Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota, USA - map, photos and visitor information

Wind Cave National Park combines a cave system with prairie and ponderosa pine forest in South Dakota's Black Hills. You can explore the surface without an entrance fee, but going underground requires a ranger-led tour. Plan those two parts separately so a full tour schedule does not leave you without a way to enjoy the park.

Highlights above and below Wind Cave

• Cave formations: guided routes introduce boxwork and other features below the prairie.
• Wildlife viewing: watch for bison, elk, pronghorn, and prairie dogs while giving animals plenty of space.
• Prairie Vista: take a short loop from the visitor-center area through grassland.
• Rankin Ridge: walk a hilltop loop for wider Black Hills views, with separate parking restrictions for larger vehicles.

Prepare for cave tours and prairie walks

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Cave footing and wildlife distance

Standard cave routes include stairs, low ceilings, and dim or slippery sections. Wear shoes with reliable traction and bring a jacket: the cave stays near 54°F (12°C). Use restrooms before the tour because there are none underground.

On the surface, stay at least 25 yards from wildlife and give bison substantially more room. Do not feed prairie dogs or other animals. Carry water for hikes, watch for ticks and poison ivy, and check the forecast for thunderstorms or winter road hazards.

Protect cave formations and prairie habitat

Keep hands off cave walls and formations, stay on the tour route, and leave rocks and artifacts in place. Check the tour's prohibited-item list before lining up; bags, food, and drinks, including water, cannot go underground.

Pets may use the grassy visitor-center area, Elk Mountain Campground, Prairie Vista Trail, and Elk Mountain Campground Trail. They cannot use other trails, the backcountry, public buildings, or cave tours. Keep pets attended on a leash no longer than 6 feet and remove their waste.

Book a cave tour or arrange camping

There is no self-guided cave entry. Selected tours can be booked on Recreation.gov, generally from 120 days until two days ahead. Some tickets remain for same-day sales, but can sell out early. Use the current guided-tour instructions for schedules and booking options.

Elk Mountain Campground uses advance reservations from late May through September. At other times, sites use first-come arrangements through Recreation.gov. Confirm the seasonal procedure before occupying a site. Backcountry camping requires a free permit from the visitor-center desk.

Finding the visitor center near Hot Springs

The visitor center is approximately 11 miles north of Hot Springs, about half a mile west of US Highway 385. Follow signs for the visitor center once inside the park. NPS warns that some GPS results incorrectly place it farther north on South Dakota Highway 87.

Use the official driving directions and obtain a park map before hiking. No public transport serves the park. Rapid City is the nearest commercial-airport gateway.

Nearby parks for a Black Hills trip

• Custer State Park: directly north of Wind Cave, with a connecting approach on South Dakota Highway 87.
• Badlands National Park: a longer regional addition east of Rapid City. Its northern entrances connect with I-90 and Highway 240; Highway 44 offers another approach toward Interior.

Compare cave routes and surface walks

Garden of Eden covers about a quarter-mile with 150 stairs. Fairgrounds covers about two-thirds of a mile with 450 stairs. An elevator at the start and end of these routes does not remove the stairs within them. Choose according to the route's demands.

For a shorter surface outing, Prairie Vista makes an approximately 1-mile loop from the visitor center or nearby picnic area. The 1-mile Rankin Ridge loop offers a higher viewpoint, but the fire tower is closed to visitors. RVs and trailers cannot use its trailhead parking; ask about the alternative parking arrangement.

Scenic driving and quiet observation are worthwhile parts of a surface visit. Wildlife can enter the road, particularly in poor light. Stop only where you can do so safely without crowding an animal.

Visitor services, camping, and accessible options

The visitor center has exhibits, a captioned film, and wheelchair access between levels by elevator. A ramp and sidewalk also provide an approach to the cave's natural entrance. Visiting that opening is different from joining an underground tour.

The approximately half-hour Accessible Tour uses an elevator and visits a limited cave area. Call the visitor center on the day or up to three days ahead to arrange it. Accessible parking is at the elevator building. Check the accessibility information for mobility, hearing, and vision arrangements.

Elk Mountain is the only developed campground. It has two designated wheelchair-accessible sites, and drinking water and flush restrooms operate in summer. Confirm services and carry drinking water.

There are no hotels, restaurants, groceries, or fuel services inside the park. Hot Springs and Custer provide these outside. The eating and sleeping information explains campground seasons and nearby service areas.

About Wind Cave National Park

A place with enduring cultural meaning

Native peoples' connections with the Black Hills long predate modern cave exploration. Wind Cave holds particular importance in the Lakota emergence story. The park also interprets exploration, ranching, and Civilian Conservation Corps work, placing the cave within a wider human landscape.

Prairie wildlife and restoration

Bison, elk, and pronghorn were reintroduced following the establishment of the Wind Cave National Game Preserve in 1912. Prairie dogs and the reintroduced black-footed ferret are also part of the park's wildlife story. Seeing an animal is never guaranteed, and observation should leave its behavior undisturbed.

Contact Wind Cave National Park

Call 605-745-4600 for visitor information, tour questions, and current conditions. The park address is 26611 US Highway 385, Hot Springs, SD 57747-6027.