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Elk Mountain Campground Closed
The Elk Mountain Campground is closed and will remain closed through the summer of 2013 due to across the board budget cuts.
Operating Hours & Seasons
Visitor Center at Wind Cave National Park NPS Photo by Mike Landrum The park is opened year-round. The visitor center is opened daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Days. Click here for visitor center hours and general tour times. All cave tours are ranger-guided and leave from the visitor center. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. During the summer months long waits may be encountered. To avoid waits, the best time to visit the cave is during the early hours of the day. During the summer weekends are good times to visit; Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the busiest days. For more indepth information about the programs offered at Wind Cave National Park please see Program and Tour Schedule. Tour schedules are subject to change. Please call 605-745-4600 to confirm tour times. Programs are subject to cancellation during severe weather. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the 13 Fee Free Days in 2013 when more than 2,000 national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and other federal lands will offer free admittance to everyone. "Our national parks, wildlife refuges, forests and other public lands offer every American a place to get outdoors, learn about our nation's history and culture, and restore our spirits," Salazar said. "By providing free admission, we are rolling out the welcome mat for Americans to visit and enjoy these extraordinary treasures that belong to all of us." Tourism and outdoor recreation tied to public lands are powerful economic engines in communities across the country. Recreation on federal lands provided 440,000 jobs and contributed $55 billion to the economy in 2009. Each year, over 280 million national park visitors pump $31 billion into local economies, supporting 258,000 jobs. "We have a fantastic network of public lands that provides world class recreational opportunities, showcases our nation's rich and diverse history, and features some of the most incredible scenery around," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "The fee free days will give both first time and repeat visitors a good reason to spend time exploring these remarkable places." The Fee Free Days in 2013 include: April 22 - 26 - five days during National Park Week Click here for a full list of dates and participating agencies. The fee waiver does not cover expanded amenity or user fees for things such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours. Additionally, active duty military members and their dependents are eligible for a free annual pass that provides entrance to lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Service. The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Program also offers a free lifetime pass for people with disabilities, a $10 lifetime senior pass for those age 62 and over, and an $80 annual pass for the general public Holders of the Senior (Golden Age)/Access Passes are eligible for half price tickets for the cardholder only. The America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass does not waive Expanded Amenity Fees such as cave tours. For more in-depth information about the programs offered at Wind Cave National Park please see Program and Tour Schedule. April 21, 2013 - May 4, 2013 (All schedules are subject to change) Visitor Center 8:00 am - 5:00 pm daily May 5 - May 10, 2013 (Subject to change) Visitor Center 8:00 am - 5:00 pm May 11 - May 24, 2013 (Subject to change) Visitor Center - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Memorial Day Weekend (Subject to change) Visitor Center 9:00 am - 6:00 pm May 28 - June 8, 2013 (Subject to change) Visitor Center 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Main Summer Schedule, June 9 - August 10, 2013 (Subject to change) Visitor Center 9:00 am - 6:00 pm August 11 - September 2, 2013 (Subject to change) Visitor Center 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Post Labor Day - Late September 2013 (Schedules are subject to change) Visitor Center 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Visitor Center 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Mid-October 14, 2013 - Mid-April 2014 (Schedules are subject to change)
Tour schedules are subject to change. Please call 605-745-4600 to confirm tour times. Programs are subject to cancellation during severe weather. |
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Did You Know?
Porcupine babies are called porcupettes. When they are born they have 15,000 quills. Porcupettes are born in the spring and, lucky for mom, the quills are soft. They can climb trees within an hour of birth. More...