-
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
Jewel Cave Offers Free Cave Tours to Celebrate National Park Week Free tours are scheduled at Jewel Cave National Monument to celebrate National Park Week. From Monday, April 22, through Friday, April 26, Discovery and Scenic Tours at Jewel Cave are offered free of charge. Across the country, visitors can enjoy the beauty and wonder of 84 million acres of the world's most spectacular scenery, historic places, and cultural treasures for free. "National Park Week is a great time to visit America's heritage sites and enjoy the recreational and educational opportunities in these great places," said Superintendent Larry Johnson. "For visitors to Jewel Cave, our aim is to showcase the cave's natural beauty and geologic history, but also invoke a sense of exploration and discovery into each tour." Throughout National Park Week, Discovery Tours are offered daily at 11:35 a.m., 1:35 p.m., and 3:35 p.m. and are limited to 20 people. Scenic Tours take place at 10:00 a.m., 12:40 p.m., and 2:40 p.m. and host up to 30 participants. Due to limited space, fee-free tours are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tour tickets are only provided on the day(s) of the scheduled tours; advance tickets are not available. The park store, managed by the Black Hills Parks and Forest Association, will also be offering a 10 percent discount on any national park themed items. New products, such as nature games, educational resources, Junior Ranger souvenirs, and interpretive books, have already been stocked in preparation for the upcoming summer season. There is an assortment of gift ideas for park enthusiasts. The cave temperature is around 49 ºF year round. A light jacket or sweater and sturdy walking shoes are recommended. All tours begin at the visitor center, and cave tour tickets will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Tours can be extremely popular during the spring season, resulting in long wait times and possible "sold out" tours. For more information related to National Park Week or for a schedule of tour times, visit Jewel Cave online at www.nps.gov/jeca or call the visitor center at 605-673-8300.
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?
From the elevator entrance, it takes over 11 hours for explorers to reach unexplored sections at the end of Jewel Cave. Some survey trips require cavers to remain underground for up to 4 days.