Wind Cave National Park / Hot Springs

To visit a some of our more rugged country filled with natural hot springs, prehistoric dinosaur digs, and wild horses, travel the purple route inot Wind Cave National Park and Hot Springs, SD

Wind Cave National Park is an easy trip from Custer State Park or Hot Springs. You'll find heards of buffalo and towns of prairie dogs inside the park.  The best adventure here is Wind Cave, the 4th longest cave in the world! At the cave entrance you can sign up for tours and park ranger provide 'junior ranger programs for the kids.

For a little more of the wild side of things, visit Hot Springs and see 2 great attractions, The Mammoth Site and Evans Plunge. Consider visiting the Wild Horse Sanctuary about 1/2 hour south of Hot Springs, home to free roaming mustangs!

Purple Route Suggested Itinerary

Attractions you might like!
Wind Cave - The Mammoth Site - Evans Plunge - Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary

It takes about 30-45 minutes to get to Wind Cave National Park or Hot Springs, SD, depeding on whre you started from. Take your time traveling through the park and through town. Downtown Hot Springs is a great little hotspot with amazing sandstone architecture and a few classy yet personable restaurants and coffee shops.

Visit Wind Cave National Park- open year round

- 6 different cave tours depeding on your ability or interest in walking stairs or crawling through crevices
- 11 hiking trails come through Wind Cave National Park so kick up some dust if you want
- Park Rangers educate the kids in their Junior Ranger program

Hot Springs - the hots spots you shouldn't miss

- Visit The Mamoth Site - Stand on the edge of discovery and walk where mammoths, bears, American lions and other Ice Age animals walked! The Mammoth Site is the world’s largest mammoth research facility where you can tour an active paleontological dig site and view Ice Age fossils exhibited as they are found.

- Visit Evans Plunge - Spend a refreshing fun filled day splashing in the worlds largest 'natural warm water' swimming pool. Slip down the slides, swing on the rings or do the backstroke all day long with the family

- Visit the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary south of Hot Springs on Highway 71s.
- Home to America's largest wild horse herd
- 500 horses including herds of mustangs graze on over 11,000 acres.
- Take a 2 hour bus tour, a 3 hour cross country tour, and even an 'all day adventure tour'