INTO THE DARK · CAVES DIRECTORY
Two national park caves within 20 miles of each other, with entirely different characters. Wind Cave is sacred to the Lakota people and contains the highest concentration of boxwork formations on Earth. Jewel Cave is the third-longest cave in the world with over 220 miles of mapped passage, still actively being explored. Both are free to enter the park; tours are ticketed. The Black Hills karst has additional entrances, but these two are sufficient justification for any underground itinerary.
Every cave listed here is on public or accessible land. Always bring three light sources, water, and let someone know your plans before entering any undeveloped cave. Temperature inside: typically 50–62°F year-round. Explore all caves on the Trek4Free map →
The third-longest cave in the world at over 220 miles of mapped passages — and still growing. Explorers add new miles every year. The cave is named for calcite crystals that coat the walls in an inter…
One of the longest and most complex caves in the world, with over 160 miles of surveyed passages — and a boxwork formation found almost nowhere else on Earth. Boxwork is a honeycomb of thin calcite fi…
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