Wind Cave NP

Wind Cave National Park will be conducting a 676-acre prescribed fire Saturday, November 6, beginning around 10:30 a.m. Cave tours will continue at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. but might be temporarily delayed. Highway 385 might be closed intermittently due to smoke.

During the federal government shutdown, we will not monitor or update social media. The Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center and cave are closed for resource protection and safety. For more information, visit nps.gov/wica.

Our elevators are back up and running! We are offering tours of the cave at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Come visit! It's a great time of year to view the cave.

Until we can get our elevators fixed (expected next week), we will not be offering any tours over the weekend. Tours on weekdays will walk into the cave, to the first room on the Natural Entrance Tour, and then turn around and walk out. (Including the 155 stairs going up!)

Our elevators are fixed, and tours are resuming!

Due to elevator issues, no cave tours are being offered at this time. Instead, we invite you to explore the visitor center and listen to a ranger talk, view the park movie, stroll through our exhibits, or visit our park store.

Happy Earth Day! Head out to the park today to see some wildlife, explore the cave, and hike the trails. #HappyEarthDay

Celebrate National Park Week 2018 from April 21 through 29! Saturday, April 21, is a FEE FREE day! Join us for one of our Natural Entrance Tours at 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, or the Garden of Eden Tour at 3:30pm. Our visitor center will also be open from 8:00am-5:00pm.

Many birds begin the search for a mate in the spring. Sharp-tailed Grouse males perform a display called lekking, where they dance and sing as an invitation to mate. A male will point its tail up, spread its wings, and stamp its feet rapidly while moving. #TriviaTuesday

Looking for a nice outing this weekend? Check out Highway 87 at Wind Cave. Along the drive you will see beautiful views of the prairie, forests and canyons. Plus, you will see a historic bridge that was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. #ScenicDriveSunday

Cute baby alert! The first bison calf has been spotted in the park!

The final Adventures in Nature program is tomorrow! We will be wrapping up the season with a Scavenger Hunt that involves activities, crafts, and a hike. This is a free program for ages 3 to 12. For more information, give us a call at 605-745-1134.

Wind Cave has an abundance of wildlife and provides great opportunities for wildlife viewing. Prairie dogs are one of the most commonly seen animals. Take a moment to watch these little critters as they scurry about. You may catch them doing a jump yip! #ScenicDriveSunday

With the arrival of spring, many birds will begin the search for a mate. Turkeys are commonly found in the park and males can be heard gobbling in efforts to attract a mate. They puff out feathers as well as raise and spread their tail as part of a display. #WildlifeWednesday

Adventures in Nature program continues tomorrow, March 27th. We will be solving the case of the missing prairie dog with various activities, crafts, and a hike. This is a free program for ages 3 to 12. For more information, give us a call at 605-745-1134

Wind Cave is home to many different kinds of wildlife, bison, elk, pronghorn, coyotes, deer, and more. Who do you think left this track behind? #MagnifiedMonday

To make Wind Cave more accessible to the public, routes were chosen and constructed within the cave. Today, if you go on a tour, you walk on a concrete path with stairs. Construction workers put all those paths and stairs in by hand. #ThrowbackThursday

A winter storm is predicted to move into the region tonight through Friday. Please travel safely. For more information, visit: weather.gov/unr/weathersto…

A disease called white-nose syndrome has been affecting bats across the US. It's a fungus that infects the skin and kills the bat. Help Wind Cave protect our bats by cleaning clothes and shoes that have been in other caves. Thank you for protecting our bats! #WildlifeWednesday

Wind Cave has a unique landscape with prairie, ponderosa pine forests, and limestone canyons. The canyons provide quiet areas for wildlife to nest, including swallows. If you are hiking, make sure to look up! Swallows like to build mud nests high up on the walls. #MagnifiedMonday