Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park protects two very different worlds - one deep within the earth, the other a sunlit world of many resources. Bison, elk, and other wildlife roam the rolling prairie grasslands and forested hillsides of one of America's oldest national parks. Below the remnant island of intact prairie sits Wind Cave, one of the longest and most complex caves in the world.
Wind Cave National Park is located in South Dakota about 11 miles north of Hot Springs, or about 22 miles south of Custer, on US Highway 385. The park Visitor Center, where all cave tours begin, is approximately 1/2 mile west of the highway.
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Caving
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Architecture and Building
- Farming and Agriculture
- Ranches
- Native American Heritage
- Transportation
- Bridges
- Westward Expansion
- Homesteading
- Animals
- Alligators or Crocodiles
- Birds
- Bison
- Cats (wild)
- Elk
- Fish
- Wolves
- Caves, Caverns and Karst
- Fire
- Forests and Woodlands
- Coniferous Forests
- Fossils and Paleontology
- Geology
- Groundwater
- Aquifers
- Grasslands
- Prairies
- Night Sky
- Astronomy
- Scenic Views
- Trails
- Unique Species
- Endangered
Bison cow and calf
Several hundred bison roam the rolling prairie of Wind Cave National Park.
Rankin Ridge view
Wind Cave National Park from Rankin Ridge, the park's highest point.
Boxwork
Delicate fins of boxwork, a rare cave feature, in Elk's Room, Wind Cave.
Wind Cave explorer
Each summer, the Wild Cave Tour offers the chance to get up close and personal with Wind Cave.
Prairie Dogs
Prairie dog sightings are common throughout the park's prairies.