WIND CAVE, an American Treasure buried deep.
Written: May 03 '03 (Updated Feb 04 '04)
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Pros: Gets out of the hot summer heat and onto a cool tour. Great formations!
Cons: Waiting on lines to get into the caves.
The Bottom Line: This is a very interesting and different way to see our world.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Wind Cave National Park |
I have been to the Black Hills of South Dakota two times. Fortunately the second time I talked my wife into going to Wind Cave National Park. This was one of the very first National Parks established. That was in 1903. My wife really doesn't care for caves. I find them very interesting.
TRANSPORTATION
Most people travel by car to this cave because there really isn't any other way to get around. There is no public transportation.
You can fly into Rapid City Airport and rent a car. I remember traveling about an hour or so south from Interstate 90 that runs north of the cave.
VISITORS CENTER
This is a very interesting one that has a few different rooms dedicated to caves, their formation and history. There is also information on the area wildlife.
A twenty minute film will get you oriented with the park and surrounding area. The film is shown throughout the day.
All kinds of maps, books and keepsakes can be purchased here.
NATIONAL PARK PASSPORT
You can also purchase a National Parks Passport. This is a way of collecting parks. Every time you go to any National Park, Memorial, Historic site, or recreation area you can get a cancellation stamp inked in your passport. Every park has the stamps. Some area have many. In Washington DC there are individual stamps for the sites such as The Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Roosevelt Memorials. The war memorials also have them. Get one stamped in the Capitol building that just reopened.
In the Black Hills area you can get cancellations from Wind Cave, Mt Rushmore, and Badlands National Park. For more information about this program read my review about Passports below.
TOURS
It is at the Visitors Center that you sign up for the available tours. There are different ones open depending on the time of the year. You can call ahead for information. In fact for particular tours I suggest doing so.
All the tours leave from the Visitors center. That's the one thing I didn't care for. Everyone was in one small area. It all thinned out after you start the tour and check out the other parts of the park.
There are five tours available during the summer months. Some of these start earlier in the year.
Garden of Eden Tour. This is the easiest of them all. It takes you up and down by elevator. It runs about one hour and is booked on a first come first served system. All tours start at eight in the morning. The end time depends on the time of year. Anywhere from 4pm to 7pm. This tour is about a quarter mile long going up and down about 150 steps.
Natural Entrance TourThis one is moderate. You go in through the natural entrance and go down to different cave areas. This tour runs about an hour and a quarter with 300 steps and an elevator ride to the top at the end.
FairgroundsThe being th most difficult of them all encounters over four hundred stairs with the last ninety going up to the surface. This is the one we did. It wasn't all that difficult even for this "slightly" overweight guy. The different sites were very interesting and the guides know their stuff and bring it all to life.
Wind Cave Tour This two hour tour you have to reserve ahead of time. It's one I would like to try but.... You see this on this tour you have to dress up in some protective clothing, they give you a hard hat, and off you go walking and then in places on hands and knees squeezing through some openings. Ha, I wonder if this big boy can get through them?
There are age restrictions on this tour and the next I will tell you about.
Candle Light Tour This is another cool one you need to sign up for ahead of time. Everyone walks with a candle in a bucket through the caves. There is no other light. This is done in the more undeveloped part of the cave. Man, this is one I would really have liked to have experienced.
Anyways the tour I did take was fun, exciting and informative. The Ranger will point out Box formations and many other interesting natural shapes.
The temperature in the caves is a constant 53 degrees F so a light jacket and good walking shoes should be worn.
I suggest calling well ahead about the tours available when you are going. Get your prices. They are eight and nine dollars for the tour. The Wind Cave Tour is more. Prices are about half adult rates for kids. Remember some of the tours kids cannot go on.
There is one other kind of tour available for those who need it.
ACCESSIBLE TOURS
If you call ahead of time the park can arrange access for those in wheelchairs. This can be pretty cool stuff.
MORE OF THE PARK
There is more to the park than just the cave. There are miles and miles of open land. Bison roam in this area. We had no luck finding them though. Try and find one of the prairie dog cities. These we did find. Watch them scramble in and out of the holes. We watched for over an hour. Be sure to get trail maps from the Visitors Center. Take a nice hike in the very early morning during the summer.
CAMPING
The park does have a campground. Not having stayed there I can't tell you much. It does have hook ups for RV and Motor homes. Tents are in the same area.
OTHER AREA PLACES TO SEE
I mentioned a couple of other National Parks earlier. Mount Rushmore and The Badlands National Park are a must stop. Custer State Park is very close. If you get a chance try and stop by the, under construction for many many years, sculpture of Crazy Horse. The first time I saw it was back in the early 70s. It is slowly taking shape and is worth stopping by. It is an immense undertaking with private money.
All these places are within a few hours drive of each other. I have reviewed a couple of them so check them out for more information.
AND SOOOOO
I leave you with a recommendation to see this wondrous cave. It is interesting and exciting, even my wife enjoyed it. The whole area of the Black Hills is awesome. Hey, don't forget to look for Rocky Raccoon
Two other nearby National Sites in the Black Hills area of South Dakota
Badlands National Park
Mount Rushmore National Monument
Three Parks we visited after seeing Pipestone
Badlands National Park
Wind Cave National Park
Mount Rushmore National Monument, Four Great Men Theodore Roosevelt, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln
More National Parks
.Acadia National Park / Badlands National Park / .Biscayne National Park / .Bryce Canyon National Park / .Death Valley National Park / .Dry Tortugas National Park / Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site /.Everglades National Park / Fire Island National Sea Shore / Home of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site / Grand Canyon National park / Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site / Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate / Mount Rushmore, Four Great Men / Pipestone National Monument / Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Teddy Roosevelt's Summer White House / Saratoga National Historic Site, New York /Shenandoah National Park / Valley Forge / Vanderbilt National Historic Site / Virgin Islands National Park / Wind Cave National Park / Zion National Park
DC area Monuments and places of interest.
The Washington Monument / Lincoln Memorial / Washington DC / The Korean War Veteran's Memorial The Vietnam War Veteran's Memorial / The National World War II Memorial This is a new major memorial that will be dedicated May 2004 / The National Art Gallery / The National Archives This has just reopened and it's bigger and better!!
National Parks PassPort
.Collect National Parks
National Parks System
Our National Parks
Some Great Cities
New York CityMy Home town
New OrleansThis is some fun place!
LondonGreat sites Fantastic people!
BathSo much history in one town.
RomeWOW!!
VeniceA romantic favorite
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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