may show earlier seasons or conditions.