Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Information Cave Tour Reservations

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.

Read the full alert

Information Appropriate Footwear Required for Cave Tours

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.

Overview

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.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

The Roosevelt connection

Protected by T.R.

His proclamations and orders

What to see and do

Activities

  • Caving
  • Guided Tours
  • Hiking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Snowshoeing
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Birdwatching
  • Park Film
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Jewel Cave National Monument: 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.

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.

Visitor centers

Weather

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 ~ Temp. Range of 54°F to 80°F / Fall ~ Temp. Range of 33°F to 58°F / Winter ~ Temp. Range of 14°F to 37°F The yearly average rain is 19 in., with May being the wettest month. The yearly average snow is 48 in.

Phone: 6056738300

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

A cave explorer sits on some rocks and looks at a clear blue lake in Jewel Cave.
Hourglass Lake · NPS Photo / Dan Austin
A park ranger is standing on a metal platform within a long passageway with a vaulted ceiling.
Inner Sanctum · NPS Photo / Dan Austin
A caver squeezes through a very small and tight opening, surrounded by multi-colored rocks.
The Brain Drain · NPS Photo
A park ranger stands as a silhouette in a large room in Jewel Cave.
The Heavenly Room · NPS Photo / Dan Austin
White-colored crystals with blunt tips sparkle against a black background.
Nailhead Spar · NPS Photo
A bighorn sheep ram stands in the highway, with a camper stopped in the other lane.
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep · NPS Photo / Bradley Block

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