15 Best Sights in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Entering the park across the north border via Highway 87 is perhaps the most beautiful drive into the park. As you leave behind the grasslands and granite spires of Custer State Park and enter Wind Cave, you see the prairie, forest, and wetland habitats of the backcountry and some of the oldest rock in the Black Hills. The silvery twinkle of mica, quartz, and feldspar crystals dots Rankin Ridge east of Highway 87, and gradually gives way to limestone and sandstone formations.

Known to Native Americans for centuries, Wind Cave was named for the strong air currents that alternately blow in and out of its entrances. The cave’s winds are related to the difference in atmospheric pressure between the cave and the surface. When the atmospheric pressure is higher outside than inside, the air blows in, and vice versa. With more than 150 miles of known passageway divided into three different levels, Wind Cave ranks among the longest in the world. 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, though they are located in the deepest parts of the cave not seen on any tours. All tours are led by National Park Service rangers and leave from the visitor center. These tours allow you to see the unusual and beautiful formations with names such as popcorn, frostwork, and boxwork. The cave remains a steady 54ºF year-round, so wear closed-toe shoes and bring along a jacket or sweater. Tickets are sold at the visitor center and typically sell out two hours before each tour during summer, so plan accordingly. Check out the park website for the different tours, times, and pricing.

Although annual themes and individual program topics vary, nature is always the focus on these seasonally offered adventures held at the visitor center. They're open to children ages 3 to 12, who are divided into groups that participate in age-appropriate activities.

Entering the park from the south on U.S. 385 takes you past Gobbler Ridge and into the hills commonly found in the southern Black Hills region. After a couple of miles, the landscape gently levels onto the Bison Flats, one of the mixed-grass prairies on which the park prides itself. You might see a herd of grazing buffalo (the park has roughly 400 of them) between here and the visitor center. You can also catch panoramic views of the parklands, surrounding hills, and limestone bluffs.

Get away from the crowds for a half day via this strenuous, 2.6-mile (one way) hike. The panorama from the top is well worth it, especially at night. Difficult.

Constructed to celebrate South Dakota's centennial in 1989, this trail bisects the Black Hills, covering 111 miles from north to south, from Bear Butte State Park through Black Hills National Forest, Black Elk Wilderness, Custer State Park, and into Wind Cave National Park. Designed for bikers, hikers, and horses, the trail is rugged but accommodating (note, however, that bicycling on the trail is not allowed within park boundaries). It will take you at least a half day to cover the 6-mile Wind Cave segment. Moderate.

Starting on the west side of U.S. 385, 2 miles south of the visitor center, this 1.4-mile (one way), mildly strenuous hike runs past a former prairie-dog town, the edge of an area burned by a controlled fire in 1986, and through Cold Brook Canyon to the park boundary fence. Experienced hikers can conquer this trail and return to the trailhead in an hour or less, but more leisurely visitors will probably need more time. Moderate.

You don't have to be a camper to use this well-developed picnic spot, with more than 70 tables, fire grates (some of them heightened to accommodate people with disabilities), and restrooms. Some of the tables are on the prairie; others sit amid the pines.

This difficult, roughly 8.6-mile (one way) trail is the longest and most diverse trail within the park, traversing mixed-grass prairies, ponderosa pine forests, and the riparian habitats of Highland Creek, Beaver Creek, and Wind Cave Canyon. Even those in good shape will need a full day to cover this trail round-trip. Difficult.

Kids 12 and younger (and adults too) can earn a Junior Ranger badge by completing activities that teach them about the park's ecosystems, the cave, the animals, and protecting the environment. Pick up the Junior Ranger guidebook for free at the Wind Cave Visitor Center.

Although some of the best panoramic views of the park and surrounding hills can be seen from this 5,013-foot tower, it's typically not staffed or open to the public. Still, if you want to stretch your legs on a car ride along Rankin Ridge Drive, consider following the 1-mile Rankin Ridge loop to the tower and back.

Called the "City of Presidents" because of the life-size bronze statues of U.S. presidents that adorn virtually every downtown street corner, Rapid City is the largest urban center in a 350-mile radius. The city is the area's cultural, educational, medical, and economic hub, and a good base from which to explore the treasures of the state's southwestern corner, including Mount Rushmore (25 miles south) and Wind Cave National Park (50 miles south).

This easy 1.8-mile (one way) trail follows Wind Cave Canyon to the park boundary fence. The canyon, with its steep limestone walls and dead trees, provides the best opportunity in the park for bird-watching. Be especially vigilant for cliff swallows, great horned owls, and red-headed and Lewis woodpeckers. Deer, least chipmunks, and other small animals also are attracted to the sheltered environment of the canyon. Even though you could probably do a round-trip tour of this trail in less than an hour and a half, be sure to spend more time here to observe the wildlife. Easy.

On the edge of a prairie and grove of ponderosa, this is a peaceful, pretty place ¼ mile from the visitor center. Small and simple, it's equipped with 12 tables and a potable-water pump.

The park's sole visitor center is the primary place to get park information and embark on cave tours. Located on top of the cave, it has three exhibit rooms, with displays on cave exploration, Native American culture, and prairie management. The center also hosts ranger programs and has an auditorium that presents the film, Wind Cave, Two Worlds. Other than vending machines, there's no coffee or snacks here or elsewhere in the park.