Wind Cave Tours – Garden of Eden, Fairgrounds, Natural Entrance, Candlelight & Wild

There are five cave tours run by the park service in Wind Cave National Park. They include the Garden of Eden, Natural Entrance, Fairgrounds, Candlelight and Wild Cave tours.

Garden of Eden Cave Tour

A one hour tour across 1/3 mile of the cave that showcases the boxwork, cave popcorn and flowstone cave formations. It is listed as easy and ideal for visitors with limited time or abilities. Guests enter and leave by elevator with 150 steps along the tour route. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-16 and holders of the senior, golden age or access passes. Children under 6 years of age are free.

Natural Entrance Cave Tour

This 1.25 hour tour is listed as of moderate difficulty. It allows visitors to enter through the human made entrance (where it got its name) and descend across nearly 300 stairs to the middle level of the cave. Guests exit the cave by elevator. There is abundant boxwork on the tour. It is scheduled between late April and early October. Rooms seen on this tour include the Blowhole, Post Office, Devils Lookout, Cathedral, Model Room and Fallen Flats. The cost is $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 6-16, $6 for senior, golden age or access passes.

Fairgrounds Tour

The Fairgrounds Tour is a 1.5 hour tour that explores the upper and middle levels of the cave. Rooms shown on the tour include the Elks Room, Fairgrounds, Fallen Flats, Summer Avenue and Temple. Boxwork, frostwork and popcorn are along the tour route. Visitors enter and ext by elevator but there are 450 stairs along the 2/3 mile route including a section of 89 steps going up.

Candlelight Tours

Each participant will carry a candle bucket as they explore the cave by candlelight. The tour is limited to 10 people and the minimum age is 8 years old. The tour is run in the summer months and the cost is $12 with 50% taken of for kids 8-16 years old as well as senior or golden age/access passholders. Rooms seen on the tour include Blue Grotto, Councel Changes The Blue Grotto, Council Chambers / Dinosaur Room, Elks Room, Fallen Flats, Pearly Gates, Summer Avenue and Temple.

Wild Cave Tours

These four hour tours take guests off the developed path and introduce visitors to basic, safe caving. Reservations are required and may be obtained by telephone one month before the tour. Guests must have attained 16 years of age. The tour is limited to 10 people. The cost is $30 with a 50% discount offered to senior or golden age/access passholders. Visitors are taken through the muddle room and shown the ripple marks. The tour is listed as very strenuous with crawling required. Note: Clothing worn on the Jewel Cave wild cave tour are not permitted here.