Jewel Cave National Monument's Historic Area Signage

Entry Point from U.S. Highway 16

NPS Photo/ Connor Joyce

Quick Facts

Location:

Custer, South Dakota

Significance:

Part of Jewel Cave National Monument

Designation:

National Monument

Amenities

9 listed

Audio Description, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Parking - Auto, Picnic Table, Recycling, Restroom - Seasonal, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles

Historic Area Signage 

Located 13.5 miles from Custer, South Dakota, and 23.8 miles from Newcastle, Wyoming, the replica historic cabin signage visible from U.S. Route 16 marks 600 feet until the original ranger station. Journeying down this historic driveway, you travel on the same route utilized by both guests and federal employees since the creation of Jewel Cave’s original entry station and Visitor Center in 1935.

• Jewel Cave National Monument's Historic Area Signage

  
  

  Join Ranger Connor for a historic audio tour that delves into the evolution of the log cabin, the rangers who inhabited the cabin, the historic entrance, the neighboring environment, and Jewel Cave’s connection with U.S. presidential history.

  Date created:

  09/12/2025

  Audio Transcript

  Hello and welcome to Jewel Cave National Monument’s Historic Area. Located 13.5 miles from Custer, South Dakota, and 23.8 miles from Newcastle, Wyoming, the replica historic cabin signage visible from U.S. Route 16 marks 600 feet until the original ranger station.

  
  Journeying down this historic driveway, you are traveling on the same route utilized by both guests and federal employees since the creation of Jewel Cave’s original entry station and Visitor Center in 1935. Paraphrasing the words of Maria Popova, history is what survives change over time. This historic audio tour will delve into the evolution of the log cabin, the rangers who inhabited the cabin, the historic entrance, the neighboring environment, and Jewel Cave’s connection with U.S. presidential history.

  
  Notably, this audio tour will delve into the importance of exploration and discovery. Cave systems such as Jewel Cave National Monument serve as an enduring reminder of the American spirit. Of a people determined to persevere, no matter the challenge ahead. With grit, ingenuity, and innovation, the builders, the rangers, and the explorers at Jewel Cave National Monument represent a microcosm of what it means to be an American. Therefore, in a larger sense, it is altogether fitting and proper to dedicate ourselves to the unfinished work of remembrance and exploration that lies beneath the Black Hills.