Tour group inside Jewel Cave with a Ranger

Jewel Cave National Monument

With a name derived from the crystals that line its walls, Jewel Cave National Monument is even more significant as the third-longest cave in the world. Features of this South Dakota treasure include a variety of cave tours below the forest and a 1,279-acre park with nature trails above ground.

Enjoy a healthy stroll along the 1/4-mile Roof Trail (an easily-accessible trail near the visitor center that features picnic tables and benches) and the 3.5-mile Canyons Trail, which goes through Lithograph and Hell Canyons before winding back to the visitor center parking lot. View recently reintroduced Bighorn Sheep in the Historic Area.

During the summer, the visitor center, store, restrooms, surface trails and picnic areas are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Historic Area is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Times are subject to change, so please plan accordingly. Advance cave tour reservations are available on Recreation.gov and are strongly recommended.

NOTE: Masks are required for everyone at Jewel Cave, including the at the visitor center and on cave tours, regardless of vaccination status. See the Jewel Cave website for the most current information.

For additional visitor enjoyment, the monument released a series of interpretive podcasts via the official Jewel Cave Facebook page and the National Park Service's YouTube channel. Below you’ll find more trip planning tools & frequently asked visitor questions to help you plan your next great adventure to Jewel Cave National Monument!

 

Cave Bacon Jewel Cave
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PRICELESS FINDS

The “jewels” of Jewel Cave include calcite crystals known as nailhead spar and dogtooth spar, along with formations of boxwork, cave popcorn, flowstone and a long ribbon drapery known as "cave bacon."

Jewel Cave Tour
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Get Your Tickets for Popular Ranger-led Tours

Make your reservations — we recommend getting them as early as possible — to experience the world's third-longest cave. You can choose your level of underground expedition, from the 20-min and handicap-accessible Discovery Talk to the intense exploration of the Wild Caving Tour.

Check out the popular Historic Lantern tour, a classic summer experience where provided lanterns light the way as you explore the cave just like people did nearly 100 ago. Enter the cave via the historic entrance on an unpaved trail led by a park ranger dressed in a 1930s-style uniform who will guide you along this 1-hour-and-45-minute tour. 

Jewel Cave
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THIRD-LONGEST CAVE IN THE WORLD

With more than 200 miles of surveyed passages, explorers are still discovering and mapping one of the last frontiers in the world.

Pasqueflower
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Stop and Smell the Wildflowers

The wonder of nature doesn't just show below ground at Jewel Cave. With 1,274 above-ground acres of Black Hills forest and open prairie, park visitors won't want to miss the chance to stop and smell the diverse array of wildflowers. Species range from the elusive Pasqueflower, South Dakota's state flower that blooms March into May — to blooms of irises, lilies, and verbena coming later and displaying through the summer. 

Black Hills Scenic Hell Canyon
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Hiking Trails

Needing to pass time before your tour? Jewel Cave's above-ground acreage includes two self-guided hikes and also one Black Hills National Forest trail. The trails provide amazing views of the surrounding Hell Canyon-area and a chance to see how the above-ground terrain helped form the wonder below. 

Wild Turkey Black Hills
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Bird Watching

The cave's location incorporates Black Hills pine forest and open meadows, prime for a variety of birds to either call the area home or visit during migration. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:

What is the tour information for Jewel Cave National Monument?

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What is the closest airport to Jewel Cave National Monument?

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What is the driving distance to nearby U.S. cities from Jewel Cave National Monument?

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What is the best time of year to visit Jewel Cave National Monument?

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 What are the busiest times of week to visit Jewel Cave National Monument?

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What is the climate, geographic information and history of Jewel Cave National Monument?

SEE WHAT WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THIS JEWEL OF A NATIONAL MONUMENT
Interior of Jewel Cave
Plan Your Visit

An underground wilderness sparkling with brilliant color.

Jewel Cave Map location

11149 US Highway 16, Bldg. B12
Custer, SD57730
United States

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