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No Reservations in 2013
Beginning January 2, 2013, Jewel Cave National Monument will not offer advanced ticket reservations, except for Wild Caving dates. Due to construction projects and assumed disruptions in service, ticket sales will occur on a first come first serve basis. More »
News
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Service First Agreement Signed between U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service Local public land management agencies in the southern Black Hills are working closer together as a result of a recently signed agreement between the Forest Service and the National Park Service. Known as a "Service First" agreement, reflecting the recent law on which it is based, the agreement allows the Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to exchange resources and share equipment across jurisdictional boundaries. "We hope this agreement improves service to the public while increasing operational efficiencies among agencies," said Larry Johnson, Jewel Cave National Monument Superintendent. "We all share common borders and in many cases, similar issues. In this time of budget shortfalls, working together as good neighbors makes sense and benefits everyone, especially the taxpayers." Participating in this agreement is the Hell Canyon Ranger District of the Black Hills National Forest, the Fall River Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Wind Cave National Park. "This is really about building relationships between administrators and looking for opportunities to share scarce resources," stated Hell Canyon District Ranger, Lynn Kolund. "These types of agreements do not involve transferring funds, but instead the exchange of services and equipment," said Mike McNeill, Fall River District Ranger. "We have need for a kit fox survey, and Wind Cave has a staff member who did his master’s thesis on the kit fox. In these challenging budget times, instead of contracting out the survey, we can now borrow a federal employee from another agency to accomplish the work." Johnson continued, "It legally allows us to barter among ourselves to get the job done in the most efficient manner possible. If the Forest Service needs someone to assist with cave management issues at some of their caves, we have the expertise to do that. If Wind Wave needs an archeologist, this agreement allows a Forest Service archeologist to work in a national park." Legislation authorizing these types of agreements was passed in 2012. For more information, visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/servicefirst/index.shtml.
News Releases: February 26, 2013 / National Park Tourism in SD creates $165 million in Economic Benefit January 18, 2013 / Jewel Cave Hosts Volunteer Cave Cleanup Project January 15, 2013 / Jewel Cave Offers Free Tours on Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 4, 2013 / Jewel Cave Changes Reservation Process in 2013 November 30, 2012 / Jewel Cave Schedules Off-Season Wild Caving Tours November 23, 2012 / Park Ranger Lydia Austin Honored as Outstanding New Interpreter November 8, 2012 / Jewel Cave Re-Opens in Time for Free Cave Tours on Veterans Day Weekend October 19, 2012 / Jewel Cave Suspends Tours July 27, 2012 / Jewel Cave Earns 2012 TRIPADVISOR Certificate of Excellence July 6, 2012 / Cub Scout Belt Loopalooza Takes Reservations June 22, 2012 / Jewel Cave Takes Reservations for Cub Scout Belt Loopalooza June 8, 2012 / Jewel Cave Gears Up for Special Junior Ranger Days May 25, 2012 / Jewel Cave National Monument Celebrates National Trails Day May 18, 2012 / Jewel Cave Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Scenic Tour Route May 16, 2012 / Thanking America's Armed Forces April 17, 2012 / Jewel Cave and Wind Cave Celebrate National Park Week March 23, 2012 / Jewel Cave Fights Pine Beetle Impacts March 23, 2012 / Jewel Cave Closes Canyons Trail for Construction February 28, 2012 / Jewel Cave Re-Opens Cave for Tours February 17, 2012 / Jewel Cave Open for Holiday Weekend February 10, 2012 / Temporary Suspension of Jewel Cave Tours Continues February 3, 2012 / Jewel Cave Temporarily Closes Cave for Tours January 11, 2012 / Jewel Cave Offers Free Cave Tours on Holiday Weekend December 9, 2011 / Jewel Cave National Monument Offers November 2, 2011 / Jewel Cave and Wind Cave Offer Free Tours on Veterans Day weekend September 30, 2011 / Jewel & Wind Caves Host Cave Rescue Seminar September 16, 2011 / Free Cave Tours and Volunteer Opportunities at Jewel Cave on National Public Lands Day August 29, 2011 / Jewel Cave Works on Roadways September 6th through 9th July 9, 2011 / Elevator Problems Temporarily Close Part of Jewel Cave for Tours June 24, 2011 / Jewel Cave Takes Reservations for Cub Scout Belt Loopalooza scheduled for Saturday, July 16, 2011. June 10, 2011 / Jewel Cave Offers Free Tours on June 21, 2011 June 3, 2011 / Jewel Cave National Monument Schedules Special Junior Ranger Days - June 11, July 9, August 13, and Sept. 10, 2011 May 27, 2011 / Jewel Cave National Monument Offers Events on National Trails Day June 4, 2011 April 8, 2011 / Free Tours of Jewel Cave during National Park Week, April 16 - 24, 2011 February 17, 2011 / Jewel Cave Awarded National Park Foundation Impact Grant January 7, 2011 / Jewel Cave Offers Free Tours on Holiday Weekend |
Did You Know?
The largest room discovered in Jewel Cave is called the Big Duh. It measures 570 feet long, is 180 feet wide at its widest point, and is 30 feet tall.