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Jewel Cave National Monument, Custer, SD

Photo: Renata Muru, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureRainy-Day PickFree

Jewel Cave National Monument

US Highway 16, about 13 miles west of Custer · Custer, SD

Why you should go…

Jewel Cave lies under the Black Hills about 13 miles west of Custer, with more than 220 miles of mapped passages. The cave is named for the calcite crystals that cover many of its walls, and all cave access is by guided tour. The Scenic Tour is a half-mile loop with 734 stair steps, while the shorter Discovery Tour visits a single chamber, the Target Room, by elevator. The cave stays at 49 degrees year-round, and the visitor center and trails are free.

  • #cave tour
  • #national monument
  • #black hills
  • #calcite crystals

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Jewel Cave National Monument, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Black Hills Bronco Adventures

    $50+

    Guided open-top Bronco tours through the Black Hills, visiting Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and backcountry trails.

    3.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Four Mile Old West Town Museum

    Under $25

    Recreated 1880s Black Hills stagecoach town with over 50 buildings, western artifacts and a comic Old West show.

    7.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Custer State Park

    $25–$50

    Drive the Wildlife Loop past free-roaming bison, wind through the Needles Highway and walk the shore of Sylvan Lake.

    11 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Black Hills Balloons

    $50+

    Sunrise hot air balloon flights over Custer State Park and the southern Black Hills.

    12 mi awayMore like this

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Black Hills Aerial Adventures

    $50+

    Take a helicopter tour over the Black Hills for aerial views of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park.

    13 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Needles Highway

    $25–$50

    Drive 14 winding miles past granite spires, Sylvan Lake and narrow rock tunnels in the Black Hills of Custer State Park.

    16 mi awayMore like this