Best time to visit Wind Cave National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Wind Cave National Park: August–September. Daily highs run about 75–80°F, with about 70% of July's visitors.
Hardest months: December–March, mostly because of cold weather.
How we picked these months: each month is scored on daily highs (65–82°F is ideal), rain, snow and seasonal closures, then reduced by up to 30% for crowds, measured against the park's busiest month. We list the months within 15% of the top score (at most 5).
Weather and crowds by month
Wind Cave National Park month by month
Park-wide averages. Crowds compare each month with the park's busiest month: Quiet is under 35% of it, Moderate under 60%, Busy under 85%, Peak above that.
| Month | Rating | High / low | Rain | Snow | Crowds | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | 38° / 20°F | 0.1 in | 3.6 in | Quiet | – |
| February | Poor | 35° / 15°F | 0.1 in | 6.1 in | Quiet | – |
| March | Poor | 47° / 25°F | 0.5 in | 7.7 in | Quiet | – |
| April | Fair | 55° / 32°F | 1.4 in | 7.5 in | Quiet | – |
| May | Good | 64° / 43°F | 3.5 in | 3.7 in | Moderate | – |
| June | Fair | 77° / 56°F | 3.8 in | – | Busy | – |
| July | Good | 84° / 61°F | 1.7 in | – | Peak | – |
| August | Best | 81° / 59°F | 1.9 in | – | Busy | – |
| September | Best | 74° / 52°F | 1.5 in | – | Busy | – |
| October | Good | 58° / 38°F | 1.2 in | 2.2 in | Quiet | – |
| November | Poor | 47° / 28°F | 0.2 in | 3.3 in | Quiet | – |
| December | Poor | 37° / 21°F | 0.1 in | 5.5 in | Quiet | – |
Wind Cave National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a mixed time to visit Wind Cave National Park. Daily highs average 47–64°F and lows 25–43°F. Expect about 1.8 in of rain a month and 6.3 in of snow, with up to 2 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 15–55% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a good time to visit Wind Cave National Park. Daily highs average 77–84°F and lows 56–61°F. Expect about 2.4 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 79–100% of the busiest month, which is peak by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is a good time to visit Wind Cave National Park. Daily highs average 47–74°F and lows 28–52°F. Expect about 0.9 in of rain a month and 1.9 in of snow, with up to 1 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 12–64% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a difficult time to visit Wind Cave National Park. Daily highs average 35–38°F and lows 15–21°F. Expect about 0.1 in of rain a month and 5.1 in of snow, with up to 2 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 9–10% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards.
For what to do in each season, see our guides to trip planning, fees and hours, trails and camping, where the planning page also has our written advice on when to go. In-depth topic guides cover individual places and hikes.
What the National Park Service says about the weather
Spring: Highs range from 50-70°F with highly variable weather. Spring is the park's wettest season. Summer: Hot and generally dry with daytime temperatures regularly exceeding 80°F (27°C). Strong thunderstorms are common and can produce large hail and lightning. Fall: Generally dry with warm days and cool nights. Highs 50-60°F. Lows below freezing are common. Winter: Highs are in the high 30s with lows around 10°F. Snowfall averages 30 inches annually, periodically closing park roads.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 1 location. Modeled grid cells can read cooler than weather stations in deep canyons and deserts, and warmer or colder at high elevation. Visits: monthly recreation visits for 2021-2024, National Park Service.
