Both of these caves are within 45 minutes of Custer State Park. You head into the town of Custer and either turn left or right. Pretty’s easy. Both caves require reservations for a tour and have different tours to choose from on the menu. And apparently they are not linked although they are so long and deep and pretty close together. We will see if that holds true in the future.
Wind Cave was found because it had a small opening to the outside and it makes a blowing sound as the wind goes across the opening. Sort of like blowing across an open soda or beer bottle top. This opening is highly symbolic to the local tribes as parts of their creation story and explains the importance of bison to the plains tribes. When the first American/white explorers got into the cave, they were shocked at how big it truly is. Using the rate of air exchange as air pressure changes outside of the cave, it is estimated that we have explored only 80% or so of this cave. It is one of the top 3 longest caves in the US. It also has an amazing amount of boxwood growth in it compared to other caves. So unlike say Carlsbad, there is little water coming through the cave so few stalagmites or stalactites. The tour we took was pretty good ( no I do not go where I have to carry my own lantern or crawl around!) and not too strenuous with the steps. The underground rooms were decent sized so you could get good pictures. Because this cave has only 2 entrances ( one is that original hole) there is not much life inside. No bats for instance. So they are extremely careful that no human waste gets left inside. Those who explore the deeper regions bring out everything that leaves their bodies!
The other thing about Wind Cave is that it actually shares a boundary with Custer State Park on top. There is the whole Black Hills prairie connection up top too. So plenty of prairie dogs,pronghorn and bison. We went on a short hike and had our lunch picnic style there. The campground was small and somewhat primitive (vault toilets for example) but not crowded so that was good.
Jewel Caves National Monument is also in the vicinity. We did not go on an extensive tour here but we did get into what they call the Target room. This cave starts into the side of a hill, and then continues on longer than has been explored also. It has one natural entrance and a second entrance was blasted with dynamite by some mining explorers in the early 1900s. That opening has been blocked closed with a substantial wooden door since. This cave is also mainly not explored with as much as 90% unmapped. So again a giant underground cave system caused by the leaching of sandstone a million years ago. Not much water now. Unlike Wind Cave, this one is full of shiny deposits. Hence the name Jewel cave.
I was happy with the tours in both of these regions, and truly surprised at how many people we saw. Not crowded but there is a substantial group of us “oldster/retirees” that are going from site to site. You can hear lots of discussion about who has been where or going where while waiting in line for a tour. Or in the bookstore.