Black Hills, SD - Jewel Cave or Wind Cave
 

We'll be heading to the Black Hills area next July and would appreciate your opinions on which cave is better: Jewel Cave National Monument or Wind Cave National Park.

Did you take any special tours?

Thank you.

We were wondering about this also. We're going to be in the Black Hill around the same time frame. Any other suggestions of activities not be missed would be appreciated.

We went to Jewel Cave several years ago. Took the candlelight tour, which was kinda neat cause you carried a bucket with a candle in it and that was the only light you had. This particular tour didn't have a lot of the "colorful" parts of the cave, which was a bit disappointing, but I think the regular tour does have some better stuff to look at. There is also a spelunking tour which is a bit more coslty and for those who want more adventure and tighter spaces. .

My wife an I spent few days in the hills. A lot of tourist traps, but they can be fun. See a sunset int he Badlands, definitely. Check out Deadwood, touristy, but fun and interesting. Drive through Custer State Park - many bison and pronghorn to be seen. Are you going with kids?

We went to both -- did the standard tour in Wind & the Lantern tour in Jewel. Very enjoyable!

We'll be traveling with 3 teenage boys so in our case I guess we're looking for more adventure and less kitschy than the "typical tourist" trap type places.

Spend some time hiking then to really get a feel for the Black Hills. The "destinations" there are very touristy. I enjoyed some, but you know what I mean. We camped in the backcountry of the Badlands for one night, if they want an adventure, that is fun! You can camp anywhere you'd like there (bring a GPS if walking any significant distance). The coyotes woke us with their howls at night and in the morning we opened our tent to find a bison standing guard, not 15 feet away.

uh oh--hearing about a big boycott of SD in the upcoming tourist season.

What is the boycott about?

Our group will have kids: 18 mos. 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 18(x3). I'm not sure how to classify my 20 year old son. He behaves like an adult but will probably hand with the teens.