wind cave national park tour fees

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Last updated: August 13, 2024

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26611 US Highway 385 Hot Springs, SD 57747

605 745-4600

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• SOUTH DAKOTA

Wind Cave National Park things to do in a half day + Wind Cave tours 🌞 South Dakota travel blog

As you can imagine, THE thing to do at Wind Cave National Park is to go underground and inside Wind Cave!

Wind Cave National Park is one of the official national parks in South Dakota .

It’s also one of the caves in South Dakota that is managed by the National Park Service.

It can be reasonable for people to visit Wind Cave as a day trip from some many of the best places to visit in South Dakota , like from Custer State Park , Mount Rushmore National Memorial , and Rapid City SD.

Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park directly connect. (Stay at a camping cabin in Custer State Park and make a day trip to Wind Cave!)

And although it gets a little further away, you could even make it a day trip from Badlands National Park .

If you are driving from the Badlands to Yellowstone National Park , you can make a detour to spend a few days in the Black Hills of South Dakota. And during that time, you can also go to Wind Cave.

Wind Cave is on the southern side of the Black Hills.

Can you go inside Wind Cave without a tour?

So one of the most important things to know about Wind Cave is that you cannot go inside Wind Cave without a guided tour.

You cannot go inside Wind Cave on your own.

So in order to see inside Wind Cave, you must sign up for a Wind Cave tour ! Your tour guide will be a national park ranger.

In order to make a trip to Wind Cave really worth it, you need to do a cave tour. Yes, it is a cool experience to walk inside Wind Cave!

And then the other important thing to know is that Wind Cave tours do sell out.

So planning is required!

In summer 2021, the only way to buy the Wind Cave tour tickets was to show up at the Wind Cave visitor center.

But this can always change, so it’s important to check for updated Wind Cave ticket info from the National Park Service website .

You may also try calling the Wind Cave visitor center to speak with a park ranger to ask about the likelihood of Wind Cave tours filling up.

This can give you an idea of how to plan your day.

The listed phone number for the Wind Cave visitor center is 605-745-4600.

More below about making a trip to Wind Cave!

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2 of the best things to do in Wind Cave National Park

You can do these things with a few hours or half day in Wind Cave National Park… or less!

1. Walk inside Wind Cave

• for women: hiking shorts | for men: hiking shorts
• for women: hiking pants | for men: hiking pants
• capris for women
• hiking/walking/travel sandals: for women | for men
• hiking shoes: for women | for men
• When you fly: If you have an iphone, you can put an airtag tracker in your luggage so you can better keep track of it! Buy just one , or buy a pack of 4 . (Read the reviews !) This also makes a good travel gift !

The specific cave tours that are offered at Wind Cave when you are there will depend on cave access at that time.

When I went to Wind Cave in August 2021, there was a broken elevator and this meant that not all cave tours were offered. (It was a similar situation at Jewel Cave !)

But there was one cave tour that was offered, so I did that one. It was the Natural Entrance cave tour.

Out of the 3 Wind Cave tours that were listed in summer 2021 when I went, my preferred cave tour would have been the Fairgrounds cave tour .

For 2022, another cave tour seems like it might be offered. The Candlelight cave tour also looks like one I might have chosen if I had the chance!

If you find yourself with time before the start of your Wind Cave tour, you can also have a walk through the visitor center to learn more about Wind Cave!

2. Walk from the Wind Cave Visitor Center to see the Wind Cave natural entrance

It is called the “natural entrance” of Wind Cave as this is the “natural” cave opening from the outside, as opposed to other man-made cave opening for some cave tours.

You can see the Wind Cave natural entrance on your own without a tour.

You will not see much, but it is considered significant as one of the few natural entrances of Wind Cave.

It’s also said to be a largest natural entrance to Wind Cave… but it is not that large! The National Park Service says it’s 10 inches wide!

If you get up close to this Wind Cave entrance, you can feel the breeze (the WIND!) coming from the hole!

This Wind Cave natural entrance is located near the Wind Cave Visitor Center. You’ll want through the visitor center and exit through another door down the stairs to get to it. When you’re at the visitor center, you can ask the park ranger about it for more specific directions . You can get to it by going around the visitor center too.

If you will be doing the natural entrance cave tour, then you will see the natural entrance. The cave tour will make a stop at the natural entrance.

And then also if you want to make even more time…

Wind Cave National Park above ground: Hiking in Wind Cave National Park

Hike in Wind Cave National Park for a chance to see wildlife!

Hiking to see buffalo in Wind Cave National Park

There are buffalo in Wind Cave National Park.

Whether or not you can see buffalo when you are in Wind Cave National Park may have a little to do with luck since buffalo are free to do what they want!

But I saw buffalo while hiking the Cold Brook Canyon Trail, the Centennial Trail, and the East Bison Flats Trail. 

Hiking to a prairie dog town in Wind Cave National Park

You have a better guarantee of seeing prairie dogs in prairie dog towns since these “towns” in a specific area are their home!

You will know you have reached the prairie dog town because you will see lots of mounds of dirt.

There was a prairie dog town along the Cold Brook Canyon Trail, and I saw several prairie dogs there.

Camping in Wind Cave National Park

If you are making it a camping trip in South Dakota , then you can go camping in Wind Cave National Park!

It’s called the Elk Mountain Campground.

As of 2021, the Wind Cave campground is a first-come first-serve campground, and it was not possible to make reservations.

When I went camping at Wind Cave in August 2021, the campground was quite empty. I stayed for 2 nights.

According to a Wind Cave park ranger, it hadn’t been filling up all summer.

Cost to visit Wind Cave National Park

In 2021, the cost to enter Wind Cave National Park was free, but there are fees for the cave tours.

You can see the Wind Cave natural entrance for free since you can go to that on your own.

You can also do the hiking trails in Wind Cave National Park for free.

If you have an annual national park pass , it won’t do you any good at Wind Cave National Park, as it gives you no discount on the cave tours and since there is free entry to the park itself.

How much do the Wind Cave tours cost?

The cost of a Wind Cave tour will depend on which tour you decide on. The cost of tickets for the regular Wind Cave tours is around $15 per person, with kids being half that.

The Wind Cave Garden of Eden Tour is $14 per person.

The Wind Cave Natural Entrance Tour  is $16 per person.

The Wind Cave Fairgrounds Tour  is $16 per person.

The Wind Cave Candlelight Tour  is $16 per person.

There is also a Wild Caving Tour at Wind Cave that costs $45 per person.

See current fees.

And that’s a little bit about a trip to Wind Cave!

If you are interested in Wind Cave National Park, you may also be interested in these activities in South Dakota and beyond:

• Things to do in Jewel Cave National Monument
• Things to do in Badlands National Park for VIEWS!
• Things to do in Custer State Park for views
• Things to do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
• Can you see Crazy Horse Memorial from the road?
• Things to do for views in Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Things to do in Black Hills National Forest
• Things to do in Devils Tower National Monument for views (Wyoming)
• Things to do in the Black Hills for VIEWS
• The Mammoth Site National Natural Landmark
• Best hikes in Custer State Park
• National parks in Wyoming
• Best places to visit in South Dakota

HAPPY WALKING AROUND WIND CAVE INSIDE AND ABOVE GROUND!

• For women: Merrell hiking shoes (one of the best outdoor shoe brands, perfect for hiking)
• For men: Merrell hiking shoes
• Rain poncho in case it rains and it won't stop you from doing things outside!
• For women: Teva walking sandals (one of the best sandal brands for the outdoors)
• For men: Teva sandals
• Moisture-wicking tech t-shirt for women perfect for hiking and hot days when you'll be outside a lot sweating
• tech-t-shirt for men
• For more ideas, do a search for hiking clothes !

Wind Cave National Park

Travel guide.

• Things to Do
• Best Hotels
• Planning a Trip
• Organized Tours
• Exploring the Area

Organized Tours in Wind Cave National Park

The park offers five different cave tours during the summer (a total of 30 tours per day) and one tour the remainder of the year. Adventurous cavers should consider the two tours limited to 10 people each; these will definitely take them away from the crowds.

The Garden of Eden Tour -- Entering and leaving Wind Cave by an elevator, this 1-hour tour takes participants past representative cave features. It's the park's least strenuous tour, climbing 150 stairs.

Natural Entrance Tour -- Beginning at the walk-in entrance to the cave and leaving by elevator, this moderately strenuous 75-minute tour has 300 stairs (though most of these are down) and leads visitors through the middle of the cave, with an abundance of "boxwork" -- thin blades of calcite that project from the cave's walls and ceiling in a honeycomb pattern.

Fairgrounds Tour -- This includes some of the larger rooms found in the developed area of the cave. Participants view many cave formations, including boxwork. The tour enters and exits by elevator. This moderately strenuous excursion has 450 stairs and lasts 90 minutes.

Candlelight Tour -- This is one of the most popular tours, especially for children 8 and over. Trekking through a less-developed, unlighted section of the cave, tour participants carry a candle bucket and experience the cave by candlelight. Shoes with nonslip soles are required; no sandals are allowed. This strenuous 2-hour tour is limited to 10 people (minimum age is 8) and covers 1 mile of rugged trail. Reservations, available no more than 1 month before the tour, are strongly advised (tel. 605/745-4600 ).

Wild Cave Tour -- You can also explore Wind Cave away from the established trails. On this 4-hour adventure, visitors are introduced to basic, safe caving practices. You need to wear old clothes and gloves, since much of the tour is spent crawling. Long pants, long-sleeve shirts, and sturdy, lace-up boots or shoes with nonslip soles are a must. The park provides hard hats, lights, and kneepads. Do not bring or wear jewelry, watches, or other valuables. This tour is limited to 10 people and the minimum age is 16. (Signed consent forms from a parent or guardian are required for 16- and 17-year-olds.) Reservations, which are available 1 month before the tour, are required (tel. 605/745-4600 ).

Tours for People with Disabilities -- The visitor center and the cave are accessible to people with limited mobility. Call (tel. 605/745-4600 ) to make arrangements or inquire about a special tour at the information desk. Some areas of the cave are accessible to wheelchairs. Fees are charged for special services.

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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Discover Two Parks In One At This South Dakota National Park

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• Wind Cave: a unique dual experience of subterranean wonders and vast prairies home to iconic wildlife like bison and elk.
• Explore 155 miles of passageways and 95% of box-work formations at Wind Cave, a top underground destination in the US.
• Embark on ranger-led cave tours ranging from $3 to $45 at Wind Cave National Park while enjoying free access to the prairies above.

Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota is famously two parks in one. It is a park that boasts some of the longest caves in the USA and herds of bison overhead. On the surface, visitors can see one of America's best-preserved tracts of mixed-grass prairie where the bison still roam, and below they can see some of the largest and most famous caves in the country.

Wind Cave is regarded as one of the top things to do while exploring South Dakota . Wind Cave is one of the oldest national parks in the United States and was established 120 years ago in 1903 and is one of the most famous subterranean destinations in the country. Here's what to know about this famous park and its dual offerings.

Wind Cave: The Park Below The Surface

Wind cave serves as one attraction at this park.

Wind Cave is the first cave to have been designated a national park anywhere in the world. For well over a hundred years, visitors have come from far and wide to discover its remarkable subterranean passageways and unique rock formations. The cave has been open for visitors since 1892 and early tours cost $1.

• Explored Passageways: 155 miles (as of 2021)
• Temperature: Approx. 54°F (11°C) year-round

Here visitors can discover around 95% of the known box-work formations. Wind Cave has around 155 explored miles of passages, making it the third-longest cave system known in the United States.

Wind Cave is one of the densest cave systems in the world with numerous passageways clustered in a small area. It is one of the best underground experiences to have on the South Dakota bucket list.

Wind Cave: The Park Above The Surface

Above ground, the national park is mostly prairie.

On the surface, Wind Cave National Park preserves the largest tract of mixed-grass prairie still found in the United States. Here, visitors can discover the rolling prairies more or less as they were when settlers expanded across the nation. It is something of a remnant island of intact prairie.

The park is home to a range of iconic North American wildlife including bison and elk. Famously mighty herds of as many as 60 million bison once roamed the North American prairie, but they were soon driven to the edge of extinction by around 1900. Thanks to intensive conservation efforts, bison herds can be once again found in isolated patches across their former range, such as at Wind Cave National Park.

The bison herd at Wind Cave is a rare herd of free-roaming and genetically pure bison herds found on public lands in North America. Another great place to discover herds of bison is at Custer State Park just to the north of Wind Cave National Park.

Wind Cave National Park is one of the great attractions when exploring the greater Black Hills region (which is of spiritual and cultural significance to the Native Americans of the region).

Mount Rushmore & Other South Dakota Tourist Traps, Plus Alternatives

There are tons of South Dakota tourist traps and alternatives instead; avoid the crowds and expensive prices by opting for hidden gems.

What To Know About Visiting Wind Cave National Park

Wind cave tours are guided with a fee.

Wind Cave National Park is located around 10 miles north of the western South Dakota town of Hot Springs.

Exploring Below The Wind Cave Surface:

Access to the Wind Cave is only with ranger-led tours that depart from the visitor center and there are a number of tour options offered in the caves. Visitors need to purchase a ticket to venture inside the caves; around half of the cave tours are sold on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the tour at the visitor center.

In the peak season, the available tours are:

• Natural Entrance Tour: $8
• Fairgrounds Tour: $8
• Garden of Eden Tour: $7
• Accessibility Tour: $3
• Wild Cave Tour: $45
• Candlelight Tour: $16

These tours each have scheduled times, with some, like the Natural Entrance Tour running nine times a day in the peak season, and the Wild Cave Tour departing only once. During the winter, the only tours still running are the Fairgrounds Tour and the Garden of Eden Tour. The Wild Cave Tour is the ultimate adventure tour to explore the caves.

Statistically Speaking: 10 Of The Riskiest Caves You Can Explore In The U.S.

Some of the most well-known and magical yet riskiest caves in the world may be found in the United States.

Exploring Above The Wind Cave Surface:

The surface and the prairies of Wind Cave National Park are open to the public all day, every day. Visitors should be aware that this is South Dakota and the winter conditions can be extreme with snow and severe weather limiting access to parts of the park. By contrast, the summers are normally hot and dry.

• Admission Fee: Free (above ground)

The Wind Cave Visitor Center is open every day (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day).

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Exploring Wind Cave National Park on the Fairgrounds Tour

Looking for more things to do near Wind Cave National Park? Head north to Custer State Park where you can paddle and swim in Sylvan Lake or hike to the top of Black Elk Peak . For another fun cave adventure, check out Jewel Cave National Monument .

Wind Cave National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota off Highway 385. It’s about 60 miles south of Rapid City and 11 miles north of the town of Hot Springs, South Dakota.

0.6 miles to do the Fairgrounds tour, plus a short walk between the Visitor Center and the cave entrance

Moderate/Strenuous — The Fairgrounds tour includes 450 steps. In some places, you’ll need to navigate low ceilings and narrow walkways. Lighting is dim. Although it only covers 0.6 miles, the tour takes 1.5 hours and includes frequent stopping and standing.

WE HIKED IT

June, 2022, about 1.5 hours for the Fairgrounds Tour

THE LAKOTA & WIND CAVE

Wind Cave is a sacred place for the Lakota, on whose land the national park now sits. The cave has but one natural entrance, a small opening where a breeze escapes, connecting the world above ground to the world below. In Lakota culture, this is the very spot where their ancestors first emerged and came to live on earth. Visit the National Park Service website to read their story, and be sure to stop by the visitor center at Wind Cave National Park to learn more. You can also take a short accessible hike to view the natural entrance above ground, or join the Natural Entrance Tour to see it from within.

CURRENT INFO

General information and updates about Wind Cave National Park are available on the National Park Service Website . Reservations for the Fairgrounds Tour and other cave tours are available through the recreation.gov website . If you’re planning a trip to Wind Cave National Park and the Black Hills of South Dakota, I recommend the book Moon South Dakota’s Black Hills: With Mount Rushmore & Badlands National Park by Laural A. Bidwell.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Wind Cave National Park is free to enter. You can park and hike the trails at no cost.
• Cave tours cost between $14 and $16 per person for adults. Tickets for children ages six through 15 and seniors cost $7 to $8, while children five and under are free. Cave tour fees are not covered by the America the Beautiful pass or other national parks passes.
• I recommend reserving your tour in advance. Reservations are available to book starting 120 days in advance through the recreation.gov website . Be sure to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of your tour to pick up your tickets.
• If you do not have advance reservations, arrive early to secure one of the first come, first served spots.
• We took the Fairgrounds Tour . At 90 minutes, this is the longest and most strenuous of the three basic cave tours offered at Wind Cave National Park.
• Shorter tours include the 1-hour Garden of Eden Tour and the 75-minute Natural Entrance Tour .
• More adventurous tours include the Candlelight Tour and the Wild Cave Tour . Age restrictions and other considerations apply.
• There is also an Accessibility Tour for those with limited mobility.
• Restrooms and drinking water are available in the Visitor Center.
• Pets are not allowed on trails or cave tours in Wind Cave National Park.
• Wear shoes or boots with good traction and extra layers. Wind Cave is 54 degrees Fahrenheit year round, and the paths inside the cave can be slippery.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles. In fact, you will not be allowed to bring many items into the cave with you. No backpacks, walking sticks, food, drinks, or gum is allowed. You can bring a phone or camera to take photos, but no tripods, selfie sticks, or monopods are allowed.

Wind Cave National Park is home to one of the most extensive cave systems in the world, so vast that we may never know its full extent. The Fairgrounds Tour explores a tiny fraction of the caverns, and showcases some fine examples of boxwork, cave popcorn, and frostwork. Of these formations, Wind Cave is most famous for its boxwork , a rare formation created by interlacing shards of calcite. It’s thought that Wind Cave holds 95% of the world’s boxwork — wow! Join a tour and marvel at the intricacies of this incredible place.

Don’t neglect the chance to explore above ground, too. Even if you only have time for a drive, Wind Cave National Park is a great place to spot wildlife and take in the beauty of the prairies.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

Taking the elevator deep into the underground was a pretty cool experience for the kids. Wind Cave doesn’t wow with massive stalactites and stalagmites, but the sheer scale of the place boggles the mind, as does the intricate boxwork. Be sure that your kids are comfortable with being on their feet for 90 minutes with frequent stops to listen to the guide. No running is allowed, and all participants need to stay quiet while the guide is talking.

If you feel your kids aren’t up for such a long tour yet, Wind Cave National Park also offers shorter tours, including the 1-hour Garden of Eden Tour and the 75-minute Natural Entrance Tour . The Candlelight Tour is open to kids age eight and up, and the much more strenuous Wild Cave Tour is open to ages 16 and up.

Regardless of which option you choose, be sure to stop by the visitor center to check out the exhibits and pick up a Junior Ranger booklet to complete and earn your badge. My six-year-old loved crawling through the box below that mimics the size of of some of the narrowest navigable passages in Wind Cave.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Not all of Wind Cave National Park’s sights lie below ground. A variety of trails within the park give those with more time the chance to explore golden grasslands and forests of ponderosa pine. Follow scenic Highway 87 north to Custer State Park , where the rolling prairies of Wind Cave rise to meet the rocky pinnacles of the Black Hills. As you drive, keep an eye out for buffalo, prairie dogs, and other wildlife.

With plentiful opportunities for hiking, wildlife spotting, and scenic drives, this region is well worth an extended visit. Campers can stay at Elk Mountain Campground in Wind Cave National Park or one of the many campgrounds in and around Custer State Park. Our family enjoyed an eight-night stay at Bismarck Lake Campground , located just outside the state park. While there, take a hike through Sunday Gulch , paddle across Sylvan Lake , or follow the trail to the top of Black Elk Peak . Northwest of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument is another incredible cavern worth visiting.

Our Experience

Our trip to Wind Cave National Park began with a scenic drive. Following Highway 87 south from Bismarck Lake Campground, we left the Black Hills behind for rolling green grasslands shimmering under the hazy summer sun. In a mere half hour, we arrived at our destination and were greeted by the sight of the cheery butter-yellow visitor center.

As instructed, we arrived early to check in for our tour. This gave us some time to pick up our Junior Ranger booklets, check out the exhibits, and, most importantly, use the restrooms. There are no such facilities in the cave!

Wind Cave National Park is a busy place in summer, as most visitors come for one thing only: a tour of its namesake cave. I’m afraid that we, too, fell in this category, although we did take the time for a leisurely picnic following our tour. This gave our boys ample time to complete their Junior Ranger booklets. We also had the pleasure of enjoying the windswept beauty of the prairies on our drive. Frequent thunderstorms left the grasses a vibrant green, while overhead gauzy white clouds streaked across the blue sky. The drive along Highway 87 between Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park is stunning, and you never know when you might spot a herd of buffalo grazing near the road.

Back at the visitor center, we made our way down the paved path to the historic elevator building to meet our group for the Fairgrounds Tour. Cave tour groups meet here for an orientation with one of Wind Cave’s rangers before descending into the depths of the caverns. The first elevator was built in 1935 and was modernized when a second was added in 1959. They are both just a little bit temperamental, but hopefully the fact that they were repaired in 2019 will inspire confidence. It’s all part of the Wind Cave experience!

As mentioned earlier in this post, Wind Cave is a sacred place for the Lakota People. Our guide stressed the importance of this fact before our group descended into the cave. But although this is Lakota land, the underground caverns were not explored (as far as we know) until the 1880s. Various white settlers laid claim to the land in the 1880s and 1890s in the hopes of claiming tourist dollars as well. After many squabbles, the U.S. government determined that the parties involved had no right to the land, and in 1903 Wind Cave was declared a National Park.

Of course, once our group was down in the cave, our attention shifted to the wonders around us. Early on in the tour, our guide highlighted the delicate boxwork formations that spiderweb their way across the cavern ceilings. These unusual calcite formations are found in very few caves, and the vast majority are found right here within Wind Cave itself.

Other fascinating formations include frostwork and cave popcorn. Cave popcorn looks pretty much just like what you’d expect — tiny white globules attached to the cave walls, looking much like popcorn, but strong enough to break a tooth should you decide to bite into one.

Of course, no one was snacking on cave popcorn. To protect the natural wonders of the cave, it’s vital to avoid touching any of the formations or cavern walls. It will come as no surprise that visitors weren’t always so careful in the past, and in one spot we spied graffiti left long ago by early explorers.

Throughout the tour we climbed stairs and navigated a few narrow passages that connected larger caverns. Taller visitors on the Fairgrounds Tour will have to duck a couple of times along the route, but for the most part the ceilings are high and rooms are spacious. At one point we took a seat to listen further to our ranger guide, and to experience the utter blackness that engulfed us when she momentarily turned out the lights.

As our 90 minute Fairgrounds Tour drew to a close, we returned to the elevators, ready to ascend to the surface. Back in the daylight, a riot of technicolor greens and blues greeted us. The wonders of Wind Cave were worlds apart from the rolling prairies dotted with pine trees. On our visit to Wind Cave National Park we were fortunate enough to experience the best of both.

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Wind cave national park to move to cashless fee collection starting june 15, 2022.

Contact: Tom Farrell, 605-745-3600

Last updated: June 3, 2022

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Virtual cave tours, elk bugling programs offered at Wind Cave National Park

HOT SPRINGS, SD – Rangers at Wind Cave National Park will be offering virtual tours of the Natural Entrance route this fall along with programs to listen for the bugle of the Rocky Mountain elk.

“The project to replace the Wind Cave elevators is proceeding very well with completion expected in early December,” said  Acting Park Superintendent Rhonda Schier. “In the meantime staff are offering virtual tours of the cave with a visual experience in the visitor center auditorium. These programs are excellent opportunities to see cave formations like boxwork and frostwork, learn about geology, and experience the tour route while the elevators are being modernized.”

The virtual tour was developed using Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging program) technology. Lidar uses lasers to determine the range to objects. In this case, operators took 239 scans with 4.6 billion measurements along the tour route over four weeks in 2020 and 2021 to develop a realistic representation of the cave.

Rangers will lead virtual tours at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Funding for the Lidar project came from the National Park Service Midwest Region Accessibility Program. Funding also came from the Black Hills Parks and Forests Association and the Friends of Wind Cave National Park who are non-profit partners of the park.

Park staff are also offering programs to listen for the high-pitched whistle of the rocky mountain elk that heralds the arrival of fall and the elk’s mating season.

Beginning Wednesday, September 11, rangers will give a brief interpretive program about elk before leading a caravan to a nearby pullout to listen for them. These one-hour programs are offered Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings through Monday, September 30. Participants meet at the Wind Cave visitor center front lawn at 7 p.m. and are encouraged to bring a flashlight, a camp chair or blanket to sit on, and to dress warmly.

The park visitor center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through September 28. Beginning Sunday, September 29, the visitor center will close at 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit the park’s website at  nps.gov/wica  or call (605) 745-4600.  

Fairgrounds Tour (Fee Free Days)

Wind Cave National Park Tours

Tour sold out? Additional tickets are available for same-day purchase at the park visitor center. Visit the Guided Tours page of the park website for a current schedule.

NOTE: Fees are waived for this tour only on these Fee Free Days in 2023: April 22, August 4, November 11. Explore both the upper and middle levels of Wind Cave. This tour offers plenty for those wanting to see a variety of features on their tour with abundant boxwork in the middle level of the cave and larger rooms, popcorn, and frostwork in the upper level. This 1.5-hour strenuous tour enters and exits the cave by elevator. Navigating 450 stairs, including one flight of 89 steps going up along the 0.6-mile (1 km) route, it’s not just the features that will leave you breathless.

Select a date to see a list of times

Need to Know

Tickets must be picked up 30 minutes prior to tour time. No refunds for late arrivals or missed tours.  All tours begin at the Visitor Center. Allow extra travel time to the park for road work, reduced speeds, wildlife on roads, and parking.

Check at the visitor center for current Covid-related safety precautions. Face coverings may be required during periods of high infection rates.

Tour includes paved surfaces that may be uneven, wet, or slippery, and are wheelchair-accessible with assistance. Passages are dimly-lit and narrow; low ceilings require frequent ducking. Wind Cave is 54°F (12°C) year-round.

Cave tours are moderately strenuous and not recommended for those with heart problems, breathing difficulty, knee, neck, or back pain, or claustrophobia. Even downward flights of stairs may be difficult for those with bad joints or limited stamina.

Please don’t bring any of these items into the cave: 

• Food, candy, or gum
• Water or other drinks
• Tobacco products
• Firearms or weapons of any kind
• Bags, purses, strollers, backpacks – including baby backpack carriers (front carriers allowed)
• Walking sticks, tripods, monopods, or selfie sticks
• Pets or comfort animals

Sturdy shoes or hiking boots and a light jacket or sweater are recommended. Sandals and flip-flops are NOT recommended.

Flash photography is allowed. Photographers must keep up with the group. No tripods, monopods, or selfie sticks.

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