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Wind Cave Review

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All South Dakota National Parks

Wind Cave

Address: U.S. 385 to Wind Cave Visitor Center, Wind Cave National Park, SD

Category: Cave
Location: Wind Cave National Park

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Fodor's Review:

Discovered by the Bingham brothers in 1881, Wind Cave was named for the strong currents of air that blow in or out of the entrance. This is related to the difference in atmospheric pressure between the cave and the surface. When the atmospheric pressure is higher outside than inside the cave, the air blows in, and vice versa. With more than 100 mi of known passageway divided into three different levels, Wind Cave ranks as the sixth longest worldwide. It's host to an incredibly diverse collection of geologic formations, including more boxwork than any other known cave, plus a series of underground lakes. The cave tours sponsored by the National Park Service allow you to see examples of unusual and beautiful formations with names such as button popcorn, starburst, Christmas trees, frostwork, nail quartz, helictite bushes, and gypsum flowers.

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