Things to Do Near Jewel Cave National Monument

Your adventure awaits! Black Hills Balloons flies the southern Black Hills. Custer State Park and the Custer Valley are the heart of the flying area; just miles from Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial and Wind Cave National Park. Your flight over mountains, valleys, lakes and prairies is a great way to view the area; home to elk, antelope, whitetail deer, buffalo and mule deer. Weather-permitting, flights take place daily at sunrise, May 1-October 31. Reservations required.

Overland America provides outdoor adventures specializing in Jeep and Overland Trailer rentals. We are based in Custer and provide service to the areas surrounding the majestic Black Hills. Western South Dakota is an outdoor recreational paradise. There are 1.2 million acres of National Forest allowing off-road and overlanding enthusiasts access to thousands of miles of trails by using the Black Hills National Forest Motorized Trail System. The area is also home to a variety of wildlife, and features many spectacular landscapes that provide a calming escape into nature. Overland America rental options include Jeep Wrangler Rubicons, a Jeep Gladiator, a Ford Bronco, camping trailers and camping equipment. Renters must be at least 25 years old.

The Custer Beacon is a restaurant, lounge and live music venue in Custer. We are committed to providing the southern Black Hills with a beautiful space to play, eat and be together. Our hours are Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

At the South Dakota Outdoor Shop we will outfit you to be outside doing what you love. Stop in our owner-operated store in Custer and let our excellent staff of outdoor-enthusiasts help meet all your adventure needs. From outdoor apparel and hiking, biking & climbing gear, to camping supplies, water sport rentals and beer & snacks, we’ve got everything you need in one spot so you can “Gear Up and Get Out”! Our hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 12-4 p.m., Sunday.

The third-longest cave in the world features a variety of cave tours below the surface and a 1,279-acre park with nature trails above ground. With a name derived from the crystals that line its walls, Jewel Cave is even more significant as one of the longest caves in the world, with more than 208 miles of mapped and surveyed passages. Located near Custer in the southern Black Hills, this national monument also features three self-guided above-ground trails: the Roof Trail, the Canyons Trail and the Hell Canyon Trail. Plus, there is a visitor center with an information desk, park store, exhibits, a theater, information about the Junior Ranger program and more.

Wild Spruce Market in downtown Custer is excited to provide a Black Hills source for specialty food, local produce & products, gluten-free & dairy-free choices, vegan & vegetarian options, and a mouth-watering selection of local grass-fed beef, bison, elk, chicken, and pork products. We also carry an assortment of natural health & beauty products...and we can't forget to mention our kombucha, wine, & beer bar - full of local taps and offering a place to relax. We have rotating local beer taps, an ever-changing kombucha on tap that is made just down the road in Rapid City, and a selection of house wines that can all be enjoyed at the bar or on our cozy patio. Our hours are 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday.

Located one-half mile from Custer State Park’s west entrance, the campground is situated on the location where General Custer's expedition camped in 1874. Custer’s Gulch features basic and deluxe camping cabins, a family cabin, tent spots, and spacious, full-service RV sites with 20/30/50-amp back-in or pull-thru options. Resort amenities include free Wi-Fi, a clubhouse with kitchen facilities, store, shower house, flush toilets, dump station, laundry facilities, picnic tables, and fire grates.

Pageant Hill in Custer is known as the spot where the annual 4th of July fireworks are displayed. But, it's a busy place the rest of the year, too. From sledding in the winter to disc golf and hiking year-round, Pageant Hill is a great spot to enjoy the outdoors. The area is mostly heavily wooded with some rocky outcroppings. The park is primitive and the disc golf course is ungroomed. There is a shelter and portable toilets, but no drinking water. For more information, contact the Custer Chamber of Commerce.

Named a Top 10 US Safari by MSN, 2015, our Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour will take you where only we can go: off-road. Trek through Custer State Park in an open-air jeep in search of pronghorns, elk and the noble buffalo. Along the way, our guides will share historical and educational facts about the park and wildlife, and help you spot the critters. Tours depart daily from the State Game Lodge, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., May through October. The ride takes about 1.5-2 hours.