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Jewel Cave National Monument was established by Presidential Proclamation on February 7, 1908. Jewel Cave National Monument is open all year, September 2004-April 2, 2005; April 3-June 11, 2005; and June 12-August 20, 2005. The Monument is closed on Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1. Ranger-led surface talks are available throughout the day at posted times on a variety of topics; summer months only. Exhibits include interactive computers, interpretive exhibits, and the Jewel Cave Map, available to introduce you to the resources of the Monument. Surface programs are also offered during the summer months. The Historic Ranger Station is open June 5-June 11, 2005; June 12-August 20, 2005; and August 21-September 5, 2005. The Historic area is located .9 of a mile west of the main visitor center on highway 16 and is the location for our “1930′s era” activities. The original cabin, built by the CCC in 1935, has been restored and is open to visit. There are trails to explore in this area. Rangers are on duty at the historic log cabin and provide the Lantern Tour.

It was 1900 when Frank Michaud, returning from the Alaskan gold rush of 1898, met his brother Albert in Libby, Montana and headed to South Dakota together. The Michaud family had a homestead west of Custer. In route to the homestead, they entered Hell Canyon where their horses were spooked by a strange sound coming out of the hillside near the top of the rimrock. The brothers found a small hole with a cold blast of air coming out. Having no equipment with them at the time, they returned to the site later with some tools and dynamite to enlarge the opening. What they discovered were crawlways and low-ceilinged rooms coated with beautiful calcite crystals sparkling like “jewels” in their lantern light.

The Michauds probably hoped this hole in the ground would turn profitable for them and filed the “Jewel Tunnel Lode” claim in Custer on October 31, 1900. There is no commercial value of calcite crystal, so they hoped to develop this natural wonder into a tourist attraction. During the following decade they constructed a trail within the cave, built a lodge up on the rim of Hell Canyon, and even organized the “Jewel Cave Dancing Club” in 1902 in hope of attracting tourists to visit their cave. However, a lack of people in this region, and the difficulty of travel here, with no graded roads to the cave and the scarcity of automobiles at that time made the tourist venture anything but a financial success. Frank Michaud bought out Charles Bush’s share of the cave in 1905 for $300. For a while, Frank continued to work at the cave, exploring and keeping up the annual assessment work. The news of Jewel Cave did spread.

In 1908, word of Jewel Cave reached beyond the Black Hills to Washington, DC, where it caught the attention of President Theodore Roosevelt. On February 7th he declared Jewel Cave a National Monument. The Michaud brothers eventually moved away and their family sold the claim to the government for about $500. In 1928, a group of businessmen formed the Jewel Cave Corporation and provided tours to the public. This lasted until 1939. The National Park Service began administering the monument in 1933 and Rangers from Wind Cave came to the monument in the summer.

At the beginning of 1959, approximately 1/2 mile of Jewel Cave had been discovered. Even though the cave was beautifully decorated with calcite spar crystals, the tour route was short, and some wondered whether this small cave was truly of national significance. Then a geologist by the name of Dwight Deal enlisted the aid of two rock-climbing enthusiasts, Herb and Jan Conn, to help him explore within Jewel Cave. The Conns were particularly dedicated to exploring and mapping the cave, and by 1961, they had extended the known length of the cave to more than 15 miles. The National Park Service was interested in developing additional tour routes for the public to visit.

In 1959, Dwight Deal, a graduate student from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, came to the Black Hills. Fresh out of college, Dwight had taken a job with an oil company in nearby Wyoming. He was an active member of the National Speleological Society, and had plenty of both enthusiasm and scientific knowledge to fuel his desire to explore caves. Dwight’s job allowed him weekends free to devote to cave exploration, and he had become aware of Jewel Cave through a group of cavers from Colorado who had been surveying nearby Wind Cave. He joined them one weekend for a special trip into Jewel Cave, then approached the National Park Service about getting permission to continue surveying there. He was granted a Special Use Permit, but was told that in order to use it in Jewel, he would have to have at least two other people go with him. Dwight had become acquainted with Herb and Jan Conn when they were all still in the east, and knew they were now in the Hills. He needed some companions who might help him continue his exploration trips and turned to his friends, Herb and Jan. He asked if they would be interested in grubbing around underground and, after thinking it over, they replied they would try it “once”. He had persuaded the Conn’s to join him. That one trip turned into a passion of exploring Jewel Cave that lasted for over 20 years. What actually seduced the Conns into continuing their caving trips in Jewel Cave was the challenge of surveying: measuring and sketching the convoluted passageways of this twisting, turning cave captured and held their attention. From 1959 to 1979, Herb and Jan mapped 62.36 miles of the interior of Jewel Cave.

On the first few trips, Dwight instructed Herb and Jan in the art of surveying the cave while exploring its passageways. By the spring of 1961, Dwight had moved away from the Black Hills, but not before over 5 miles (8 km) of cave had been mapped. He returned in the summer of 1961 to work on a master’s thesis on the geology of Jewel Cave for the University of Wyoming. In May of 1962, Dwight Deal did an inspection tour of the proposed new cave tour route. It was a 4-hour trip to the “Formation Room”, but he was so impressed by the beauty of the dripstone deposits on top of the crystals that he recommended in writing to the park superintendent that an effort is made to provide public access to this area. His efforts are rewarded with each tour group that enters that room on the Scenic Tour and gasps in delight at this impressive stop on the route.

Herb and Jan Conn began a lifelong connection to the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1946. Both were born and raised on the East Coast. Although this adventurous young couple had first been exposed to cave exploration in West Virginia, their real love at that time was rock climbing, a hobby they had developed on the cliffs of the Potomac. In 1946 they decided to leave the Washington, DC area and head west to practice rock-climbing full time. Over the next few years the Conns traveled extensively, working wherever and whenever they needed to support their climbing. They originally planned to settle in Colorado, where they knew the mountain climbing opportunities were abundant. But 1949 found them in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where they were convinced that western South Dakota’s great weather would give them an opportunity to spend more days mountain climbing. So they bought 20 acres of land four miles from Custer and settled in. One of Jan’s earliest significant climbing feats in this area was her accomplishment of being the first woman to free-climb Devils Tower.

The Conns discovered what the Scenic Cave Tour route is now in 1961. The National Park Service was intrigued by their reports of high, narrow passageways, huge rooms and unusual speleothems (cave decorations). The Conns suggested that the part of the cave they had been surveying might prove perfect for development of a new tour route. In addition to assisting with the construction of this trail, Herb also designed the lighting system and dramatic placement of lights still in use today. The cave winds that enticed the explorers further into the cave fascinated Herb, and in 1966 he produced an important scientific report explaining reasons for these barometric winds. The Conn’s book, “The Jewel Cave Adventure” serves not only as a record of their years of cave exploration here, but as an exciting tale of adventure even for the non-cavers.

Because the original boundaries of the National Monument dated back to a time when most of the cave was unknown, the “new” areas within the cave were actually outside of those boundaries, under U.S. Forest Service lands. In order to proceed with plans to develop a new tour route and visitor center, a land swap with the Forest Service was accomplished in 1965 changing the monument boundaries. Construction of the present scenic area cave trail, the elevator shafts, one elevator, the visitor center, maintenance area and parking lot began in 1966 and took nearly 5-1/2 years to complete. The Scenic Cave Tour route and visitor center were first opened for touring on May 28, 1972. Exploration of the cave continues providing park managers with an increasing amount of information to use for future protection of this impressive resource.

Exploration of Jewel Cave is allowed by permit only, and then, only for purposes of survey and mapping, scientific study/monitoring, restoration of disturbed areas in the cave, or for other projects specified by the National Park Service in order to effectively manage this immense underground resource. It is imperative for the continued protection of Jewel Cave that we continue to learn where it is in relation to surface features. Inventory and monitoring of geological, hydrological, and biological features found throughout the cave allow park managers to better track changes and relationships with surface activities. Each team of cavers is small, to mitigate any impact that they might have on delicate cave features or untrammeled passageways. Ethical caving is required, with safety of cavers and protection of the resource paramount. The physical and mental challenges provided by cave exploration address a deep-seated human desire to venture beyond the known into the frontier. But most importantly, the information provided by continuing exploration helps us understand the complex interrelationships in this relatively remote part of the natural world.

Jewel Cave exists under about three square miles of surface area. The monument boundaries encompass approximately two of these square miles. More than 40% of the known cave exists outside the Monument boundaries, under the Black Hills National Forest. The depth of the cave varies a great deal. At the historic area, visitors enter the cave at the surface. To reach the cave from the visitor center a descent of 234 feet by elevator is required. The deepest point in the cave is 749.33 feet below the surface. The range of elevation within the cave spans 631 feet. The highest elevation is 5,406 feet above sea level; the lowest elevation is 4,775 feet.

Airflow within the cave is the single best indicator that large areas of the cave have yet to be discovered. Recent exploration trips have focused on the southeastern area of the cave, where many airflow leads exist. It is a long commute. Travel to the work area can take more than 6 hours. Exploration trips often encompass 18-20 hours, most of this is travel time. Camping trips in the cave last 4 days but the commute time is longer because of heavy camp packs. It takes 7 hours to reach camp. A group of 3 or 4 cavers enters an area of the cave that has leads to explore. A survey station is established that can be seen from a previous station. A mark is placed on the floor or wall using a combination of letters and numbers. The direction of the survey is determined using a compass and vertical angles between survey stations are determined using a clinometer. A tape measure is used to determine the distance from one survey point to another. Passage height and width are also estimated at each station. All of this information is recorded in a survey book, along with a comprehensive inventory and description of speleothems (cave formations).

Unlike many other caves, Jewel Cave was not carved by underground rivers. Most of the cave was formed by stagnant, acid-rich water. Nearly 40 million years ago, the climate changed and rainfall increased. Much of this freshwater made its way slowly underground. It first passed through the overlying soil, which was rich in carbon dioxide from decaying plants. The carbon dioxide transformed the water into carbonic acid. This weak acid traveled through fractures in the rock until it reached the water table, which rose and filled cracks in the limestone. This standing or slow-moving acid-rich water formed the majority of Jewel Cave. The water slowly drained from the cave as surface erosion created exits for the water in the form of springs.

Once the water that filled the cave drained away, cave formations (or speleothems) began to form. Many of these are still forming today. Calcite speleothems form as surface water makes its way through carbon dioxide-rich soil and travels underground through the limestone. The resulting carbonic acid picks up calcite (CaCO3) as it dissolves the limestone. Once it enters an air-filled cave passage, the acid loses its carbon dioxide to the cave air and becomes water again. Non-acidic water cannot hold calcite in solution, so it deposits the calcite in the form of stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, draperies, or popcorn. The type of formation created depends largely on whether the water is dripping, trickling, or seeping when it enters the cave passage.

Gypsum speleothems form because water seeping into the cave often contains small amounts of gypsum (calcium sulfide, CaSO4) picked up from the limestone or overlying sandstone. When this water evaporates in the cave, it deposits gypsum in the form of needles, beards, flowers, or spiders. Gypsum formations are found only in dry parts of the cave. Hydromagnesite speleothems are often the by-product of frostwork or popcorn formation. When calcite and aragonite crystallize out of water seeping from the cave walls, magnesium becomes more concentrated than calcium in the remaining water. In areas of very high evaporation, the magnesium will precipitate out as hydromagnesite (Mg5 (CO3)4(OH)2 4H2O). Hydromagnesite often appears on the walls as small white clumps resembling chalky cottage cheese. Rare hydromagnesite balloons exist in a few areas of the cave, where the pasty material has been inflated.

The blunt nailhead spar crystals that line most of the cave’s walls are not forming today. They formed when the cave was still completely or partially filled with water. As acidic water dissolved the limestone and created the cave, it became saturated with calcite. Some of this calcite was re-deposited underwater on the walls of the cave, in the form of spar. Pockets of dogtooth spar, which are sharp-ended crystals, formed when the limestone was still deeply buried under younger rocks. They once lined the openings of early caves that were not completely filled with sediment from deposition of the Minnelusa Formation.

Jewel Cave Discovery is an introductory talk about the cave. Participants view one large room of the cave and go up and down fifteen stairs. This talk is also accessible to visitors in wheelchairs or those unable to use stairs. The Cave Scenic Tour provides adventure tours to chambers decorated with calcite crystals and other speleothems, while walking on a paved trail. You will enter and leave the cave by elevator from the visitor center. This tour is considered moderately strenuous. It is a 1/2 mile loop that includes 723 stairs scattered throughout the loop. It lasts approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. This tour is offered year-round. Tickets are available first come, first served at the visitor center. Tickets can now be purchased up to 7 days in advance by calling 605-673-2288. Group reservations are available. There is a limit of 30 persons on each tour. During holidays, and spring and summer months this tour will frequently sell out.

The Lantern Tour is a 1930s-style adventure. Visitors enter and leave through the historic entrance and view the cave from an unpaved trail. This tour is considered strenuous. The tour route is approximately 1/2 mile long, and includes steep wooden steps. The only light is provided by a lantern each visitor carries. There is bending and stooping as you work your way through passages to the Dungeon or Heavenly Room. The tour lasts approximately 1-3/4 hours. Participants must be at least 6 years old. There is a limit of 20 persons on each tour. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis. This tour is offered early June through Labor Day. Tickets for the Lantern Tour must be purchased or picked up at the visitor center.

The Spelunking Tour is limited to summer and is for those seeking the most adventure at this outdoor vacation spot. With hard hat in place and headlamp turned on you are ready to experience the cave in its natural state. Feel the wind at Hurricane Corner, ascend Martha’s Kettle, crawl through the Roller Coaster and squeeze into the Brain Drain. Participants scramble over cave “breakdown,” chimney between cave walls, use a handline to climb a nearly vertical wall, and belly-crawl through tight passages. The cavers visit 2/3 mile of cave, and learn about low-impact caving, caving techniques and safety. The tour lasts 3-4 hours and is extremely strenuous. Anyone having a fear of closed spaces or heights should not attempt this tour. Participant must be 16 year of age or older. All participants are required to provide proof of age, upon request. A parent or legal guardian is required to sign, on the day of the tour, a waiver of responsibility for any 16 or 17-year-old participants and should remain at the monument throughout the duration of the tour. Participants must be in good physical condition and are required to pass through an 8-1/2 inch by 24-inch crawl space before beginning the tour. Refunds are not given for those visitors unable to negotiate the block.

There are also many opportunities for outdoor adventure on the surface at Jewel Cave National Monument. The 1,279 acre park is located in a Ponderosa pine forest. The Jasper Fire of August 24, 2000 has changed the scenery of the Monument but it is an opportunity to see first hand the forest recovery process. A variety of talks, demonstrations and guided walks are offered on the surface. Program topics include cave exploration, wildlife, fire ecology, Jasper Fire, wildflowers and plants of the area, and other subjects. Programs are regularly scheduled from mid-June through mid-August, and may be offered throughout the rest of the year. There are no fees for these programs. In the park’s two square miles you can have a picnic, take a nature hike, and discover some plants and animals of the rugged hills-and-canyon country of the Black Hills. In the ponderosa pine forest you may see mule deer, white-tailed deer, porcupines, squirrels, chipmunks, and several species of birds. Plants of both the prairie and mountains grow here, and in spring and summer wildflowers color the landscape.

Maps, wildflower and bird handouts for bird watching are available at the visitor center and historic area cabin. There are two self-guided hiking trails at Jewel Cave National Monument and one U. S. Forest Service hiking trail located approximately 1 mile (1.61 km) west of the Monument’s visitor center entrance on Highway 16. A Walk On The Roof Trail, Canyons Trail, and Hell Canyon Trail all provide visitors with plenty of natural beauty to explore. Printed information on all three trails is available at the visitor center year-round and at the historic ranger cabin in summer. The trails are diverse: from a ¼ mile (.4 km) to over 5.5 miles (8.9 km), from level to steep and rugged, and everything in between. There is bound to be at least one trail just right for you.

There are 393 plants that occur at Jewel Cave National Monument. Wildflowers can be found at the visitor center, the historic area, and along all surface trails. Enjoy the flowers – look at them, smell them, compare them, sketch them, photograph them – but please do not pick or otherwise disturb them! The bird list contains 120 species of birds seen on the Monument. Some are abundant like the Red-breasted Nuthatch, while others like the Bald Eagle are uncommon, but are seen occasionally. Pick a list up at the visitor center or historic cabin and start bird watching while you enjoy hiking one of the trails.

Bats are one of the most common mammals at Jewel Cave National Monument. Thousands of bats, of nine species, take advantage of the monument’s food, water and shelter. In the Black Hills, bats represent about 17% of all mammal species. Five species of Myotis and one species of Corynorhinus use the limestone caves throughout the year. Males and females of these species use the various limestone caves during the warm months for day and night roosts and use Jewel Cave as a hibernaculum through the winter. In late spring, pregnant Myotis are found at the monument, forming nursery colonies in ponderosa pine snags, rock crevices, and sometimes, buildings. Many of these colonies change roosts on a daily basis.

Several hundred Myotis and Corynorhinus hibernate within Jewel Cave during the colder months, accessing the cave through the historic entrance, locating themselves within 360 meters of the entrance. The 2005 bat count was higher than 2004. A total of 1,555 bats were counted. Jewel Cave supports one of the largest known hibernating colonies (over 700 members) of Townsend’s big-eared bats in the West. Vacationers and the local community (including farmers) benefit from the insect control provided by the monument bats. These insectivorous bats most often eat beetles, moths, flies, and mosquitoes. They also eat cockroaches, termites, crickets, katydids, cicadas, and night-flying ants. A single little brown Myotis can catch hundreds of mosquitoes in an hour. Cucumber and June beetles, stink bugs, leafhoppers, and cutworm and corn ear worm moths, all well-known pests, are just a few of the many insects known to be consumed by big brown bats. Big-eared bats are particularly adept at catching moths.

Surface Weather-Summer days are usually warm or hot, often with late afternoon thundershowers. Spring and fall weather is the most variable. Cool damp days alternate with warm dry ones. Winters are cold. Be prepared for changes in weather. Low-heeled, rubber-soled shoes and a light jacket or sweater are recommended for the tour. The cave temperature is 49 degrees year-round. Persons who have heart or respiratory problems, have recently been hospitalized or have a fear of heights or closed-in spaces should talk with a park ranger before selecting a tour.

For the Spelunking Tour, you need to bring sturdy, above ankle, rubber-soled, lug-soled, lace-up boots, long pants or coveralls, and a long-sleeved shirt, a change of clothing, shoes, and a plastic bag for carrying soiled clothes and boots from the visitor center after the tour. Gloves, soft knee pads and elbow pads are required and must be provided by the participant. Clean clothes and shoes must be brought to the visitor center when you check in for the tour. Clothing and footwear will be permanently stained by black manganese deposits encountered during this tour.

Some hiking tips are listed to keep in mind while you’re out on the trails. Please stay on designated trails and don’t cut switchbacks. Tell someone your route and carry a first aid kit. Pack out your trash and if you find trash along the trail, please pick it up. Carry drinking water with you on the trail. Be prepared for weather changes. Please do not pick the wildflowers. Natural features must remain undisturbed. Watch for poison ivy, rocks and other hazards along the trail. In summer, check your body and clothing frequently for ticks.

Current Weather

Please remember that the animals are wild and should remain so. Do not feed or harass the animals.

Discovery Tour- $4 for Adults 16 and older, free for ages 0 to 15 and free for Golden Age, Senior Pass, Access Pass, National Park Pass, America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass holders and their immediate families.

Scenic and Lantern Tours- $8 for Adults 16 and older, $4 for ages 6-15, free for ages 0-5 and a 50% discount applies for Golden Age, Senior Pass, and Access Pass holders only.

Spelunking Tour- $27 for all, 50% discount applies to Golden Age, Senior Pass, Access pass cardholders.

Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Badlands National Park, Black Hills National Forest, Thunder Basin National Grassland, Buffalo Gap National Grassland, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and Rapids City, SD all offer nearby activities.

The nearest major airport is 54 miles away in Rapid City, South Dakota.

The main Visitor Center and cave entrance is thirteen miles west of Custer, South Dakota on RT 16, 24 miles east of Newcastle, Wyoming on RT 16 and 54 miles from Rapid City, South Dakota via RT 16 & 16 -385.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Jewel Cave National Monument:

By Car:

Rapid City, SD – 56.84 miles

New Haven, WY – 116.70 miles

Sioux Falls, SD – 399.96 miles

Custer, SD – 12.30 miles

Newcastle, WY – 25.10 miles

Jewel Cave National Monument, 11149 Bldg B12, US Highway 16, Custer, SD 57730
Headquarters 605-673-2288
By Fax 605-673-3294

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