Wind Cave – Garden of Eden Cave Tour
Wind Cave National Park is located about an hour south of Rapid City, South Dakota. The park is known more for what lies beneath the ground. Below the surface is 168 miles of cave system that meanders and crosses through a series of dark passage and rooms filled with amazing boxwork rock formations. There are several guided tours at Wind Cave, including the Garden of Eden tour, which is a shorter and less stressful tour.
The caves are still being explored and discovered to this day but the exploration is only left to the professionals. There are no self guided tours and if you really want to enjoy the caves, make sure to sign up for a tour. The rangers that give the tours have so much amazing knowledge of the science and history that make this cave system so special.
The History
One of the biggest benefits to taking the guided tour is hearing about the rich history of the Wind Cave. According to our amazing guide, the history of the cave begins with the Lakota.
Lakota Emergence
Some of the Lakota emerged from the spirit world through a passageway called Maka Oniye (breathing earth) which was the Wind Cave. Two spirits tricked the people to leave the safety of the cave by sending a wolf who tempted them with food and clothes. Some followed to the surface, and then the spirit revealed the trick.
The people tried to return but found the entrance blocked. The Creator then heard the peoples cries and turned them into bison as punishment. Later, those who stayed in the spirit world were ready to emerge and the creator told them to follow the bison in order to find what they needed to live on earth. This story was borrowed by the park from the Cheyenne Creek Community on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of the Oglala Sioux Tribe as told by Wilmer Mesteth to Sina Bear Eagle.
Alvin McDonald
The more recent history is of Alvin McDonald, the teenager explored the cave back in 1890 with nothing more than a candle and ball of string to find his way back. He would give tours and sell some of the boxwork to make a living but Alvin also created the first modern map of the caves and named several of the areas.
Another family, the Stablers, built a hotel over the cave and housed guests while Alvin and the McDonald family gave tours to the guests. At least, until Alvin died typhoid fever in 1893 at the age of 20. After that the two families fought over ownership and both proved their cases too well. The government decided that neither family had the true claim to the area and instead turned Wind Cave into one of the first National Parks.
Garden of Eden Tour
Now that we know the history, time to talk about the tours. There are six total tours available but they change with the seasons so make sure to check before you go. The only tour that was available for my visit was the Garden of Eden Tour. The Garden of Eden Tour is the least strenuous tour and lasts about an hour. In the hour you will cover about a quarter mile of cave and traverse 150 steps.
After an elevator trip down to the entrance, the tour starts in a large chamber to let you get your bearings underground. The guide will take you through sections of the cave and explain the history that I mentioned above. Next, it was time to get into the geology of the cave itself.
What Lies Beneath
The Wind Cave has unique rock formations, the science is beyond me, that form really ornate boxwork rocks that hang above and rise from the floor. The cave is lit enough to really appreciate the rocks but dimly enough to really get a feel for the environment underground. The Garden of Eden tour is short but gives a really great sensation of the cave. There are some amazing formations to explore and to see. I really enjoyed the stories of the history of the cave.
As we made our way around the concrete paths and up and down the stairwells, I didn’t even notice that we made it back to the original chamber. It made me wonder how the 18 year Alvin could explore so much of this amazing space with nothing but a candle and string. If it weren’t for our guide I would have gotten lost in the small quarter mile that we explored.
Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park is one of the oldest national parks. It was established in 1903, and may not have been a park if not for the land dispute. Because most of the “wow” factor of the park is underground, it may be the most unassuming park I have been to. That doesn’t mean that the rest of the park isn’t beautiful.
The outskirts of the park is rolling hills full of bison, prairie dogs, and trails. I saw a bunch of bison just from the road connecting Wind Cave and Custer State Park. There is a really nice picnic area and campground at the park as well. I was really impressed with the park as a whole and the caves are can’t miss!
The Cave Tours
You will need tickets to explore the caves and tickets are on a first come first serve basis. Tickets may be purchased with a credit or debit card at the park. Also, tickets may be bought through Recreation.gov website. Each tour has different level of difficulty and lengths.Mmake sure to check which tour might be right for you. There are also different fees for the different tours. For more information make sure to check the Wind Cave website.
More from The Fatman
If you enjoyed this post you may enjoy more of the posts on my Fatman’s Rambling page. Blogs such as “Screw it, I’m Trying”, “Hiking Alone not Lonely Hiking“, “Winslow, Arizona” and “Another Year” as well as many others may interest you there. If you have any comments or topics you would like me to cover, feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. Or you can keep the conversation going by following me on any of the below social media platforms.
