Park Details
Maps!
Trails Illustrated
Badlands National Park
Park Details
Location Information
Seven miles north of Hot Springs, SD, on U.S. Route 385.
Address:
Wind Cave National Park
RR 1, Box 190-WCNP
Hot Springs, SD 57747-9430
Telephone:
(605) 745-4600
Directions:
Visitors traveling on I-90: At Rapid City, SD, exit onto
U.S. Route 79 south. Follow Route 79 south approximately 50
miles to U.S. Route 18. Turn right onto U.S. Route 385 North,
which will take you through Hot Springs and into Wind Cave
National Park. Follow signs to the visitor center for cave tours
and general park information.
Visitors can also reach the park by following U.S. Route 16 west out of Rapid City onto U.S. Route 385 south. Visitors traveling from Nebraska can follow U.S. Route 385 north to the park.
Operating Hours/Seasons
Park open year-round. Visitor center open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. Visitor center hours: January 1 to March 15, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; March 16 to May 3, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; May 4 to May 31, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; June 1 to August 16, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; August 17 to September 27, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; September 28 to October 11, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; October 12 to Mid-March, 1998, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Reservations/Permits/Fees
No park entrance fee. Fees are charged for cave tours and camping. Cave tour fees range from $4.00 to $15.00 per adult depending on the type of tour. Children, ages 6 to 16, receive a reduced price for cave tours. Ages 5 and under are free.
The camping fee at Elk Mountain campground is $10.00 per night per campsite from mid-May to mid-September. From April 1 to mid- May and from mid-September to October 31, campground facilities are reduced and the fee is $5.00 per night.
Persons with Golden Age or Golden Access Passports receive a discount on cave tours and camping fees. This discount applies only to the card holder for cave tour fees.
Cave Tours:
Standard cave tours are available on a first-
come, first-served basis. Reservations are taken for two
specialty tours, the caving tour and the candlelight tour.
Reservations for these tours may be made no more than one month
in advance of the date. Those holding reservations must call to
reconfirm within two days of arrival. Specialty tours are
limited to 10 people. Minimum age for the caving tour is 16 and
for the candlelight tour is 8.
Group Tours:
Reservations are available for organized groups for
standard cave tours to occur between the hours of 8 a.m. and
11:30 a.m. only. Groups are welcome to participate in regularly
scheduled tours on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours are
limited to 40 people.
To reserve a group cave tour please contact the park at least three weeks prior to your visit by calling (605) 745-4600 or by writing to:
Wind Cave National Park
RR 1, Box 190-WCNP
Hot Springs, SD 57747-9430.
If your request is written, please include your phone number. You will receive written confirmation, if time allows. Reservations must be reconfirmed at least two days prior to arrival.
Group Campsite Reservations:
Reservations are available only for
large, organized groups. Small groups are invited to occupy
individual sites which can accommodate up to eight people and two
vehicles. These sites are available on a first-come, first-
served basis. The campground rarely fills.
Requests for group campsite reservations can be made by calling (605) 745-4600.
Backcountry Permits:
All overnight backcountry campers must
obtain and complete a backcountry use permit. These permits are
free and can be acquired at the visitor center.
Climate, Recommended Clothing
Spring and fall weather are the most variable with cool, damp days alternating with dry, warm ones. Summers are generally sunny, hot, and dry. Winters are generally mild with little snow, but occasional sub-zero temperatures can be expected. Dress appropriately for the season.
Persons touring the cave should wear low-heeled walking shoes with nonskid soles and a lightweight jacket or sweater. The cave is 53 degrees fahrenheit (11 degrees celsius).
Facilities and Opportunities
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
The Visitor Center contains two exhibit rooms featuring cave
exploration, cave formations, early cave history, the Civilian
Conservation Corps, park wildlife, and Native American history in
the Black Hills.
Trails, Roadways:
There are 30 miles of hiking trails in the park. U.S. Route
385, S.D. Route 87 and two backcountry roads make much of the
park accessible to motor vehicles.
Two trails, the Rankin Ridge Trail and the Elk Mountain Trail, are self-guided nature trails with trail booklets.
Programs/Activities:
Tours through Wind Cave may not be offered starting October 1, 1998 because of the installation of new elevators. Please call the park at (605) 745-4600 for the latest information. This project may last until April of 1999. People wishing to visit a National Park Service cave in the Black Hills may do so at Jewel Cave National Monument. Otherwise, five types of cave tours are scheduled approximately every twenty minutes, from 8:40 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., daily, June 1 to August 16. Tour schedules are reduced the remainder of the year. Guided prairie hikes, evening campfire programs, and visitor center lawn programs, in season. A Junior Ranger program is available for ages 12 and under.
Lodging and camping facilities:
Elk Mountain Campground, with 75 campsites, is located one
mile from the visitor center. The campground has flush toilets
and running water during the summer months. There are no
showers, dump stations, or electrical hookups. Campsites are
available on a first-come, first-served basis. Other camping is
available throughout the area in federal, state, and private
campgrounds.
Lodging is not available in the park. Numerous lodging facilities are available in the nearby communities of Hot Springs and Custer, South Dakota. Lodging is also available in Custer State Park.
Food/supplies:
A vending area offers limited snacks and beverages from May 1
through October. Restaurants and grocery stores are located in
nearby Hot Springs and Custer, South Dakota. Custer State Park
offers restaurants and mini-markets for camper supplies in
season.
Other Visitor Facilities and Opportunities:
The Black Hills Parks and Forest Association operates a
bookstore in the visitor center. The bookstore includes books on
Wind Cave National Park, caves and caving, the natural and
cultural history of the area, hiking, and other national park
areas. The bookstore also offers maps, posters, postcards,
videos, audio tapes, CDs, and games. For additional information
call (605) 745-7020.
A small picnic area is located 1/4 mile from the visitor center.
Accessibility:
The visitor center, including two exhibit rooms and
restrooms, is accessible. Campground restrooms and one campsite
are accessible. Limited areas of the cave are accessible to
wheelchairs.
Special Needs:
A special needs cave tour is available, by request, for
visitors with physical limitations who cannot participate in the
regular tours. Please call ahead to make special arrangements or
inquire at the visitor center information desk for this special
tour. A very limited area of the cave is accessible to
wheelchairs.
Recommended Activities/Park Use
Touring the cave; hiking in the prairie and forest; walking the nature trails; observing plants and wildlife; birdwatching; photography, camping at Elk Mountain Campground or in the backcountry; attending evening campfire programs, participating in the Junior Ranger program; taking a guided prairie hike, enjoying the view from the top of the Rankin Ridge Fire Tower.
Visitation
Highest in June, July, and August; lowest in December, January, and February.
Basic Visit Reccomendations:
Stay at least a day to leisurely view exhibits in the visitor
center, tour the cave (length of tours vary), and spend time hiking,
viewing wildlife, driving park roads, and participating in
the park's Junior Ranger program.
Visitor Impacts:
Cave tours are often sold out. Waits from 1 to 1 1/2 hours
are not uncommon, especially for afternoon tours during the peak
season from mid-June to Labor Day.
All park animals are wild and can be dangerous. Always view wildlife from a respectful distance.
Adjacent Visitor Attractions
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, near Keystone, SD; Jewel Cave National Monument, near Custer, SD; Custer State Park, north of Wind Cave National Park; Crazy Horse Memorial, near Custer, SD; The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, SD.
Additional Information
Write Wind Cave National Park, RR 1 Box 190-WCNP, Hot Springs, SD 57747-9430, or call (605) 745-4600.