Overview
Jewel Cave National Monument is in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The cave is the third longest known cave in the world, with over 208 mi of mapped and surveyed passages as of 2020, and more being added each year. The cave was named after the large amounts of calcite (calcium carbonate) crystals found in the cave.
6 things to do
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Jewel Cave National Monument
Scenic Tour
The cave's most popular tour. See a variety of speleothems (cave formations). Moderately strenuous, lasts 1 hour 20 minutes.
Discovery Tour
A quick introduction to Jewel Cave's natural and cultural histories, at the large "Target Room." Easy (but with stairs), lasts 20 minutes.
Historic Lantern Tour
Carry an old-style lantern 0.25 mi down the original cave entrance, through narrow passageways and steep wooden steps. This tour is unpaved and requires some stooping, and lasts about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Wild Caving Tour
Put on a hard hat and squeeze through the cave in its natural state. You scramble over cave "breakdown," chimney between cave walls, use a rope assist to climb a nearly vertical wall, and belly-crawl through tight passag…
Roof Trail
0.25 mi loop.
Canyons Trail
3.5 mi loop.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 79°F; winter lows dip to about 18°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jun. (climate data from nearby Mount Rushmore National Memorial)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- RAP Rapid City Regional Airport, Rapid City — 44 mi away. Directions
- CDR Chadron Municipal Airport, Chadron — 72 mi away. Directions
- DEN Denver International Airport, Denver — 271 mi away (major hub). Directions
The visitor center is on US Highway 16, 13 mi west of Custer and 24 mi east of Newcastle (Wyoming).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Scenic Tour, Historic Lantern Tour
- Afternoon Roof Trail
Day 2
- Morning Discovery Tour, Wild Caving Tour
- Afternoon Canyons Trail
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Other than vending machines, there is no food service at the cave. The nearest restaurants are in Custer or Newcastle, Wyoming. Food and drink are not allowed in the cave.
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
History
Two brothers, Frank and Albert Michaud, discovered a strong breeze emerging from a small opening in a hillside. They enlarged the entrance enough to explore inside, and quickly filed a mining claim in 1900. The brothers intended to transform the cave into a tourist attraction, but the remote location of the cave precluded it from being a commercial success.
In 1908, US President Theodore Roosevelt set aside the cave as a National Monument following a local movement to preserve the cave.
Until 1959, Jewel Cave was thought to be only about 2 miles. Cavers Herb and Jan Conn took an interest in exploring the cave, and discovered over 65 cave miles over the next two decades. They helped decide where to construct the larger tourist-friendly entrance in the 1970s, and mapped out the route for the current Scenic and Discovery Tours.
Since Jewel Cave has only one natural entrance, scientists can readily measure the amount of air flowing in and out of the cave as the outside atmospheric pressure changes. When these measurements are used to estimate the volume of the cave, it suggests that only about 3-5% of Jewel Cave has been explored; the cave could go on for another 5,000-7,000 mi.
Landscape
Jewel Cave National Monument is in a large pine forest.
Flora and fauna
There are many wildflowers in the National Monument.
Where there is a cave, there is often bats. About 1,000 bats use caves to hibernate during the winter.
Elk, mule deer, rabbits, squirrels, a variety of snakes, hawks, eagles, and other birds can be found in the area.
Climate
- Spring: Rain or snow is common. Temperatures vary.
- Summer: Rain is common in June. Sunny and dry in July and August. Temperatures range from 70 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fall: Mild temperatures and occasional rain or snow showers.
- Winter: Cold temperatures are common with occasional snow.
The cave itself is a constant, somewhat damp, 49°F.
Visitor information
Place Jewel Cave National Monument Visitor Center
Begin your visit at the visitor center where there are an information desk, park store, exhibits, drinking fountain, restrooms, a theater for the park film, and elevators for the Scenic Tour and the Discovery Talk. The visitor center hours, kiosk, theater, and tour times vary by season. The visitor center is located below the parking lot and is accessible by a ramp or stairs.
Get in
By car
The visitor center is on US Highway 16, 13 mi west of Custer and 24 mi east of Newcastle (Wyoming).
By plane
The nearest airport is in Rapid City, 54 mi from the visitor center. Car rental services are available.
Fees and permits
Access to the above-ground portion of the monument is free. There are fees for the various cave tours, ranging from $16 to $45 for adults. The America the Beautiful (Interagency) Passes do not count towards these fees, nor provide any discounts in the park.
Get around
The above-ground portion of the monument is only about . Walking paths and trails are found on the surface.
Most of the action starts from the Visitor Center, where there is an elevator that goes down into the main cave entrance.
There is also the Historic Area, with a 1930s CCC ranger cabin and the original 1900 cave entrance used by the Historic Lantern Tour.
See
- Wildflowers. There are copious amounts of wildflowers for the visitor's viewing pleasure. Do not pick, damage, or otherwise disturb the flowers. As you walk the trails, be cautious.
Do
Cave tours
All cave access is by guided tour only. The monument offers a number of tours throughout the day.
Do Wild Caving Tour
Put on a hard hat and squeeze through the cave in its natural state. You scramble over cave "breakdown," chimney between cave walls, use a rope assist to climb a nearly vertical wall, and belly-crawl through tight passages; you must pass through an 8-1/2 inch by 24-inch crawl space before the tour. Along the way you learn about low-impact caving, caving techniques and safety. The tour lasts 3 to 4 hours.
Tour sizes are limited. Tours can be reserved up to 2-3 months in advance on Recreation.gov. Same day tickets are not guaranteed, and it is common for tours to sell out during the summer months.
The cave is 49°F (9.4°C) year round. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Hiking
Birdwatching
There are many birds to be seen in the National Monument, including the occasional bald eagle. As you walk the trails, keep an eye out.
Eat and drink
Other than vending machines, there is no food service at the cave. The nearest restaurants are in Custer or Newcastle, Wyoming. Food and drink are not allowed in the cave.
Sleep
There is no lodging in the National Monument. The nearest accommodations are in Custer.
Backcountry
Jewel Cave is surrounded by the Black Hills National Forest, and, as with nearly all U.S. National Forests, you can pitch a tent pretty much anywhere as long as you get away from the road and do not go down any roads marked as private.
Stay safe
A guided tour of the cave is quite safe. However, stay with the tour guide, as unmarked parts of the cave are not lit and it is easy to get lost.
Go next
Wind Cave National Park — The other major cave park in the Black Hills. Some speculate that these two cave systems are connected to each other.
Nearby
Custer
City / town · 9 listings · 12 mi away
Black Hills National Forest
Park · 9 listings · 15 mi away
Hill City
City / town · 7 listings · 19 mi away
Custer State Park
Park · 6 listings · 21 mi away
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Park · 6 listings · 21 mi away
Wind Cave National Park
Park · 7 listings · 22 mi away
Keystone
City / town · 6 listings · 23 mi away
Hot Springs
City / town · 5 listings · 27 mi away
My experience
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