Wind Cave National Park - Hot Springs, South Dakota

Yesterday, the weather was pretty crummy so we decided to do things indoors as much as possible while still seeing the sites on the Black Hills of South Dakota.  We decided to go to Wind Cave National Park via Hot Springs.  The fastest way from Rapid City is to drive down Hwy 79.  While it's not that scenic, it's a great road with hardly any cars or trucks on it at all.  I think we passed 20 cars or truck in either direction both coming and going.

Once we turned off and got to Hot Springs, the town is full of old-time cowboy charm from historic buildings, houses and interesting local sightseeing.

One of my favorite things was this bison painted on the side of a building (aka what I always call "Tatanka" when I see any).  I have absolutely always LOVED bison.  I love their strength and dignity; their tough and yet soft hide and the strong spirit it possesses.  Being in South Dakota will allow me to see plenty of these beautiful creatures.

After passing through Hot Springs, Wind Cave National Park is only about an 8 minute drive away passing through the southern part of the Black Hills.  I could easily imagine bison roaming these hills easily or imagine the roaring thunder of there hoofs as they run across the plains.  We can across a few signs about the park AND someone left a painted rock!  How fun - especially since I'll be painting rocks and leaving them all over the country.

At the last sign about the Vanish Prairie, I spotted a painted rock!!  Woo-hoo.

Hot Springs Rocks on Facebook Rock made by K.Y.

The Wind Cave Visitor's Center is very nice with LOTS of parking for car and rig.  The RV parking is at the far end of the park so just pass the visitors center and you'll see it.  There is also big rig camping right by the visitors center also.  The inside is 2 floors of exhibits, a theater, a very nice park store (full of shirt, books, post cards, stamps, music, puzzles and games, etc.) and nice desk area for questions and purchasing tickets for one of the Wind Cave tours.  And, this is the first park that I've seen where they have a little cafeteria with vending machines, also.  And, there's a kids corner!  Wind Cave also had a great junior ranger program for the younger generation.

We purchased tickets for the Natural Entrance Tour, which is their most popular.  They also have the Garden of Eden Tour (easy for more physically challenged persons).  Both Natural Entrance and Garden of Eden are available year round.  The Fairgrounds Tour, Candelight Tour and The Wind Cave Tour, however, these aren't operating until the summer months.  The Caving Tour is a 3-4 hour tour allows you to explore a wild 3,000 foot passage and you must be physically fit to do this one because you will be doing a lot of crawling.  Candlelight and Cave Tour require reservations so make them at least a month before.

Tickets are reused as you can see

At 5 minutes before our tour time, we headed downstairs at the visitors center and out the door to the covered shelter were the tour began.

Our tour guide for this tour was Ranger Ben Shreves and he was so much fun!  He has been living in Rapid City since he was two years old and loved sharing his wealth of information with us.  Before the tour he asked us all where we were from and why we were at Wind Caves.  If Ranger Ben is around when you go to Wind Caves, be sure to get on one of his tours!

Walking to the Natural Entrance

Teaching us about the Native American Importance of Wind Cave

It's interesting that the cave trails also portray the shape of a bison!

Ranger Ben and the only Natural Entrance to Wind Cave

This national park, Wind Cave, was established and has been protected since 1903 when it became our nations' 7th national park.  Wind Cave is the origin site of the Native American Lakota Sioux and they regard this as sacred ground.  They named the cave, "The whole that breathes cool air".

Settler didn't find this wonder until 1881 when brothers Jesse and Tom Bingham heard a loud whistling sound where they found a hole - the cave's only natural entrance.  It was said that the cave's wind had so much force that it blew Jesse's hat right off!  That wind is why Wind Cave is thus named.  Scientifically, the wind is created by differences between atmospheric pressures in the cave and outside.  If the days are going to start to become clear, the wind sucks into the cave and if weather will become stormy, air from the cave blows outward.  The first person to have entered the cave was Charlie Crary in the fall of 1881.  He claimed to have left twine to mark his trail and others entering the cave later found his twine.

Because Wind Cave is so large and has a lot of channels, it also has an air pressure system.  That system is always working to be equal to the air pressure outside.  So, if a high pressure system is or coming on the surface (clear skies), air will be forced into the cave to create a high pressure system in the cave.  When there is a low pressure system (rain or cloudy skies) on the surface, the high pressure of the cave forces air out so the cave will have a low pressure system also.  This phenomenon is called "cave breathing".  When Ranger Ben got ready to put the flag there we all expected the flag to blow out the cave, but it sucked it in telling us the weather was changing.  It wasn't until I got home that I saw that the weather is changing on Tuesday and Wednesday to clear skies, so the cave was preparing for this occurrence as the high pressure starts to move in.  Another interesting fact is that barometric wind studies indicate that only 5% of the total cave has been discovered!

Finishing the Weather Test

So, I assume you're wondering HOW you get into the cave?  Well, in about 1890, J.D. McDonald was hired to manage the South Dakota Mining Company but things didn't pan out.  Instead, JD saw an opportunity with Wind Cave to make money.  The McDonald's blasted open passages and guided tours for a fee.  Cave specimens were removed and sold.  His son, Alvin painstakingly explored the cave daily and kept a diary and map of his findings.  By the summer of 1891, "Honest John" Stabler formed a partnership with the McDonald's and created the Wonderful Wind Cave Improvement Company where they widened passages and wooden staircases were installed.  A hotel was built near the cave entrance and a stage coach provided rides to the cave.  Today, there is an blown out entrance near the natural entrance.  

A page from July 16, 1893 Tour Book

Now, let's look inside the cave.  First of all, it was VERY warm in the cave.  54 degrees!  It was 10 degrees warmer in the cave than outside!  The main formation of Wind Cave is something called Boxwork.  Ranger Ben compared it to sugar cubes.  He said, if you took sugar cubes and used glue to mold them together and then water caused the sugar to melt, you'd be left with the glue.  Basically, this boxwork is the glue.  Boxwork is thin, honeycomb-shaped calcite that protrudes from the cave walls and ceilings.  You don't see a lot of stalagmites and stalagtites here and that is why this cave is so unique.

Other things you find in the cave are a few geodes and "popcorn".

Geodes

Popcorn

Frostwork is also in the cave, but not in the portion we toured.
(Web photo)

Here's a few more photos of the cave interior:

After our tour, we were able to elevator up to the surface.  In the visitor's center is a large piece of boxwork.

Where we exited the cave.

Walking back to the Visitor's Center.
Our truck is right above the stairs and down to the pines on the right.

Boxwork in Daylight

Close Up of Boxwork

To finish the story, as Alvin continued to map the cave, he contracted typhoid fever (they think he contracted it in Chicago while showing samples of the cave to the Columbian Exposition in 1892).  Then, he got pneumonia while still mapping the cave and died Dec. 15, 1893 at the age of 20 years.  Here is his diary.  On January 23, 1891,  Alvin wrote, "Given up finding the end of Wind Cave".  Thanks to Alvin, Wind Cave is alive and well and more tunnels are being found constantly.

Replica of Alvin's Diary at the Bookstore

I hope you've enjoyed this experience with us and encourage you to go to Wind Caves sometimes in your national park journeys!