Wind Cave National Park

Our last stop in South Dakota was Wind Cave National Park. We did not spend a lot of time here as we had a long drive ahead of us, but we did enjoy our visit. The highlight of this park is most definitely the cave tour. Here, a guide will lead you down into the cave, where you will learn how it was discovered and why only a small portion has been explored. Plus, caves are cool.

Thanks to the grumpy manager at our hotel, we knew we needed to get to the park early to purchase our cave tour tickets. We were up and on our way at daylight, getting to the park around 7:00 AM. The visitor’s center, where you purchase the tickets, opens at 8:00 AM, so our initial plan had been to arrive around 9:00 AM. We quickly realized that would have been a mistake. At 7:00, there was already a long line of people waiting to purchase cave tour tickets.

Tickets (for the entire day) sell out quickly. And we’re talking before 10:00 AM. We managed to get tickets to the 10:30 tour, which was several tours into the day. Prior to going, our plan had been to take the earliest tour to give ourselves more time in the park before heading for Wyoming. If we’d gotten to the park much later than 7:00, we likely wouldn’t have been able to get tickets for any morning tours. If you have more time, and don’t mind taking afternoon tours, you may not have to be there as early as us. However, don’t wait too long. If you’re not in line by 9:00 AM, you might not get a ticket at all.

When we visited, tickets could not be purchased in advance (online or onsite) for future dates. You could only buy the tickets onsite on the day of the tour you wanted to take. As of February 2022, a limited number of tickets can be purchased online in advance at www.recreation.gov.

For more info on the cave tours and options, check out the NPS website.

Cost: There is no fee to enter the park, drive through or hike. Most of the cave tours are $14-$16 per person. The Wild Cave tour is $45 pp. If you enjoy camping, they do have campground options for around $24 per night.

Other Notes: Even when it is H.O.T. outside, it can get a bit chilly down inside the cave. So make sure to take a light jacket if you get cold easily. You are also highly encouraged to wear flat, non-slip, close-toed shoes (tennis shoes or flat boots) down inside the cave. It can get slippery due to water/moisture. You also cannot bring any bags (purses or backpacks) or food into the cave.

Also, beware of bison, elk and other wildlife in this park. They roam freely and you may encounter one in or out of your car. Never approach the wildlife!