Now is your chance to visit Wind Cave National Park before underground tours close

Wind Cave National Park recently announced that it will temporarily suspend underground tours from May 1 through November 1, 2024.

The closure will allow the park to modernize its elevator system which provides approximately 130,000 visitors access to the cave annually. Currently, it features parts fabricated as early as the 1930s. This project is the system’s first complete rebuild since the national park’s establishment in 1903.

As its name implies, Wind Cave is a key draw to the Hot Springs, South Dakota destination. But the park also offers above-ground attractions, including hiking trails and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Additionally, rangers will offer a virtual presentation of the Natural Entrance tour route this summer. However, even its impressive 3D scanning technology can’t quite live up to the real thing.

If you can swing a trip before construction starts, here’s how to plan an underground tour and make the most of your visit to this United States National Park:

Underground Tours at Wind Cave National Park

Boxwork sticking out from the walls and ceilings at Wind Cave National Park — *According to the* *USGS, Wind Cave contains more boxwork than all other caves on Earth combined*

Wind Cave National Park will provide four types of underground tours between now and April 30. All but Accessibility Tours can be booked in advance via recreation.gov.

Around half of daily tour tickets can be purchased the day of from the park’s visitor center. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis and often sell out 1-2 hours before tours take place.

While the park does not charge an entrance fee, tour tickets range from $6 – $16 per adult and $3 – $8 per child or senior. Only digital payments and credit/debit cards are accepted.

Tour options cater to varying abilities and interests. These include:

Garden of Eden Tour

Lights along the route point to various cave formations at Wind Cave National Park — *Lights along the route point to various cave formations*

This one-hour tour is the park’s least strenuous option, best for those with limited time or abilities. It spans a ¼-mile and features 150 stairs, along with the opportunity to see boxwork, frostwork, flowstone, and cave popcorn.

The Garden of Eden Tour is available at these times and dates:

10 am and 3 pm through April 6
11:30 am and 3:30 pm on April 7 through April 20
10 am on April 21 through April 30

Natural Entrance Tour

This family-friendly tour is 1 hour and 15 minutes in length. Participants walk a ⅔-mile route down 300 stairs and exit via the park’s elevator. Expect to see cave popcorn and an abundance of the park’s unique boxwork formations.

The Natural Entrance Tour will be hosted at:

9 am, 11:30 am, and 1 pm on April 21 through April 30

Fairgrounds Tour

Cave Popcorn protruding from the walls at Wind Cave National Park — *Cave popcorn is one of several features seen within Wind Cave*

Views that span multiple stories at Wind Cave National Park — *Views span multiple stories — notice the people pictured below*

This 90-minute tour is the park’s most strenuous option. The route features 450 stairs, including an ascent up an 89-step flight. Plan to walk ⅔-mile between the upper and middle levels of the cave. Boxwork, frostwork, and cave popcorn are visible along the way.

The Fairgrounds Tour is available at:

1 pm through April 6
9:30 am and 1:30 pm on April 7 through April 20

Accessibility Tour

This 30-minute tour is best suited for those with limited mobility. Elevators provide wheelchair access to the park’s signature boxwork formations.

Accessibility Tours are scheduled for:

10:30 am and 2:30 pm on April 21 through April 30

Other Recreational Activities at Wind Cave National Park

Hiking Trails and Wildlife

A herd of Bison in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota amidst lush greeneries — *Views are equally as stunning above ground*

Above ground, Wind Cave National Park is a rolling mixed-grass prairie with ponderosa pine forests. More than 30 miles of hiking trails meander the hills and offer incredible wildlife viewing opportunities.

Easy options include Prairie Vista Trail and Elk Mountain Campground Trail. Both are roughly 1 mile round-trip and unlike all other trails in the park, they’re pet-friendly.

The moderate Cold Brook Canyon trail crosses a prairie dog town along its 2.8-mile route. Meanwhile, the difficult 5.2-mile Boland Ridge allows hikers to watch elk graze in the morning and evening hours.

Wind Cave National Park also allows off-trail hiking. However, doing so requires proper equipment, navigational skills, and awareness of large wildlife including bison and mountain lions.

Additional Amenities and Programming

The Wind Cave National Park sign in South Dakota — *New exhibits will be featured at the visitor center this summer (photo: Michael Gordon / Shutterstock)*

Wind Cave National Park offers RV and tent camping at the 62-site Elk Mountain Campground.

Campsites are first-come, first-served now through May 19. Reservations through September 30 are available on recreation.gov. Backcountry camping is also available with a free permit from the visitor center.

Rangers also offer various programs, including guided stargazing hikes from June 6 to August 26. Additionally, the park offers Junior Ranger programming and “Adventures in Nature” sessions for children ages 4 to 10.

New exhibits are also being installed at the visitor center, including a prairie diorama, a walk-through cave, and other interactive stations.