Wind Cave National Park guides
11 in-depth guides to Wind Cave National Park, in reading order: what to see, how to get around, and what to know before you go. Back to the Wind Cave National Park overview.
Steady Cave, Changing Prairie: When to Visit
All cave access is by ranger-guided tour, and the cave holds a steady 54 degrees, so going underground makes sense in any season.
The Breathing Cave and Its Natural Entrance
The natural entrance is the spot where the cave appears to breathe, and it is one of the few openings Wind Cave has to the surface.
Boxwork: Wind Cave's Honeycomb Signature
Boxwork is the formation that sets Wind Cave apart. Its calcite blades are thin and cross one another, forming a honeycomb pattern.
Choosing Your Cave Tour at the Visitor Center
Every cave tour at Wind Cave National Park is led by a ranger and departs from the visitor center, so the cave cannot be explored on your own.
Hiking Rankin Ridge and Prairie Vista Trails
Rankin Ridge Trail is a one-mile loop that climbs to the highest point in Wind Cave National Park.
Wind Cave Geology Driving Tour
This self-guided drive takes about 60 to 90 minutes and follows Highway 385, South Dakota Highway 87, and the gravel road called NPS 5 through the park.
Genetically Pure Bison of the Mixed-Grass Prairie
The bison herd at Wind Cave is one of only four free-roaming, genetically pure herds left in North America.
1903: World's First Cave National Park
President Theodore Roosevelt established Wind Cave National Park on January 3, 1903, making it the sixth national park in the United States.
Lakota Emergence Place: Wind Cave's Sacred Story
For the Lakota, this cave marks the spot where their people came up from the underworld. They knew it first as Washun Niya, and it holds the story of Tokahe, who was the first human to step out of the cave.
Camping at Elk Mountain Campground
Elk Mountain Campground is the only campground in Wind Cave National Park, and it sits about half a mile from the visitor center.
Lookout Point and Centennial Trail Loop
The Lookout Point Trail and Centennial Trail Loop links two trails into a single 4.8-mile circuit.
