U.S. Show Caves Directory: South Dakota

BETHLEHEM CAVE

About 20 miles north of Rapid City. Take exit 40 or 44 of I-90; head west three miles.
(605) 787-7500

BLACK HILLS CAVERNS

Four miles west of Rapid City on State Hwy. 44

(605) 343-0542

CRYSTAL CAVE PARK (DIAMOND CRYSTAL CAVE)

About three miles west of Rapid City on State Hwy. 44
(605) 342-8008

JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT

Fourteen miles west of Custer on U.S. Hwy 16
Visitor's Center open all year. Guided tours offered May 15 to Oct 1, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Jewel Cave, with over 75 surveyed miles of mazelike passages, is the third longest cave in the U.S. It's geologic history is unusually complex. Unlike most caves, which have formed within the last few million years, Jewel Cave appears to be many tens of millions of years old. Since the cave first developed beneath the flooded, or saturated, zone beneath the water table, it has drained, reflooded, and drained again. Later waters have deposited the "jewels" of calcite for which the cave is named. These calcite linings, plastered six inches thick on most passage surfaces, rightly give visitors the sense they are exploring the innards of a vast geode. In effect, they are!

(605) 637-2288

RUSHMORE CAVE
About six miles west of Mount Rushmore State Memorial on State Hwy. 87.
(605) 255-4467

SITTING BULL CRYSTAL CAVERNS

About nine miles south of Rapid City on U.S. Hwy. 16.
(605) 342-2777

STAGE BARN CRYSTAL CAVE (no website)

Eleven miles north of Rapid City near exits 46 and 48.

(605) 787-4505

WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK

On U.S. Hwy 385, 12 miles north of Hot Springs
Open year round, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in off-season. Extended hours in summer.

A howling wind from the natural entrance to this cave led to the 1881 discovery of a system now surveyed at over 50 miles in length. The wind develops as this vast cave system strives to equilibrate with shifting atmospheric pressures above ground. The cave thus serves as a natural barometer, with inhalent breezes signifying clear and calm high pressure weather systems and exhalent breezes indicating stormy low pressure conditions.
Wind Cave features excellent examples of curlicue cave formations known as gypsum flowers and networked reliefs of resistant mineral sheets known as boxwork.

(605) 745-4600

WONDERLAND CAVE NATURAL PARK (no web site)

North of Rapid City via Nemo Road, or south of Sturgis via Forest Service Road 170/135.
(605) 578-1728

BETHLEHEM CAVE
	About 20 miles north of Rapid City. Take exit 40 or 44 of I-90; head west three miles.
	(605) 787-7500

BLACK HILLS CAVERNS
	Four miles west of Rapid City on State Hwy. 44
	(605) 343-0542

CRYSTAL CAVE PARK (DIAMOND CRYSTAL CAVE)
	About three miles west of Rapid City on State Hwy. 44
	(605) 342-8008

JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT
	Fourteen miles west of Custer on U.S. Hwy 16
	Visitor's Center open all year. Guided tours offered May 15 to Oct 1, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
	Jewel Cave, with over 75 surveyed miles of mazelike passages, is the third longest cave in the U.S. It's geologic history is unusually complex. Unlike most caves, which have formed within the last few million years, Jewel Cave appears to be many tens of millions of years old. Since the cave first developed beneath the flooded, or saturated, zone beneath the water table, it has drained, reflooded, and drained again. Later waters have deposited the "jewels" of calcite for which the cave is named. These calcite linings, plastered six inches thick on most passage surfaces, rightly give visitors the sense they are exploring the innards of a vast geode. In effect, they are!
	(605) 637-2288

RUSHMORE CAVE
	About six miles west of Mount Rushmore State Memorial on State Hwy. 87.
	(605) 255-4467

SITTING BULL CRYSTAL CAVERNS
	About nine miles south of Rapid City on U.S. Hwy. 16.
	(605) 342-2777

STAGE BARN CRYSTAL CAVE (no website)
	Eleven miles north of Rapid City near exits 46 and 48.
	(605) 787-4505

WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK
	On U.S. Hwy 385, 12 miles north of Hot Springs
	Open year round, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in off-season. Extended hours in summer.
	A howling wind from the natural entrance to this cave led to the 1881 discovery of a system now surveyed at over 50 miles in length. The wind develops as this vast cave system strives to equilibrate with shifting atmospheric pressures above ground. The cave thus serves as a natural barometer, with inhalent breezes signifying clear and calm high pressure weather systems and exhalent breezes indicating stormy low pressure conditions. Wind Cave features excellent examples of curlicue cave formations known as gypsum flowers and networked reliefs of resistant mineral sheets known as boxwork.
	(605) 745-4600

WONDERLAND CAVE NATURAL PARK (no web site)
	North of Rapid City via Nemo Road, or south of Sturgis via Forest Service Road 170/135.
	(605) 578-1728