Be advised that the NPS has issued alerts for this park.
Cave Tour Reservations
Advance cave tour reservations up until June 30 are available. Book early for your best likelihood of getting on a cave tour. Reservations full? Choose a day to come early at 8:00 a.m. to the ticket kiosk for a same day tour ticket.
Appropriate Footwear Required for Cave Tours
Visitors are required to wear completely enclosed shoes if participating in a cave tour, like tennis shoes, sneakers or hiking boots. Any type of sandals or shoes with any openings are NOT acceptable.
Immerse yourself in one of the longest caves in the world. With over 220 miles of mapped and surveyed passages, this underground wilderness appeals to human curiosity. Its splendor is revealed through fragile formations and glimpses of brilliant ...
A three room log cabin, made of dark colored ponderosa pine, with a covered porch. The cabin sits along the edge of a canyon rim surrounded by pine trees. Inside, a stone fireplace and log mantle are seen in the main room. The kitchen has a white wood stove and natural wood cabinets. The third room, the bedroom, has wooden floors and a sink installed next to the door.
This is the original entrance to Jewel Cave used by rangers and visitors alike until 1972 when the modern Visitor Center and elevators opened. The Historic Entrance is still used for access to the Historic Lantern Tour and is currently the only known natural entrance to Jewel Cave.
A metal gate with horizontal bars covers an opening in the limestone cliff.
The park store at Jewel Cave National Monument is located inside the Visitor Center and operated by the Black Hills Parks and Forests Association. Entering the store you will find a selection of books, clothes, stuffed animals and souvenirs for purchase. The store offers a variety of interpretive materials about Jewel Cave, the Black Hills, and the people who settled and live here.
Begin your visit to the monument at the visitor center where there is an information desk, park store, exhibits, drinking fountain, restrooms, a theater for the park film, and elevators for the Scenic Tour and the Discovery Tour. The visitor center hours, kiosk, theater, and tour times vary by season.
The brick visitor center is located below the parking lot and is accessible by a ramp or stairs. The building is entered through glass double doors. Restrooms located at the northern end of the building are entered through double glass doors. The Visitor Center has a large central tower towards the back of the building, public access is a single level with exhibits, an information desk, park store, and elevators.
Open seasonally, the park theater offers seating for approximately 30 people. Throughout the summer, the 23-minute park movie, "Discovery in the Darkness", is played at scheduled times. The park theater may be used for other special events or programs throughout the year.
Ranger guided cave tours are required for access to Jewel Cave and all visitors who participate in a tour must have a ticket. Tickets are sold on-site at the Ticket Kiosk on a first come first serve basis on the day of the tour. Tickets are limited by tour type, and tours often sell out by mid to late morning during the summer season (May through September).
This red brick building is 6 sided with two ticket windows.
The visitor center offers two rooms of interactive exhibits and engaging displays, featuring the surface and sub-surface resources. A large classroom area is also available for school field trips and special events, with large windows facing to the south toward Lithograph Canyon. A park store connects the classroom to the exhibits and is operated by the Black Hills Parks and Forests Association. Ask to view our award-winning film about the park. Restrooms are available at the visitor center.
Ranger-guided tours are required to enter Jewel Cave, and the various tours are offered at scheduled times, which vary by season. With four different tour options, there is something for all skill levels and interests.
Jewel Cave Ranger Programs
A variety of talks, demonstrations and guided nature hikes are offered on the surface. Program topics include cave exploration, wildlife, fire ecology, Jasper Fire, wildflowers and plants of the area, and other subjects. Programs are regularly scheduled from mid-June through mid-August, and may be offered throughout the rest of the year. Contact the Visitor Center for current program schedule. There are no fees for these programs.
Hiking Trails
There are many opportunities for exploring on the surface at Jewel Cave National Monument. The 1,279 acre park is located in a Ponderosa pine forest, easily seen along the short Roof Trail. The Jasper Fire of August 24, 2000, has changed the scenery of the Monument but it is an opportunity to see first hand the forest recovery process along the Canyons Trail.
Wildflower Viewing
There are 393 documented plant species at Jewel Cave National Monument. Wildflowers are commonly seen in bloom near the Visitor Center, at the Historic Area, and along all surface trails. Enjoy the flowers - look at them, smell them, compare them, sketch them, photograph them - but please do not pick or otherwise disturb them!
Historic Area
The Historic Area has a picnic area, the Historic Cabin built in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Historic Entrance to Jewel Cave. While there is no access to the cave except on a guided tours, visitors are encouraged to complete the .25 mile (.4 km) walk down to see the Historic Entrance used by the Michaud brothers and park rangers to enter the cave since 1900.
Wildlife Viewing
Jewel Cave National Monument sits in a zone between Eastern and Western wildlife species. Due to this, there is a huge variety of wildlife to be seen at Jewel Cave. Take a hike along one of the trails or explore the Historic Area for the best chance of seeing some of the amazing wildlife that calls the Black Hills home.
