About Jewel Cave National Monument
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 color. Its maze of passages lures explorers, and its scientific wealth remains a mystery. This resource is truly a jewel in the National Park Service.
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Weather in the Black Hills varies significantly throughout the year and may be drastically different from the northern hills to the southern hills. The temperatures listed are for average lows to average highs in the location of Custer, South Dakota. Spring ~ Temp. Range of 29°F to 53°F / Summer…
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: South Dakota. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
Jewel Cave National Monument is a day-use area and is available for outdoor recreation on a daily basis throughout the year. However, although the monument is normally open for surface activities year round, the visitor center, park store, and ranger-guided cave tours and operational hours vary from season to season. This means that the surface features and recreational areas are open year round, yet staffing levels and visitor services may be limited during the off-season.
Activities
Current Alerts
Advance cave tour reservations up until October 31st are available. November reservations will become available on October 1st. Reservations are strongly recommended. Reservations full? Choose a day to come to the park early in the day to purchase a same day cave tour ticket.
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.
Getting There
By car: Jewel Cave National Monument is located 13 miles west of Custer, South Dakota and 24 miles east of Newcastle, Wyoming on U.S. Highway 16. The monument is about 54 miles from Rapid City, South Dakota via U.S. Highway 16 / 385. By plane: The nearest major airport, Rapid City Regional Airport, is 63 miles away.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Guided Cave Tours
Ranger-guided tours are required to enter Jewel Cave, and the various tours are offered at scheduled times, which vary by…
Jewel Cave Ranger Programs
A variety of talks, demonstrations and guided nature hikes are offered on the surface. Program topics include cave exploration, wildlife,…
Hiking Trails
There are many opportunities for exploring on the surface at Jewel Cave National Monument. The 1,279 acre park is located…
Wildflower Viewing
There are 393 documented plant species at Jewel Cave National Monument. Wildflowers are commonly seen in bloom near the Visitor…
Historic Area
The Historic Area has a picnic area, the Historic Cabin built in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and…
Wildlife Viewing
Jewel Cave National Monument sits in a zone between Eastern and Western wildlife species. Due to this, there is a…
Visitor Centers
Jewel Cave National Monument - Visitor Center
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…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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