Wind Cave National Park is a hidden gem located in southwestern South Dakota. It is one of the longest caves in the world with 149 miles of explored passages. One day at Wind Cave National Park will show you most of what Wind Cave has to offer. It got its name from the air that continuously flows through the cave to create a wind-like atmosphere. The cave also has a few small openings to the outside where it “breathes” when the temperature changes and creates a wind.
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History of Wind Cave National Park
No one knows exactly who was the first to discover Wind Cave. The area was first found by Native American tribes but the European settlers were also aware of its existence. The first known discovery of the cave was in 1881 by the Bingham brothers, Tom and Jesse.
The period after that brought about various explorers who continuously explored and developed the cave. February 1892 saw the first paid visitors to the cave. Finally, on January 3, 1903, the area became Wind Cave National Park. It is one of seven cave National Park sites.
Best Time to Visit Wind Cave National Park
Anytime of the year is a great time to visit Wind Cave National Park. The cave remains in the 50s all year long. If you choose to visit in the wintertime, keep in mind that the ground may be covered in snow, making it more difficult to drive in. During the summer months, the outside temperature may also be hot and humid.
How to Get to Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park is located near Cuter, South Dakota. The closest major airport is Rapid City Regional Airport. You could also opt to fly into Denver as the flights are quite a bit cheaper and then drive up to Custer or Rapid City.
Transportation Around Wind Cave National Park
You will need a car to get around during your one day at Wind Cave National Park. I recommend getting a car from Autoslash as I always find the best prices there.
Hours and Admission
The Wind Cave Visitor’s Center is open from 8am-4:30pm. The rest of the park is open all day. It does not cost anything to get into the park, but you will have to pay $10-$12 a person to take a tour of the cave. Unfortunately, the America the Beautiful Pass does not cover the price of a cave tour.
Where to Stay at Wind Cave National Park
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best National Park hotels here!
The closest town to Wind Cave National Park is Hot Springs, South Dakota. This small town contains a few smaller budget places to stay and a few places to eat. If you want a larger town to base yourself in, opt to stay in Rapid City. This will make a great base to explore all the National Park sites in the area. Custer is also pretty close to Wind Cave National Park, but it can be a bit pricey to stay in. We opted to stay at the Hampton Inn Rapid City.
What to See During One Day at Wind Cave National Park
Day 1
Take a Cave Tour
The best thing to do during one day at Wind Cave National Park is to take a cave tour. This enables you to see the unique interior of the cave. Wind Cave National Park offers four different main cave tours: The Natural Entrance Tour, the Garden of Eden Tour, the Fairground Tour, and the Candlelight Tour. Unlike Carlsbad Caverns National Park, you cannot take a self-guided tour. In order to see the inside of the cave, you must be on a ranger-led tour.
Right now, you have to get to the Visitor’s Center in the morning to get tickets for the tours. The tickets are available on a first-come first serve basis, so make sure to get their early to get tickets. We got there about 7:30am and were able to get tickets for later in the afternoon.
Natural Entrance Tour
During our one day at Wind Cave National Park, we opted for the Natural Entrance Tour as it took you through the main parts of the cave. It cost $12. The tour includes about 300 stairs and ⅔ of a mile of walking.
Visitors entered through a man made entrance near the natural entrance of the cave and tour the middle level of the cave. You will see a lot of the boxwork of the cave on this tour. It lasts a little over an hour. At the end of the tour, you will exit via elevator back into the Visitor’s Center. I highly recommend this tour as it was the perfect way to see lots of the features in the cave.
Other Cave Tours
The Garden of Eden Tour is the least strenuous tour with a ⅓ of a mile of walking and 150 steps. This $10 tour lasts just under and hour and allows visitors to see some features of the cave.
The Fairground Tour costs $12 and lasts 1.5 hours. It showcases both the upper and middle levels of the cave. It includes a ⅔ mile of walking and 450 steps. Unfortunately, it is only available during the summer months or I would have chosen this your to go on.
The Candlelight Tour is also limited to the summer months and 10 people. You get to explore a less developed area of the cave by candlelight. This tour also costs $12.
If up for a more challenging tour, opt for the Wild Cave Tour. This one can be booked ahead of time online for $30, but it is a more strenuous tour offered only in the summer months. The tour is 4 hours long and limited to 10 people. It teaches you about caving and you will descend into some different parts of the cave.
Drive around the Park
When spending one day at Wind Cave National Park, you also must drive around the park. Be on the lookout for animals around the park, especially on the road that leads to Custer State Park. Along this route, we saw so many Bison, it blocked the road and we could not get past them for a while.
Go for a Hike
Another option when spending one day at Wind Cave National Park is to go for a hike. The park offers 30 miles of hiking trails that wind through the prairie and forest. You can check out the hiking options here. Like Badlands National Park, Wind Cave has an open hiking policy which means you do not have to stick to the trails. Just make sure to bring plenty of water and a map with you if you choose to go off trail.
Where to Eat near Wind Cave National Park
There is no place to get food within the park, but the nearby town of Hot Springs has a few decent options. I recommend going to Woolly’s. They have a delicious menu with a salad and side bar. You could also opt to drive to the other nearby town of Custer. Here, opt to eat at Maria’s Mexican. There is both a restaurant and food truck and they had pretty good tacos!
Tips for Spending One Day at Wind Cave National Park
- Make sure to bring a warmer jacket as the cave stays in the 50s all year long.
- Wear closed toed shoes so you have good traction and do not slip in the cave.
- Bring food with you if you do not want to leave the park, but you can drive 10 minutes to Hot Springs for a few options.
One Day at Wind Cave National Park is the perfect amount of time to explore what the park has to offer. If you opt to only do a cave tour, you can also choose to head to nearby Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Crazy Horse. You can easily add these in during the day. If you have more than one day, spend a day at Custer State Park or Badlands National Park. We opted to go get our tickets in the morning, go explore the other sites in the area, and then return for our afternoon tour.
