Jewel Cave National Monument
All four cave tours compared, how to get tickets before they sell out, and where to sleep
Updated: July 16, 2026 | Free entry | 13 miles west of Custer
Quick Answer: What do you need to know about Jewel Cave?
Jewel Cave is free to enter and sits 13 miles west of Custer on US-16, about 25 minutes. You pay only for tours: the Scenic Tour ($16, 1 hour 20 minutes, 734 stairs) is the main event, the Discovery Tour ($6, 20 minutes, 15 stairs) is the easy and wheelchair-accessible option, the Historic Lantern Tour ($16, candle lanterns, age 8+) runs summer only, and the Wild Caving Tour ($45) has you crawling for four hours. Book at Recreation.gov: tours often sell out by mid to late morning in summer. The cave is a constant 49°F and fully enclosed shoes are required or you are turned away. There is no lodging or food at the monument, so most visitors stay in Custer.
It is the fifth longest cave, not the third
You will see "third longest cave in the world" and "208 miles" on a lot of pages about Jewel Cave, including some booking sites. Both are out of date. The National Park Service puts the surveyed length at 220.33 miles as of September 7, 2024, and ranks it fifth in the world.
The number keeps moving, because the cave keeps growing: surveyors have mapped less than 5% of what airflow measurements suggest is down there, and more than half the known cave already runs outside the monument boundary under Black Hills National Forest. Jewel Cave is also 822 feet deep, the deepest cave in the Black Hills. Treat any length you read without a survey date attached as unreliable.
“At more than 200 miles in length, Jewel Cave is currently the fifth longest cave in the world.”
Table of Contents
All 4 Jewel Cave Tours
Every tour is ranger-led and every tour needs a ticket. The difference that actually decides your choice is stairs: the Scenic Tour has 734 of them and the Discovery Tour has fifteen. Children 5 and under are free on the Scenic and Discovery tours.
Scenic Tour
$16 adult, $8 youth 6-15The main tour and the one most people mean when they say they did Jewel Cave. A half-mile loop through the chambers the cave is named for, past nailhead and dogtooth spar, boxwork, cave popcorn, flowstone and draperies. You enter and exit by elevator from the visitor center, but the 734 stairs in between are the real work. If you only do one tour, do this one.
Length: 1 hour 20 minutes
Stairs: 734 stairs (about 40 flights)
Difficulty: Moderately strenuous
Group: Up to 30 people
Season: Year-round
Discovery Tour
$6 adult, $3 youth 6-15, $3 senior 62+A single large chamber, reached by elevator, with a ranger talk on how the cave formed. This is the tour for anyone who cannot manage stairs, for small children, and for travelers who are short on time. It is also the wheelchair-accessible option: the chamber can be experienced from the upper concrete platform, which crosses 37 feet and skips the 15 steps entirely.
Length: 20 minutes
Stairs: 15 stairs, or none from the upper platform
Difficulty: Easy and accessible
Group: Up to 20 people
Season: Year-round
Historic Lantern Tour
$16 adult, $8 youth 8-15You carry a candle lantern through the historic entrance the Michaud brothers used, on wooden stairs, seeing only what your own light shows you. Age 8 and up, no exceptions. This tour does not start at the visitor center: check in at the Historic Area, one mile west, at least 15 minutes early. Parking there is limited and capped at 20-foot vehicles.
Length: 1 hour 45 minutes
Stairs: Roughly 500 steep, ladder-like wooden steps
Difficulty: Strenuous
Group: Up to 15 people
Season: June 1 to September 1, 2026
Wild Caving Tour
$45, age 16 and up onlyUndeveloped passage, on your belly, in the dark. Before you go you have to fit through an 8.5 by 24 inch concrete block on the visitor center patio, and if you cannot, there is no refund. Above-ankle lace-up boots with lug soles are required. This is booked by request form rather than instant checkout, and a guide replies within five business days.
Length: 3 to 4 hours
Stairs: About two-thirds of a mile of crawling
Difficulty: Extremely strenuous
Group: 5 maximum, 2 minimum
Season: Late May to end of August
Which one should you pick? Take the Scenic Tour if you can handle 40 flights of stairs, because it is the cave people come for. Take the Discovery Tour if stairs are a problem, if you have a toddler, or if you are squeezing the cave in around Mount Rushmore and only have an hour. Take the Lantern Tour if you have done the Scenic Tour before and want the cave to feel like 1900 again. Take the Wild Caving Tour only if you genuinely want to crawl through mud for four hours; most people who think they do have not thought about the 8.5 inch squeeze.
How to Get Jewel Cave Tickets
- 1Book on Recreation.gov. That is the only reservation channel, and there is a $1 per ticket processing fee. Wild Caving is different: it uses a request form and a guide replies within five business days.
- 2Know the release window. Summer and fall tickets (May through November) go live roughly 30 to 60 days ahead. The entire winter season opens at the beginning of December. Booking closes at noon the day before your tour, or a week before for Wild Caving.
- 3Sold out online is not the end. The Park Service holds back a separate allocation of walk-up tickets, sold in person, day of only, first come first served. These are not leftovers from the online pool. Show up early and ask.
- 4Arrive 30 minutes early at the visitor center. For the Lantern Tour, be at the Historic Area, one mile west, 15 minutes early instead. Late arrivals get no refund.
- 5Bring a card. Credit and debit only. Cancel at least two days out for a refund minus a $1 per ticket fee; miss the tour and you get nothing back.
“Tours often sell out by mid to late morning during the summer season (May through September). Availability of same day tickets is not guaranteed.”
Two things to check before you book. The Park Service has flagged a construction pause on the Historic Lantern Tour while work happens on the trail to the tour start, but its own pages give conflicting windows, so confirm your date is running before you drive out. And September tickets were scheduled to be released on August 1, which is worth knowing if you are planning a shoulder-season trip.
Hours, Fees and Getting There
2026 Hours
- • Now through Sep 7: daily, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mountain Time. The main gate closes promptly at 5:30.
- • Sep 8 to October: Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- • October to May 2027: Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1.
- • Off season, only the Scenic and Discovery tours run. Tour times for autumn and winter are published closer to the date.
Fees
- • Monument entry: free. No entrance pass required, ever.
- • Visitor center and surface trails: free.
- • Tours: $6 to $45 depending on which one.
- • America the Beautiful passes do not cover cave tours. There is no entrance fee for them to waive, and the Park Service excludes cave tours as an expanded amenity fee.
Drive Times to Jewel Cave
- Custer: 13 miles east on US-16, about 25 minutes. The gateway town and where you should sleep.
- Wind Cave National Park: 35.1 miles, about 1 hour. Easy to pair in one day.
- Crazy Horse Memorial: 18.9 miles, about 30 minutes.
- Custer State Park: 23.8 miles, about 40 minutes.
- Mount Rushmore: 34.6 miles, about 45 minutes.
- Rapid City Regional Airport: 63 miles, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Distances per the National Park Service. For more of these, see our Black Hills driving distances guide.
Do not trust your GPS. This is the Park Service's own warning, not ours: navigation apps have routed visitors past the visitor center entirely and onto backcountry roads that may be impassable. Follow US-16 and watch for the signs. There is also very little to no cell service at the monument, and no shuttle or public transport of any kind.
Know Before You Go
The footwear rule turns people away
Fully enclosed shoes are required on every tour and rangers enforce it at the door. If you show up in the wrong shoes you are denied access, and there is no refund.
It is 49°F down there, always
Year round, regardless of what it is doing on the surface. Long pants and a sweatshirt or light jacket. In a Black Hills summer that runs hot, an hour at 49 degrees is the best air conditioning in the county.
Accessibility
The Scenic and Discovery tours both enter and exit by elevator. The Discovery Tour is the wheelchair-accessible one: it can be done from the upper concrete platform, crossing 37 feet with no stairs. Service dogs are welcome on Discovery. Strollers are allowed on Discovery only.
Leave it in the car
Backpacks, purses, handbags, diaper bags, hiking poles, tripods, monopods, GoPro sticks, large flashlights, food, gum, drinks and pets are all banned inside the cave. Infants on the Scenic Tour must be in a front carrier, worn the whole way.
One cave per outfit
Because of manganese deposits, clothing and footwear worn in Jewel Cave cannot be worn in Wind Cave, or the other way around. If you are doing both in one trip, pack a second pair of shoes. Lantern Tour visitors also walk a white-nose syndrome decontamination mat.
Jewel Cave vs Wind Cave: Which One?
They are 35 miles apart and people constantly ask whether doing both is repetitive. It is not. They look different underground, and one of them is a national park with a prairie on top.
| Jewel Cave | Wind Cave | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature | Calcite crystal spar, the "jewels" | Boxwork, the world's best display |
| Status | National Monument, 1,273 acres | National Park, with bison prairie |
| Above ground | Forest trails, Hell Canyon. No bison. | Mixed-grass prairie, bison, prairie dogs |
| Entry | Free | Free |
| Main tour | Scenic, $16, 734 stairs | Fairgrounds, 450 stairs |
| Easiest tour | Discovery, 20 min, 15 stairs | Garden of Eden, 1 hr, 150 stairs |
| Accessible option | Discovery from the upper platform | Accessibility Tour, 30 min, zero stairs |
| Time needed | Two hours, then you leave | Half a day, easily |
| Best for | The bigger, deeper cave and crystal | Boxwork, wildlife, limited mobility |
The honest answer: if you can only do one and stairs are fine, do Jewel Cave, because it is the bigger cave and the spar is why it has a name. If anyone in your group struggles with stairs, do Wind Cave, whose easiest tour has 150 stairs against Jewel Cave's 734 and whose Accessibility Tour has none at all. If you have a full day, do both from Custer, and pack the second pair of shoes.
Tours Near Jewel Cave
Jewel Cave sits between Custer, Crazy Horse and Wind Cave, so it slots neatly into a southern Black Hills day. Most of these have free cancellation through Viator.
Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Tour
What makes this tour unique is the combination of three of Western South Dakota's most iconic destinations – Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Custer State Park Wildlife Loop – into a single, comprehensive, and fully narrated experience. Over 8-9 hours, you'll not just see these landmarks, but gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for their history, cultural significance, and natural beauty. We always give the guest time to buy their lunch during the tour.
Private Custer State Park Safari and Hiking Tour
You will have an opportunity to explore different areas within Custer State Park. The day will be spent within this historic State Park.
Icons of the West: Black Hills & Badlands 3-Day Tour
This tour covers the three major areas of the Black Hills and Badlands. You can put down the planning, and relax as we take you to the significant points of interest. At times, we may deviate from the itinerary for some surprise visits. We can spend more or less time at each location based on your interests. Our guides are trained in a way that enhances your experience on so many levels. We care about your time here most of all and are willing to go out of our way to ensure you have an excellent experience. Photography is something we love as well, and photos will be provided at the end of each day, free of charge.
Wildlife Biologist’s Guide to the Black Hills: Private Tour
This isn’t just a tour, it’s a deeply personal exploration of the natural world, guided by a professional wildlife biologist who brings every moment to life. Designed exclusively for your group, the experience is entirely private and tailored to your interests, pace, and curiosity. What sets it apart is the focus on nature in its purest form, no monuments, no crowds, just the living heartbeat of the Black Hills. You’ll explore vast prairies, winding byways, underground caves, and wildlife-rich habitats with a guide who reads the landscape like a storybook. Rather than simply pointing out animals or naming plants, your guide offers insight into the complex relationships that tie geology, ecology, and wildlife together. You’ll walk away with not only stunning photos but a meaningful connection to the land itself. Unhurried, immersive, and rich with discovery, this tour invites you to slow down, look deeper, and experience South Dakota as few ever do.
Custer State Park Wildlife Loop and Needles Highway Tour
What makes this tour unique is its immersive journey through Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop, offering a chance to witness the majestic buffalo herds, especially enchanting in springtime with the adorable newborn calves. Beyond the buffalo, you'll encounter a diverse array of wildlife, from graceful antelope and deer to playful prairie dogs and the charming begging burros, all set against the backdrop of breathtaking scenery. The 7-8 hour narrated experience provides an in-depth understanding of the park's ecosystem and its inhabitants, making it more than just a sightseeing tour, but an educational and unforgettable wildlife adventure.
Private Tour of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park
Mount Rushmore is more than just the carvings. They have secrets that are not easily revealed. GeoFunTrek's guides are local experts with decades of experience. We have no seasonal guides, part-time guides or trainees. This is a family-owned business and all tours are conducted by family members: Cindy, Christopher and John Esposti. We have the knowledge and skills to make your day one to remember. You will always get the A-team when you tour with GeoFunTrek Tours! All tours are PRIVATE TOURS, exclusive to the group booking the tour, and no additional guests will be included. Children must be accompanied by one adult. Children 3 years and younger are free and will have their own seat. Children's car seats must be supplied by family members when required. Our vehicles are SUV's, and a larger vehicle (van) may be rented for larger groups. This is a great tour for 3-generation families with Children, multiple couples and groups of friends.
Prices and availability provided by Viator. We earn a commission on bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Where to Stay Near Jewel Cave
There is no lodging at Jewel Cave and no food beyond vending machines. The Park Service names Custer as the gateway community, 13 miles east on US-16, roughly 25 minutes. That is where you sleep, and it is convenient anyway: Custer is also the closest town to Wind Cave and the western entrance to Custer State Park, so one base covers the whole southern Black Hills.
Bavarian Inn, Black Hills
Custer, about 25 minutes from Jewel Cave
Exceptional
(1,265 reviews)
A European-inspired resort built in 1973 with 64 rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a pickleball court, and a playground. The most complete family property in Custer and an easy base for both Jewel Cave and Wind Cave.
Comfort Inn & Suites Custer
Custer, on the US-16 approach
Very Good
(655 reviews)
Large family suites, a 24-hour fitness center, free breakfast, and adult-only swim times. Sits on the US-16 side of town, which is the road you take west to the monument.
Rocket Motel
Downtown Custer
Excellent
(450 reviews)
A preserved mid-century modern motel with neon signage and owner-run service. Walkable to Custer dining, which matters because there is no food at Jewel Cave beyond vending.
Want the full ranked list of Custer hotels, including budget motels and cabins?
See All Hotels in CusterOther Bases
- Custer: 13 miles. The obvious choice, and the Park Service's named gateway.
- Hill City: Further north and more central to the whole Black Hills if you are splitting time with Mount Rushmore.
- Rapid City: The biggest selection and the airport, but you are looking at roughly an hour and a half each way.
- Newcastle, Wyoming: 24 miles west. The Park Service's other named gateway, and a genuine option if you are arriving from Wyoming rather than from the Hills.
Not sure which town to base in for the whole trip? Our where to stay in the Black Hills guide compares all of them, and the Black Hills itinerary shows where a cave day fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jewel Cave the third longest cave in the world?
No. It is the fifth longest, at 220.33 surveyed miles as of September 7, 2024 per the National Park Service. The "third longest" and "208 miles" figures are stale and still circulate widely, including on booking sites. Surveying continues, so the number grows.
Is there an entrance fee?
No. Entry is free and no pass is required. You pay only for cave tours, $6 to $45.
Does my America the Beautiful pass cover the tours?
No. There is no entrance fee for it to waive, and the Park Service explicitly excludes cave tours as an expanded amenity fee. Everyone pays the tour price.
Can I just turn up?
You can, and it often works, but do it early. Tours frequently sell out by mid to late morning in summer. Walk-up tickets are a separate allocation from the Recreation.gov pool, sold day-of only, so "sold out online" does not mean there is no way in.
How many stairs is the Scenic Tour really?
734, about 40 flights, over a half-mile loop. You ride the elevator in and out, so the stairs are all inside the cave. If that sounds like too much, the Discovery Tour has fifteen.
Is Jewel Cave good for young kids?
The Discovery Tour is, at 20 minutes and 15 stairs, and under-5s are free. The Scenic Tour is a long 80 minutes for small children. The Lantern Tour has a hard age floor of 8 and Wild Caving is 16 and up.
Is there anywhere to eat or sleep at the monument?
No. Vending machines only, and no lodging. Eat and sleep in Custer, 25 minutes east. Bring water; ticks and poison ivy are common on the surface trails.
Planning a Jewel Cave Visit
Reserve your tour on Recreation.gov roughly 30 to 60 days out, wear closed shoes, and book a room in Custer, 25 minutes east, since there is nothing at the monument itself. Pair it with Wind Cave an hour away and you have a full day underground, with a change of shoes in between.