Learn more insights from Wanderboat AI.
Wind Cave Canyon
4.8
(12)
Wind Cave National Park, located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, was established on January 9, 1903, by President Theodore Roosevelt, making it one of the oldest national parks in the United States. The park protects one of the world's longest and most complex cave systems, known for its unique boxwork formations—rare and delicate honeycomb-like structures made of calcite.
Early Discovery and Use: The cave was known to Native Americans, particularly the Lakota people, who regarded it as a sacred site. According to Lakota mythology, Wind Cave was the site of their emergence into the world. The cave was rediscovered by settlers in 1881 when Tom and Jesse Bingham noticed a whistling sound from the cave's small natural entrance, caused by wind pressure differences.
Exploration and Development: Early exploration of Wind Cave was carried out by the McDonald family, who established a claim on the land and began guiding tours. John Stabler later partnered with the McDonalds to commercialize the cave, but disputes led to government intervention.
Establishment as a National Park: Efforts by influential figures such as Peter Norbeck and the National Park Service led to the cave's designation as a national park. The establishment of the park aimed to preserve the cave's geological wonders and protect its above-ground ecosystems.
Significance: Wind Cave is renowned for its extensive and intricate cave system, with over 140 miles of explored passages, making it one of the longest caves in the world. The park also encompasses mixed-grass prairie, ponderosa pine forests, and wildlife, including bison, elk, and prairie dogs.
Conservation and Tourism: Today, Wind Cave National Park serves as a site for scientific research, conservation, and public education. Visitors can explore the cave through guided tours, learn about its geology and history at the visitor center, and enjoy hiking, wildlife viewing, and other recreational activities in the park's...
Read more
The cave is amazing. The Park Ranger was also great! Tours are in groups of about 40. Had 3 babies (under the age of 1 year old) in my group, due to being the product of SELFISH INCONSIDERATE PARENTS (all of the same family,) that dragged these infants along, to ensure that everyone on the tour had to endure the suffering of hearing them wale, shreak and squall like Banshees THE ENTIRE TOUR ! Which is an enclosed, confined space btw, basically an echo chamber ! I'm no hypocrit, as I have 4 grown children. I took my kids to age appropriate places when they were younger, so not to make others suffer from my choices!!!! INFANTS AND BABIES DO NOT BELONG ON CAVE TOURS, AS WELL AS A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ACTIVITIES!!! KEEP YOUR SCREAMERS AT HOME ! If you see babies in your group, which you might, as the world is FULL of inconsiderate people, RESCHEDULE YOUR TOUR TO A LATER GROUP IF POSSIBLE Edit: after the tour, as we were walking back to the visitor center, the park Ranger was walking behind me, I overheard an older lady say "sorry about my Gran's." Presumably, she was the grandmother of the family that went on the tour as well. The Park Ranger was polite, way more polite than deserving, and replied " you never know how kids are going to act in a cave!" The lady was just as selfish as her offspring that spawned these screamers, as if she was truly sorry/ a considerate person, she would have offered to stay anywhere but in the cave to watch these infants, while their selfish parents did the cave tour. I will have to revisit the cave one day to do another tour, hopefully without screaming kids and their...
Read more
Unfortunately Wind Cave NP was big disappointment. Their cave reservation system doesn’t work. The NPS website doesn’t give enough information about the various cave tours to determine which is best for your family situation. Going to the internet gave additional information but some of it turned out to be inaccurate.
NPS needs to make more tours available, clarify the window for reservations online, and update the actual timing on getting on-site tickets. We arrived on a Tuesday, 2 hrs. ahead of the tour time we wanted (1-2 hrs. was recommended on their website) and were told that ALL tickets for the day were gone….A ranger was quick to point out the trail to the wind cave hole which was hardly a good substitute activity, esp. having to walk past the group waiting to start their tour of the cave.
Some Staff seemed reluctant to engage with the public. I guess I would too having to administer an untenable visitor system.
The Park wildlife they touted in the theater—-we saw very little of.
On a positive note the Visitors Center had good exhibits and the restrooms were clean.
My suggestion if you want to tour the cave, stay in Hot Springs so you can be at the Park first thing in the morning to get tickets. Otherwise skip the Park and go directly to...
Read more
