Explore Wind Cave, Wind Cave National Park

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The cave is notable for its displays of the calcite formation known as boxwork. Approximately 95 percent of the world's discovered boxwork formations are found in Wind Cave. Wind Cave is also known for its frostwork. The cave is also considered a three-dimensional maze cave, recognized as the densest (most passage volume per mi3) cave system in the world. The cave passed Hölloch cave in Switzerland on February 11, 2006 to become fourth-longest in the world with 119.58 miles (192.45 km) of explored cave passageways. The cave's current length is 131.04 miles (210.89 km), with an average of four new miles of cave being discovered each year. Above ground, the park includes the largest remaining natural mixed-grass prairie in the United States. Caves are said to "breathe," that is, air continually moves into or out of a cave, equalizing the atmospheric pressure of the cave and the outside air. When the air pressure is higher outside the cave than in it, air flows into the cave, raising cave's pressure to match the outside pressure. When the air pressure inside the cave is higher than outside it, air flows out of it, lowering the air pressure within the cave. A large cave (such as Wind Cave) with only a few small openings will "breathe" more obviously than a small cave with many large openings. Rapid weather changes, accompanied by rapid barometric changes, are a feature of Western South Dakota weather. If a fast-moving storm was approaching on the day the Bingham brothers found the cave, the atmospheric pressure would have been dropping fast, causing the cave's higher-pressure air to rush out all available openings, creating the "wind" for which Wind Cave was named. All Wind Cave tours are ranger-guided and leave from the visitor center. The park offers several different cave tours: Natural Entrance Cave Tour includes a visit to the natural entrance of Wind Cave where visitors can see where the cave was discovered and learn how it got its name. Participants enter the cave through a man-made entrance and journey through the middle level of the cave. Wind Cave's famous boxwork is abundant throughout this trip. Most of the 300 stairs along this route are down. This moderately strenuous one-half mile tour lasts 1¼ hours and exits the cave by elevator. Garden of Eden Cave Tour is a 1-hour tour is our least strenuous tour. It is a wonderful sample of Wind Cave. Small amounts of all of the beautiful cave formations - boxwork, cave popcorn, and flowstone - are seen along this ¼-mile trail. The tour is designed for people with limited time or abilities. It enters and leaves the cave by elevator with 150 steps along the tour route. Fairgrounds Cave Tour is a 1½ hour tour explores both the upper and middle levels of Wind Cave. Boxwork is abundant along the trail in the middle level of the cave. In the upper level, the trail winds through the larger rooms where popcorn and frostwork can be seen. This is our most strenuous walking tour. The tour enters and exits the cave by elevator and there are 450 stairs along the one-half mile route with one flight of 89 steps going up. This tour is scheduled during the summer months. Candlelight Cave Tour has you experience the cave by candlelight! See the way the earliest explorers of Wind Cave saw the cave by candlelight. This tour takes place in a less developed, unlighted section of the cave. Each participant will carry a candle bucket. The tour is limited to 10 people and the minimum age is 8. This tour is only available during the summer months. Wild Cave Tour lets you explore the cave away from the developed trails. Tour is only available during the summer months. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. During the summer months long waits may be encountered. To avoid waits, the best time to visit the cave is during the early hours of the day. During the summer weekends are good times to visit; Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the busiest days. Wind Cave National Park is located 6 miles north of Hot Springs, SD. The Visitor Center is located 11 miles north of Hot Springs off U.S. Hwy 385 (about one half mile west from the highway). Be aware that many GPS units locate the Park Visitor Center north on State Road 87.

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