Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota protects both Wind Cave - a long, complex cave system - and large tracts of mixed-grass prairie in the southern Black Hills region. The cave is famous for its unusual boxwork formations and extensive mapped passageways.

Public cave tours follow established routes that showcase the cave’s honeycombed boxwork and other speleothems, while surface programs focus on prairie ecology and wildlife such as bison and elk. Trails, overlooks and seasonal ranger programs provide access to the park’s upland grasslands and forested areas.

The park was established in 1903 to protect the cave and surrounding landscape, and subsequent exploration and mapping have revealed an extensive underground network that ranks among the world’s longest known caves.

Wind Cave National Park lies in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota, with primary access near the town of Hot Springs and road connections to regional gateways in the Black Hills area.

• Mapped passages: Contains one of the world's longest known cave systems, with well over 140 miles of passages mapped by explorers.
• Boxwork formations: Home to distinctive boxwork cave formations that are locally abundant and a primary reason for the cave's protection and study.

What to See #

• Cave tour routes: Guided cave tours follow established routes through decorated passages to show the cave's characteristic boxwork and other speleothems.
• Prairie and wildlife areas: Surface trails and viewpoints traverse mixed-grass prairie and pine-grassland that support bison, elk and pronghorn in the park.
• Visitor Center: Visitor center offers interpretive exhibits on cave geology, park wildlife and cave safety for tour planning.