National Park
Wind Cave National Park
South Dakota
United States
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Wind Cave National Park | Cave Tours & Travel Guide
Current park status
9 active alerts
Current park status
9 active alerts
Information
Natural Entrance Tour Route Closes For Season October 1, 2026
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The Natural Entrance Tour Route will be closed for the season beginning October 1st, 2026. The Garden of Eden, Fairgrounds, and Accessibility Tour Routes remain available. This annual closure will last through the winter season.
Information
Cave Tours Will Resume on September 13, 2026
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Cave tours will resume staring at 12:00 pm mountain time. Tickets for September 13th will be available first come, first served in person only. Reservations made through Recreation.gov for tours beginning on Monday, September 14th, will be honored.
Park Closure
Tours Suspended Due To Emergency Phone System Outage
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All tours Saturday, September 12th, have been suspended due to an emergency phone system outage. This outage has affected all phone lines inside the cave and inside the elevator system, preventing emergency calls to the surface should an incident occur. Once emergency phone service is restored, tours will resume with tickets available on a first-come-first-served basis at the visitor center. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to ensure the safety of our cave tours.
Information
Wind Cave Tour Have Resumed
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As of Saturday, September 12th, guided cave tours have resumed.
Park Closure
All Cave Tours Suspended Beginning Thursday, September 10th, 2026
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As of Thursday, September 10th, all cave tours are suspended until further notice while work is conducted on the elevator system. Cave tour reservations purchased during the closure will be automatically refunded.
Caution
Temporary Emergency Fire Closure
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Open fires of any kind, including charcoal fires, are prohibited until conditions improve. Smoking is prohibited except for in vehicles or buildings where indicated. Use of gas stoves is permitted in areas that are clear of flammable materials.
Park Closure
Wind Cave Canyon Trail Closed for Repair and Improvement
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Wind Cave Canyon Trail is closed so that the trail and adjoining road can be repaired from frequent washouts. Sixteen low water crossings will be hardened and the road resurfaced. The trail could be closed for several weeks. This closure does not affect any cave tours.
Information
Centennial Trailhead Parking
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Reminder: Overnight parking without a camping permit is prohibited. Permits are not issued specifically for parking. Shuttles are available in the Black Hills for through hikers on the Centennial Trail.
Information
Wind Cave moves to cashless fee collection
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Payments for cave tours, campground fees, as well as Interagency Passes at Wind Cave National Park, will be by credit/ debit cards or digital payments only. Cash and check payments will no longer be accepted.
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National Park
Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park offers two remarkably different worlds in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota. Beneath the surface lies an extensive cave system filled with unusual formations and narrow passages, while above ground a landscape of mixed-grass prairie, rolling hills, and ponderosa pine forest provides habitat for bison, elk, prairie dogs, and other wildlife.
Exploring Wind Cave itself is the centerpiece of many visits. The cave is especially known for boxwork, a delicate honeycomb-like formation that appears throughout large sections of the underground system. Visitors can enter the cave only on ranger-guided tours, with several tour options providing different levels of difficulty and opportunities to discover its geology and history.
The landscape above the cave deserves just as much attention. More than 30 miles of hiking trails cross prairie, forest, ridges, and creek valleys. Rankin Ridge provides panoramic views across the southern Black Hills, while longer trails offer opportunities to experience quieter areas of the park.
Wildlife watching is one of the best things to do in Wind Cave National Park. Bison roam freely across the prairie, and visitors may also encounter elk, pronghorn, mule deer, prairie dogs, coyotes, and many species of birds. Scenic drives along U.S. Highway 385 and South Dakota Highway 87 provide additional opportunities to experience the landscape.
Camping, photography, backcountry hiking, ranger programs, birdwatching, and stargazing offer more ways to explore beyond a cave tour. The park also combines naturally with Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, and other Black Hills destinations.
Traditional lodging is not available inside Wind Cave National Park. Nearby Hot Springs and Custer provide hotels, cabins, restaurants, and other visitor services.
Whether you come to explore underground passages, watch bison on the prairie, hike through the Black Hills, or add Wind Cave to a larger South Dakota road trip, allowing time for both the cave and the surface reveals what makes this national park unique.
Things To Do
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Guided Experiences
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Popular Experiences
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Weather forecast
Plan your visit with the latest weather forecast for this park.
Tonight
57°F14°C
Mostly Cloudy
NW 5 mph8 km/h Rain: 14%
Tuesday
71°F22°C
Mostly Cloudy
NE 5 mph8 km/h Rain: 7%
Tuesday Night
53°F12°C
Partly Cloudy
W 6 mph10 km/h Rain: 4%
Wednesday
75°F24°C
Mostly Sunny
N 9 mph14 km/h
Wednesday Night
52°F11°C
Mostly Cloudy
NE 9 mph14 km/h Rain: 1%
Thursday
63°F17°C
Mostly Sunny
E 8 mph12 km/h Rain: 3%
Forecasts can change and local conditions may vary. Check official weather alerts and park guidance before your visit.
Location and map
Things To Buy
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Directions
Wind Cave National Park is located in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota, between Hot Springs and Custer. The Wind Cave Visitor Center is approximately 11 miles north of Hot Springs and about half a mile west of U.S. Highway 385.
From Rapid City, travelers can drive south on South Dakota Highway 79 toward Hot Springs before connecting with U.S. Highway 385 north into the park. Another scenic approach travels through the Black Hills and Custer, with Wind Cave located approximately 20 miles south of Custer along Highway 385.
Visitors coming from Custer State Park can enter Wind Cave using South Dakota Highway 87. Rapid City has the nearest commercial airport, while a rental car provides the greatest flexibility for exploring the Black Hills.
Do not rely on GPS to locate the Wind Cave Visitor Center. Navigation systems may direct travelers to an incorrect location. Follow U.S. Highway 385 and official park signs instead. All cave tours depart from the visitor center, making it the best destination for first-time visitors.
Climate
Wind Cave National Park has a semi-arid climate with warm summers, cold winters, and rapidly changing weather across the southern Black Hills. Conditions above ground vary considerably by season, while the temperature inside Wind Cave remains remarkably constant throughout the year.
Summer days are generally warm, with July high temperatures averaging around 89°F and much cooler evenings. June and July can also bring severe thunderstorms with lightning, large hail, heavy rain, and occasional flash flooding.
Spring and fall are highly variable, ranging from warm sunshine to cool, rainy, or windy conditions. Winter is colder, with January daytime highs averaging around 37°F. Snow is common, and severe winter weather can temporarily affect roads.
Inside the cave, temperatures remain around 54°F year-round regardless of outside conditions. A light jacket or sweatshirt is therefore recommended even during hot summer weather.
For hiking and wildlife watching, check the surface forecast before setting out. For a cave tour, prepare for cool temperatures and wear appropriate walking shoes.
Information & Disclaimer
National Parks Explorer strives to present accurate and up-to-date information collected from official and trusted sources, including the National Park Service. While we make every effort to keep this information current, information may be incomplete, inaccurate, outdated or subject to change without prior notice, including access requirements, permits, reservations, operating hours, alerts, fees, road and trail conditions, weather and other visitor information.