Any vacation exploring the Black Hills should incorporate a day at Wind Cave National Park. With so much to do in the area, many will bypass the Cave, but there are many reasons to plan some time underground.
Why Visit Wind Cave National Park
Caves and waterfalls are two of my favorite things. I have been to many caves lately and some have been amazing experiences and some have been very over commercialized. Wind Cave National Park was the 8th National Park and the first to protect a cave system. The cave is truly unique from any cave we have seen and the preservation of the area makes it feel like it was just discovered.
Things to Know
Wind Cave NP does not have an admission fee to get into the park, but you must purchase a tickets for a guided tour. Tickets are sold in the visitors center first come, first served. They can only be purchased for same day tours. They do frequently sell out so you need to either come early or be flexible. We had extra time and came late in the day. We lucked out and got the exact tickets we wanted for 30 minutes following. If you have a large group you will need to come early as the tours only include 30 – 40 depending on the tour.
Which Tour to Choose
There are three different tours that vary on the route and the number of steps. The tour schedule varies based on time of year. More information can be found on the NPS.gov website.
Garden of Eden Tour
This tour is the shortest and least number of steps (150). It costs $10 and is a less challenging route for those with mobility issues. It lasts around 1 hour.
Natural Entrance Tour
This tour is slightly more strenuous with 300 steps. There are areas that are slippery and uneven, but an easy tour for active adults. The tour is $12 and lasts about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Fairgrounds Tour
This tour costs $12 and lasts 1 1/2 hour. It is the most strenuous with 450 steps and there is one stretch with 89 steps at once. It does offer the most views of the cave. This one does sell out quickly and is not offered as often.
Highlights of Wind Cave
Nature at its Best
So many caves have been commercialized and it feels like the natural beauty has been lost. Wind Cave has the same steps and narrow pathways that were placed soon after it was discovered. The tour guides are excellent at giving you the history of discovery and the geologic features of the cave.
Reversing Winds
The beginning of the tour is the natural entrance to the cave and the reason for its discovery. There is a small hole where the cave was discovered where a very cool wind blows out during most days. Interestingly, during its initial discovery there would be times where the hole would reverse and enter the cave. This was due to changes in atmospheric pressure. This small hole was where the first explorers entered the cave to map the cave area
There are three different tours that vary on the route and the number of steps. The tour schedule varies based on time of year. More information can be found on the NPS.gov website.
Boxwork
Wind Cave is one of the only places that has a geologic feature called box work. During the formation of the cave, there was limestone formed by fossils from an underground sea and also calcium carbonate that would form in the cracks of the limestone. Over the years, the limestone would wear away forming honeycomb like calcite formations. This feature is so unique that to find it with such abundance can only be found here in South Dakota. If you are looking for the huge stalactites, they are not in this cave. But if you are looking for a natural wonder, this cave is for you.
History of the Cave
Please take time while in the visitors center to read the history of the cave. While the Bingham brothers were the first to discover the cave, a teen from the area Alvin McDonald was the first to map and journal the internal workings of the caves. The McDonald family sought to commercialize the cave with many resulting lawsuits to follow. We should all be thankful that the lawsuits were settled when the land became protected as a National Park in the early 1900s.
