Understand
[edit]History
[edit]Two brothers, Frank and Albert Michaud, discovered a strong breeze emerging from a small opening in a hillside. They enlarged the entrance enough to explore inside, and quickly filed a mining claim in 1900. The brothers intended to transform the cave into a tourist attraction, but the remote location of the cave precluded it from being a commercial success.
In 1908, US President Theodore Roosevelt set aside the cave as a National Monument following a local movement to preserve the cave.
Until 1959, Jewel Cave was thought to be only about 2 miles. Cavers Herb and Jan Conn took an interest in exploring the cave, and discovered over 65 cave miles over the next two decades. They helped decide where to construct the larger tourist-friendly entrance in the 1970s, and mapped out the route for the current Scenic and Discovery Tours.
Since Jewel Cave has only one natural entrance, scientists can readily measure the amount of air flowing in and out of the cave as the outside atmospheric pressure changes. When these measurements are used to estimate the volume of the cave, it suggests that only about 3-5% of Jewel Cave has been explored; the cave could go on for another 5,000–7,000 mi (8,000–11,300 km).
Landscape
[edit]|
The 2000 Jasper Fire
On August 24, 2000 a wildfire started near Jewel Cave. The fire burned 83,508 acres in the Black Hills, including 90% of Jewel Cave National Monument's land area. Burned trees are still easy to spot, and recovery of the natural environment is ongoing. |
Jewel Cave National Monument is in a large pine forest.
Flora and fauna
[edit]There are many wildflowers in the National Monument.
Where there is a cave, there is often bats. About 1,000 bats use caves to hibernate during the winter.
Elk, mule deer, rabbits, squirrels, a variety of snakes, hawks, eagles, and other birds can be found in the area.
Climate
[edit]- Spring: Rain or snow is common. Temperatures vary.
- Summer: Rain is common in June. Sunny and dry in July and August. Temperatures range from 70 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fall: Mild temperatures and occasional rain or snow showers.
- Winter: Cold temperatures are common with occasional snow.
The cave itself is a constant, somewhat damp, 49 °F (9 °C).
Visitor information
[edit]- Park website
- 1 Jewel Cave National Monument Visitor Center. Begin your visit at the visitor center where there are an information desk, park store, exhibits, drinking fountain, restrooms, a theater for the park film, and elevators for the Scenic Tour and the Discovery Talk. The visitor center hours, kiosk, theater, and tour times vary by season. The visitor center is located below the parking lot and is accessible by a ramp or stairs.
Get in
[edit]
By car
[edit]The visitor center is on US Highway 16, 13 mi (21 km) west of Custer and 24 mi (39 km) east of Newcastle (Wyoming).
By plane
[edit]The nearest airport is in Rapid City, 54 mi (87 km) from the visitor center. Car rental services are available.
Fees and permits
[edit]Access to the above-ground portion of the monument is free. There are fees for the various cave tours, ranging from $16 to $45 for adults. The America the Beautiful (Interagency) Passes do not count towards these fees, nor provide any discounts in the park.
Get around
[edit]The above-ground portion of the monument is only about 1 sq mi (2.6 km2). Walking paths and trails are found on the surface.
Most of the action starts from the Visitor Center, where there is an elevator that goes down into the main cave entrance.
There is also the 2 Historic Area, with a 1930s CCC ranger cabin and the original 1900 cave entrance used by the Historic Lantern Tour.
See
[edit]- Wildflowers. There are copious amounts of wildflowers for the visitor's viewing pleasure. Do not pick, damage, or otherwise disturb the flowers. As you walk the trails, be cautious.
Do
[edit]Cave tours
[edit].jpg)
All cave access is by guided tour only. The monument offers a number of tours throughout the day.
- Scenic Tour. Year-round, about once an hour. The cave's most popular tour. See a variety of speleothems (cave formations). Moderately strenuous, lasts 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Discovery Tour. Year-round, about every 1-2 hours. A quick introduction to Jewel Cave's natural and cultural histories, at the large "Target Room." Easy (but with stairs), lasts 20 minutes.
- Historic Lantern Tour (Check in at the Historic Area, about 1 mi (1.6 km) west of the Visitor Center). Jun-Sep, about five times daily. Carry an old-style lantern 0.25 mi (0.40 km) down the original cave entrance, through narrow passageways and steep wooden steps. This tour is unpaved and requires some stooping, and lasts about 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Wild Caving Tour. May-Sep, select days. Put on a hard hat and squeeze through the cave in its natural state. You scramble over cave "breakdown," chimney between cave walls, use a rope assist to climb a nearly vertical wall, and belly-crawl through tight passages; you must pass through an 8-1/2 inch by 24-inch crawl space before the tour. Along the way you learn about low-impact caving, caving techniques and safety. The tour lasts 3 to 4 hours.
Tour sizes are limited. Tours can be reserved up to 2-3 months in advance on Recreation.gov. Same day tickets are not guaranteed, and it is common for tours to sell out during the summer months.
The cave is 49°F (9.4°C) year round. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Hiking
[edit]- Roof Trail (South side of visitor center). 0.25 mi (0.40 km) loop.
- Canyons Trail (From the Roof Trail or the Historic Area). 3.5 mi (5.6 km) loop.
Birdwatching
[edit]There are many birds to be seen in the National Monument, including the occasional bald eagle. As you walk the trails, keep an eye out.
Buy
[edit]Eat and drink
[edit]
Other than vending machines, there is no food service at the cave. The nearest restaurants are in Custer or Newcastle, Wyoming. Food and drink are not allowed in the cave.
Sleep
[edit]There is no lodging in the National Monument. The nearest accommodations are in Custer.
Backcountry
[edit]Jewel Cave is surrounded by the Black Hills National Forest, and, as with nearly all U.S. National Forests, you can pitch a tent pretty much anywhere as long as you get away from the road and do not go down any roads marked as private.
Stay safe
[edit]A guided tour of the cave is quite safe. However, stay with the tour guide, as unmarked parts of the cave are not lit and it is easy to get lost.
Go next
[edit]Wind Cave National Park — The other major cave park in the Black Hills. Some speculate that these two cave systems are connected to each other.
| Routes through Jewel Cave National Monument |
| Gillette ← Moorcroft ← | W  E
|
→ Custer → Rapid City |