• Explore and Discover One of the Last Frontiers in the World ...

    Jewel Cave

    National Monument South Dakota

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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 »

Discovery Tour

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Target Room of Jewel Cave where the Discovery Tour / Ranger Talk takes place.

NPS Photo - Eric Dodd

The Discovery Tour is an excellent short visit to Jewel Cave.

This 20-minute ranger talk is offered daily, year-round, as a brief introduction to Jewel Cave's natural and cultural histories. Participants view one large room of the cave. This easy cave visit enters and exits the cave by elevator in the Visitor Center, and involves walking up and down 15 stair steps. The Discovery Tour is wheelchair accessible for people who have trouble negotiating stairs, and the tour is limited to 20 participants.

During the Discovery Tour, you see two types of calcite crystals commonly named nailhead spar and dogtooth spar, which are the "jewels" of Jewel Cave. You also see manganese and paleofill, which are not cave formations, but are important to the geology of Jewel Cave. Visitors will learn the theory on how Jewel Cave formed as well as how the cave was discovered in 1900.

Did You Know?

A group of three cavers / NPS file photo

Cave explorers at Jewel Cave National Monument always abide by the rule of three:
Carry at least 3 independent sources of light, cave with at least 3 people in your group, and maintain 3 points of contact with the rock when climbing.