| Wind Cave National Park (Wind Cave National Park (in)) | |
 | |
| Bisons in the park | |
| Information | |
| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| Region | Badlands and Black Hills |
| IUCN Category | II (National Park) |
| Administration | National Park Service |
| Area | 114,5 km² |
| Location | |
 43 ° 34 ′ 48 ″ N 103 ° 25 ′ 23 ″ W | |
| Official site | |
the Wind Cave National Park is a united states national park located at South Dakota. It includes some of the longest and most complex caves in the world.
Understand
Wind Cave National Park is located near the town of Hot Springs in the region of Badlands and Black Hills in the west of South Dakota. In addition to its caves, it protects 11,450 hectares meadows and coniferous forests. The caves are known for their peculiar calcite formations resembling honeycombs. The park's prairie includes bison, moose, deer, coyotes and prairie dogs.
- 1 Information center (Visitor Center)
8 a.m. - 16 h 30 (5 p.m. or 6 p.m. in mid and high season). – The starting point for the visit of the park, the information center allows you to chat with a tidy to discover the fauna, flora and caves. It is also the place where reservations are made for guided tours of the caves and where you can obtain a complete paper guide of the park.
8 a.m. - Circulate
By plane
The nearest commercial airport is that of Rapid City.
- 1 Rapid City Regional Airport (Rapid City Regional Airport) 4550 Terminal Road, Rapid City, SD 57703 (is located at 60 km from Mount Rushmore National Memorial via US-44.),
1 605-393-9924, fax : 1 605-394-6190, e-mail : [email protected]
By car
Car is needed to get to Wind Cave National Park. It is located at 9,5 km in the north of Hot Springs. The park information center (Visitor Center) is located at 18 km north of Hot Springs on Route 385.
To see
We find in the caves of the park of the calcite threads in relief called boxwork.
The cave of Wind Cave is renowned for its natural honeycomb formations (boxwork) which are very widespread there, while very rare elsewhere in the world.
Guided tours of the cave
- Garden of Eden Tour (Visit of the Garden of Eden) depending on the season: 0 to 3 times a day.
adults: 10 $, children (6-16 years): 5 $. – 
This guided tour (without physical difficulty, duration: 1 hour, length: 500 m, 150 steps) allows you to visit the main curiosities of the cave. Access to the cave and exit is by lift. - Natural Entrance Tour (Visit of the natural entrance) depending on the season: 0 to 12 times a day. adults: 12 $, children (6-16 years): 6 $. –
This guided tour (moderate difficulty, duration: 1 h 15 min, length: 1 km, 300 steps) begins with a glimpse of the natural entrance to the cave, where we understand why it bears this name. Indeed, the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the cave is at the origin of a light breath which enters or leaves the cavity. During the visit in some representative galleries of the cave, explanations are provided on its discovery as well as on its geological peculiarities. - Fairgrounds Tour (Visit of the exhibition center) depending on the season: 0 to 8 times a day. adults: 12 $, children (6-16 years): 6 $. – This guided tour (duration: 1 h 30 min, length: 1 km, 450 steps including an ascent of 89 steps) allows you to see a large number of honeycomb-shaped formations in the intermediate and upper levels of the cave.
- Candlelight Tour (Candlelight visit) depending on the season: 0 to 2 times a day. 12 $. – This guided tour reserved only for those over 8 years old (duration: 2 hours, length: 1 km) is done by candlelight and allows you to explore an inaccessible part of the cave. Reservations are strongly recommended, groups being limited to 10 people.
- Wild Cave Tour (Visit of the wild cave) by reservation only: 1 p.m., only in June and July and weekends in August. 30 $. – This guided tour (duration: 4 hours) is reserved only for over 16s (parental consent required for under 18s) and requires wearing clothes that can get damaged, since it is necessary to crawl at certain times . A helmet, flashlight and knee pads are provided at the entrance. Reservation is compulsory. The course is centered on the discovery of undeveloped areas of the cave where it is possible to admire typical rock formations.
adults: 
This guided tour (moderate difficulty, duration: Do
Hiking
- Rankin Ridge Nature Trail – This walk of about 1,5 km allows access to the highest point of the park and to have spectacular views.
- Elk Mountain Nature Trail – This walk of about 1,5 km long allows you to explore a convergence zone between the forest and the meadow. Animals on a lead are allowed.
- Prairie Vista Nature Trail – From the information center, this walk of about 1,5 km allows a visit to the typical meadow of the park. Animals on a lead are allowed.
- Wind Cave Canyon – This easy hike (2,9 km go) follows Wind Cave Canyon to the park boundary. The limestone cliffs are a nesting place for the birds in the park.
- Cold brook canyon (Cold Creek Canyon) – This moderate difficulty hike (2,3 km go) cross the canyon of Cold brook up to the park boundary. Along the path, a ponderosa pine forest gives way to a large meadow in which it is possible to see many prairie dogs as well as many raptors.
- Lookout Point – This moderate difficulty hike (3,5 km go) allows you to walk through the prairie hills to a viewpoint on Beaver Creek (beaver river). It can be combined with part of the hiking trails Highland creek and Centennial in order to make a loop of 7 km.
- Sanctuary – This hike of medium difficulty (5,8 km go) follows the grassland hills, then crosses a large area where prairie dogs can be seen, and ends at the intersection with the hiking trail Highland Creek.
- East Bison Flats – This hike of medium difficulty (6 km go) begins with a brief climb up the hills of the prairie, from which there are many viewpoints over the prairie and the Black hills in the distance.
- Centennial – This hike of medium difficulty (9,7 km go) is the southernmost part of a 111 mi (178 km) which crosses the region of Black hills. This section crosses meadows, ponderosa pine forests and follows Beaver Creek (beaver river).
- Highland Creek – This hike of medium difficulty (13,8 km go) is the longest and most varied in the Park. The trail crosses meadows, ponderosa pine forests and allows you to see the flora and fauna specific to the rivers crossing the Park.
- Boland Ridge – This difficult hike (4,2 km go) requires several climbs to get to panoramic viewpoints on the Black hills, Red Valley and the plains around. It is not uncommon to spot elk along the trail.
To buy
Only the information center allows you to buy souvenirs from the park.
Eat
There is no restaurant within the grounds of the park. A picnic area is however set up at the entrance with tables, barbecues and water point.
Housing
Around
- 2 Custer State Park – This border park of Wind Cave National Park allows you to admire needle-shaped rock formations as well as a variety of wild flora and fauna.
