Wind Cave was the first cave designated as a national park anywhere in the world (1903) and remains one of the most complex cave systems on earth, over 165 mapped miles of passages packed into one cubic mile of rock, making it the densest cave system known. Wind Cave is famous for boxwork, a rare honeycomb-like calcite formation found in greater concentration here than anywhere else on the planet. Above ground, 33,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie support free-roaming bison, prairie dogs, elk, and pronghorn, one of the few places in North America to see the original short-grass / mixed-grass prairie ecosystem largely intact. From I-90 the access is Exit 61 in Rapid City, then 60 mi south through the Black Hills via US-16 and US-385. Cave entry is by ranger-led tour only, no self-guided cave access.
- World's first cave national park (designated 1903)
- Densest cave system known on earth, 165+ miles of passages in one cubic mile of rock
- Largest known concentration of boxwork formations in the world
- Park entry is free; cave tours require paid tickets
- Above ground: 33,000 acres of intact mixed-grass prairie with bison, prairie dogs, and elk
