Wind Cave NP & Surrounding Areas

We unexpectedly picked up a last minute cancellation for three nights at Wind Cave National Park’s Elk Mountain Campground.

This is a wonderful surprise as it’s typically booked solid this time of year due to the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally. I looked on a whim because when we were in the area four years ago the elevator was broken and we bypassed the park. I thought it would be great if we could stop here for a few days to rest and explore while on our way home.

Badlands National Park

We’ve been driving for a few hours now and as usual we begin estimating where we’ll be around lunchtime. This gives me the opportunity to look at the maps and find a safe place to pull over with the camper, make lunch, relax, and eat.

Looking at the maps I quickly realize how close we’re going to be to Badlands National Park. We love this park, so we decide to stop at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center parking lot, have lunch, and then follow the Badlands Loop Road back to the highway. It’s only a little out of our way and it’ll be really cool to see how this constantly evolving landscape has changed.

Big Badlands Overlook

As we enter the park, we can’t resist pulling into the Big Badlands Overlook which provides a good example of the two distinct personalities within the park. The first being the open prairie grasslands and the second, the multiple layers of sediment that make up the peaks and valleys of an ancient seabed.

White River Valley Overlook

After an enjoyable lunch we begin the scenic drive, stopping briefly at the White River Valley Overlook. Here we learn the Badlands Wall stretches more than 60 miles and serves at the dividing line between the upper and lower prairie.

Panorama Point

Next Stop is Panorama Point where we realize this visit to the park will be vastly different than four years ago. The overlook and park are packed with bikers, foreigners, and families cramming in a late summer trip before school begins. We’re a month earlier than our previous visit (Aug vs Sep) and it makes a huge difference.

Homestead Overlook

We keep saying we need to get going; but we just can’t seem to resist stopping at one more overlook. This one shows the land where people tried to create homesteads and ranches in the early 1900’s when the Milwaukee Railroad was building tracks through the White River Valley. These people had no idea what they were in for with these beautiful; but harsh lands and many of them abandoned or sold their property quickly thereafter.

Yellow Mounds Overlook

We are now definitely out of time; but we know we can’t leave without one final stop at the Yellow Mounds Overlook which provides an artists palate for our viewing pleasure.

Sage Creek Rim Road

As we make our way along the Sage Creek Rim Road, I can’t resist snapping one final picture of this incredible landscape as we drive by.

The Local Wildlife

Ironically as we’re exiting the park we have our first siting of the American Buffalo or Bison as well as an up close view of a prairie dog. Given the number of vehicles and people in the park today, it’s not surprising that we didn’t see much wildlife along the way.

Wind Cave National Park

Unbelievably, the day after making our reservation here, we receive notice that the elevator is broken… just like four years ago. Incredible! Oh well, this time we’ll enjoy what the surface of the park and the surrounding area has to offer and come back to visit the cave another time.

Elk Mountain Campground

Driving into the campground we see bikers of all ages. Some have all their gear strapped to their bikes, some are towing little pull behinds, and some even have small pop up tent trailers. Our section of the campground has a large group of older bikers with the pop up tent trailers who have been meeting here for years. Our spot was a friend of theirs who had to drop out at the last minute. They’re very friendly and welcome us to the “neighborhood” as we’re setting up camp and making dinner.

Elk Mountain Trail

Dinner was delightful; but after being in the car all day, we’re ready to stretch our legs. So, we set out on the Elk Mountain Nature Trail from the campground. The path is narrow and the views from the top are varied and expansive.

After sitting on a well placed bench at the top of the hill and absorbing the view for a while, we head back down the trail past a plethora of wildflowers.

It’s been a long; but incredible day and we’re exhausted. So, after relaxing for a little while we decide to turn in early. The campground is incredibly quiet and serenely peaceful. This is what camping is supposed to be.

Campground Visitor

We awake to sunshine, a soft breeze and temperatures in the mid 70’s… A perfect day for seeing the park on foot. Not knowing much about the area and what’s available, we decide to head to the visitor’s center and as we leave camp we see a deer walking between our campsite and the next.

Once reaching the Visitor’s Center, we meet with a few of the Rangers to inquire about their favorite hiking trails. The consensus is a loop created from the Lookout Point, Highland Creek, and Centennial Trails.

Lookout Point, Highland Creek, & Centennial Trail Loop

Lookout Point Trail

Heading down the Lookout Point trail we’re treated to lovely views of the surrounding landscape.

Turning the corner, we see the grasslands dotted with the burrows from several prairie dog towns and we have the opportunity to see these inquisitive animals up close and watch them interact and play.

Highland Creek Trail

We follow the trail through the towns where we eventually join the Highland Creek Trail. All along the path we’re surrounded by incredible views and serenaded by the bark like calls that gave these funny little prairie dogs their name.

Centennial Trail

The trail meanders through the woods and as we join the Centennial Trail we begin to see rock cliff faces leading us to Beaver Creek.

Beyond the cliff faces the path opens into a wide valley crisscrossed by Beaver Creek. There are points on this trail where the wildflowers are waist high and so thick we’re very grateful we followed the Rangers advice and wore long pants.

This is also the area the Ranger warned us we may encounter Bison. But, even though we saw some very fresh droppings we did not see any. Given how tight the trail was in some areas, we were actually grateful for this, as we weren’t sure how we would avoid them. What an incredible hike, it’s easy to see why this is a Ranger favorite.

It’s now lunchtime and we’re hungry, so we head back to the camper for a quick bite and to decide what we want to do this afternoon.

Scenic Drive

After reviewing our options we decide to do part of the scenic drive down to Hot Springs. As we set out we begin to see the part of the “Vanishing Prairie” which Wind Cave is known for in addition to the cave itself.

At one time these prairies stretched from Indiana to the Rocky Mountains and from southern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. They’ve been gradually swallowed up; but Wind Cave National Park protects nearly 20,000 acres; which are composed of eastern tall grasses and western short grasses and provide refuge to a diverse wildlife population.

We are also fortunate to see a few different herds of Bison along the way.

We did make it to Hot Springs; but the town was so torn up with construction, I didn’t bother taking pictures. We did see a pretty waterfall though.

After arriving back at camp we enjoy a leisurely dinner and chat with a few of the neighbors while relaxing around camp. Tomorrow we have an early morning tour scheduled at nearby Jewel Cave National Monument.

Jewel Cave National Monument

The drive from Wind Cave NP to Jewel Cave NM is fairly short; but it goes beside majestic mountains, through quaint towns, along prairies, and finally into dense forests before arriving at the visitor center and cave entrance.

We’re on the first tour of the day and there’s only a few cars in the parking lot when we arrive; but it begins to fill up quickly. When they open the doors, several guests are dismayed to find out that the tour is sold out. In fact, I hear one of Rangers saying all tours are sold out for the day.

Scenic Tour

The Jewel Cave Scenic Tour is a moderately strenuous, 1/2 mile loop tour traversing 700 stairs following a paved, lighted path to see some remarkable and rare formations. There’s also an unusual formation fondly referred to as “Cave Bacon”.

Dogtooth Spar

We exit the elevator onto a large platform where we’re introduced to the cave environment while our guide points out Dogtooth Spar (six-sided calcite crystals with a sharp point like a dog’s tooth) and a ribbon of crystals where part of the wall collapsed.

After making sure everyone is comfortable we descend the first few flight of stairs further into the cave.

As we reach the bottom of the stairs we begin to walk along the paved, lighted path and see some very interesting formations.

Draperies

Until we come upon some of the famed draperies; which the Ranger tells us are formed by water trickling down overhanging surfaces, depositing tiny crystals to create a fabric-like shape.

After the draperies we move along the path, up and down stairs taking pictures all the while.

Cave Bacon

Until we come across the famous “Cave Bacon”; which is a very good example of flowstone.

Continuing on, we see more incredible formations and small rooms within the cave.

Murder Room

We’re now almost at the end of the tour when we reach a large room that had a very different feel to it. We catch the Ranger alone to ask if this room has a name, and she tells us it’s referred to as the “Murder Room”. Given the walls are a deep red and look wet, we feel the room is named appropriately. She moves the group along quickly and the red walls gradually blend back into the grey/white we’ve experienced throughout the cave.

Finally we head up several flights of stairs, walk through a liquid to clean our shoes, and then up the elevators back to the surface.

This is an incredible tour and we enjoyed it immensely.

Wind Cave Natural Entrance

For our afternoon activity we decide to walk down to the Natural Entrance of Wind Cave. We’re hoping to at least be able to see inside it; but it’s just a hole in the ground with a high volume of cool air escaping. Oh well, next visit. At least the walk was pleasant.

Time to head back to the camper and begin preparing to move tomorrow.

Next stop… Colorado Springs.