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Watch Wind Cave Wildlife - Wind Cave National Park

three bison walk down the highway next to a sign reading: large wildlife on road next 13 miles
Wildlife Watching

Watch Wind Cave Wildlife

Wind Cave National Park
Spring · Summer · Fall · Winter
Pets: No
Fees: No

Visitor Dashboard

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.

About this activity

View some of North America's most iconic wildlife while enjoying Black Hills scenery. Wind Cave's combination of prairie and forest ecosystems allows visitors to view a number of animals in their natural environment.

Wind Cave National Park is one of the smallest parks at over 33,000 acres. As small as it is, there is a remarkable variety of wildlife here and being able watch animals in their natural habitat is an amazing experience. Because of the park's diverse wildlife, one of the most commonly asked questions is "where are the animals?" The answer to that can be very complicated.

Each section below tells you the best places to see specific animals in the park. Be aware that wildlife has free roam of the park and will not always be found in the same place. Animals change their behavior depending on the time of the year and weather.

Activity details

Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Time of day
Day, Night, Dawn, Dusk
Pets
No
Fees
No
Accessibility

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Access requirement information

Not available

No additional access requirement details are available from the provider.

Official website

Official access information supplied by the provider for this activity. Requirements and availability may change, so always verify the latest details on the official website.
Visit official website

Weather forecast

Check the weather forecast before planning this activity.
Tonight
52°F11°C
Mostly Clear
NW 10 mph16 km/h
Sunday
65°F18°C
Sunny
N 11 mph18 km/h
Sunday Night
44°F7°C
Mostly Clear
NE 9 mph14 km/h
Monday
59°F15°C
Sunny
E 7 mph10 km/h
Monday Night
47°F8°C
Mostly Clear
N 4 mph6 km/h
Tuesday
72°F22°C
Sunny
SW 8 mph13 km/h
Forecast data provided by the National Weather Service.
Last updated: Oct 17, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Official forecast
Forecasts can change and local conditions may vary. Check official weather alerts and park guidance before your visit.

More weather details

Tonight
52°F11°C
Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Northwest wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

NW 10 mph16 km/h
Sunday
65°F18°C
Sunny

Sunny. High near 65, with temperatures falling to around 62 in the afternoon. North wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

N 11 mph18 km/h
Sunday Night
44°F7°C
Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 44. Northeast wind 6 to 12 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

NE 9 mph14 km/h
Monday
59°F15°C
Sunny

Sunny. High near 59, with temperatures falling to around 55 in the afternoon. East wind 5 to 8 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.

E 7 mph10 km/h
Monday Night
47°F8°C
Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 47. North wind 2 to 6 mph.

N 4 mph6 km/h
Tuesday
72°F22°C
Sunny

Sunny. High near 72, with temperatures falling to around 67 in the afternoon. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

SW 8 mph13 km/h
Tuesday Night
51°F11°C
Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 51.

W 6 mph10 km/h
Wednesday
68°F20°C
Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 68.

NE 4 mph6 km/h
Wednesday Night
51°F11°C
Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 51.

N 5 mph8 km/h Rain: 1%
Thursday
74°F23°C
Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.

SW 7 mph10 km/h Rain: 3%
Thursday Night
56°F13°C
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain

A slight chance of rain after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.

SW 6 mph10 km/h Rain: 17%
Friday
72°F22°C
Slight Chance Light Rain

A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 72.

W 10 mph15 km/h Rain: 17%
Friday Night
53°F12°C
Chance Light Rain

A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

W 11 mph18 km/h Rain: 45%
Saturday
59°F15°C
Chance Light Rain

A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 59.

NW 13 mph21 km/h Rain: 40%

Disclaimer

Check the weather forecast before planning this activity.

Weather, wind, precipitation and temperature can vary by location and time. Prepare appropriate clothing and equipment and check official alerts and park guidance.

Forecasts can change and local conditions may vary. Check official weather alerts and park guidance before your visit.

Location and map

View this park in your preferred navigation app for directions and nearby places.

More Things To Do at Wind Cave National Park

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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.

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