Wind Cave. Everett wasn't thrilled when we started, but his mood improved.

These are boxwork formations that only exist in this cave.

Had to duck low on some places as we toured through.

Site of the natural entrance to Wind Cave. Notice the fabric in the trees.

South Dakota: Wind Cave

July 6, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

Last Thanksgiving some friends told us about their experience visiting Wind Cave National Park. They are big cavers and climbers and really enjoyed their time at Wind Cave, so we took that as a solid endorsement.

Wind Cave is the 5th National Park we've visited so far on this trip. We went on the Fairgrounds Tour and our guide was so engaging and entertaining. We learned about boxwork, frostwork and a variety of other cave formations. The cave system is at least 160 miles and they are still exploring how far it goes.

After the tour we made our way to the natural entrance that is just a small, unassuming hole in the ground. The Lakota people believed this was the location of their creation story and it's still a sacred site for them. There were multiple deaths of fabric tied in trees around the area, which I assume is a Lakota tradition.

After the boys finished up work for their Jr. Ranger badges, we made our way up to the state park and set up camp. After dinner, we had a special treat and Everett got to see one of his best buddies from school. Kellan and his family were also traveling through the region and we had a one day overlap on our trips. The boys had a blast running around for a couple of hours.Read more