In spite of this national park’s name, the hikes listed here are all located on the surface. I mention available guided cave tours in the “Must-Do Activities” section.

🥾 Rankin Ridge (1.0 mile, 239 feet elev. gain): This hike guides visitors to the highest point in Wind Cave National Park, which sports an historic fire tower. On a clear day, hikers can spot Badlands National Park to the east from the trail’s namesake ridge.
🥾 Cold Brook Canyon (2.8 miles, 200 feet elev. gain): This trail winds through the prairie on the park’s western edge and offers a look at some interesting geography.
🥾 Prairie Vista (1.0 mile, 104 feet elev. gain): This easy trail offers gorgeous views of the prairie above Wind Cave.
🥾 Lookout Point Trail & Centennial Trail Loop (5.2 miles, 515 feet elev. gain): If you’re looking for a greater challenge than what is offered by the above trails, consider embarking on this hike. Combining Lookout Point Trail and the Centennial Trail creates an interesting trek through Wind Cave’s prairie and offers great views of the Black Hills.

🦇 Guided Cave Tours: Wind Cave National Park offers three guided tours of the park’s namesake cave. If you are physically able and have enough time, try to do both the Natural Entrance Tour and Fairgrounds Tour. If short on time and/or physically challenged, try the Garden of Eden Tour. Cave tours meet at the Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center.
🦬 Wildlife Spotting: With an abundant population of bison and prairie dogs and chances to see burrowing owls and elk, Wind Cave National Park is a great place to look for wildlife. If you want to see as many bison as possible, check out the park’s aptly-named Bison Flats. Do not approach or feed wildlife, for your safety and theirs.

🏞️ Custer State Park: While it’s not a national park, Custer State Park is absolutely beautiful and worth a visit. The park is adjacent to Wind Cave, so it’s a short drive to Custer from the national park. The park features fascinating stone spires and a rewarding hike that takes you to the highest point in South Dakota.
🏞️ Jewel Cave National Monument: This beautiful cave sits just over 30 minutes from Wind Cave. Jewel Cave offers even more guided tours than Wind Cave and features a few hikes on its surface.
🗽 Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Though Mt. Rushmore is overhyped and overrated, it’s still worth stopping by for an hour if you’re in the area.
🏞️ Badlands National Park: South Dakota’s more popular National Park – and one of my personal favorite national parks – sits about 2 hours from Wind Cave’s Visitor Center. If you’re spending time in the area, be sure to check it out.
🏙️ Rapid City: The city sits a little over an hour from Wind Cave, making for a great “home base” if you’re visiting the area and are not interested in camping. There are plentiful outdoor activities located near the city, like those listed here. The city houses many hotels and restaurants.
🏞️ Devils Tower National Monument: Sitting a little more than 2 hours from Wind Cave, this impressive natural monolith is a great sightseeing and rock climbing spot.
🏞️ Theodore Roosevelt National Park: This park in North Dakota is almost 5 hours north of Wind Cave. If you are taking a trip to South Dakota, consider taking an excursion to this hidden gem of the NPS.

📅 When to Visit: Summer is the most popular time to visit, despite the common afternoon thunderstorms and high temperatures. While we enjoyed our visit in July, I’d suggest also considering a visit in the Spring or Fall, when the weather is more mild.
⌚ How Long to Visit: One day is plenty of time to explore the highlights of Wind Cave National Park, but you can stretch a visit to two days if you want to explore the park’s trails more intimately.
🚗 How to Get There: To visit Wind Cave, you need a car to access the park and navigate its roads. Rapid City – which is about an hour north – is a great jumping-off point.
🛏️ Where to Stay: Elk Mountain Campground sits near the park’s visitor center and offers first-come, first-serve campsites which are usually available. Reservable campsites can be found at the nearby Custer State Park or at campgrounds in Black Hills National Forest. Those not wanting to camp should look for lodging in or near Rapid City.
🧳 What to Bring: Bring all your hiking essentials, including sturdy boots or shoes, water, and sunscreen. Footwear with grippy treads will be useful in the cave. Poison ivy and ticks are fairly common on the surface, so wear long pants and bring Tecnu & bug spray if hiking. Consider bringing a pair of binoculars for wildlife viewing.

✅ DO avoid the afternoon sun & heat by enjoying the park in the mornings or evenings.
❌ DON’T approach wildlife. While this is always true, it’s especially important in Badlands. Bison may charge you, and prairie dogs can carry bubonic plague.