Jewel Cave National Monument
Custer, SD
One of the longest caves in the world, lined with calcite crystals. Tours sell out in summer, so reserve online; the Scenic Tour has hundreds of stairs, and the visitor center is off US-16 west of Custer.
Jewel Cave National Monument is a protected cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota, about 13 miles (21 km) west of Custer and reached via US-16. The cave is named for the calcite crystals that line much of its walls. President Theodore Roosevelt declared it a national monument on 7 February 1908, making it the first US monument created to protect a cave.
With about 220 miles (355 km) of mapped passages (as of July 2025), Jewel Cave counts as the second-longest cave in the USA and the fifth-longest in the world. You will see crystals, soda straws, flowstone, boxwork and rare hydromagnesite balloons. Four tours run seasonally: the Scenic Tour (about 800 m, lit, reached by an elevator down a 91 m shaft), the short Discovery Tour, the Historic Lantern Tour and the demanding Wild Caving Tour with tight squeezes.
For road trippers: according to the National Park Service, only the Scenic and Discovery Tours run in winter (weather permitting), and the visitor center is open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (as of October 2026). Reservations are recommended; some tickets are sold daily without one. Please check schedules before you go.
- Nearest town
- Custer, SD
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 43.7298, -103.8290
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July. Cold, short days in December–March. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Big Pine CampgroundCampsite9 mi from Jewel Cave National Monument
- Fort Welikit Family CampgroundCampsite13 mi from Jewel Cave National Monument
- Bearded Buffalo ResortCampsite13 mi from Jewel Cave National MonumentCaravansWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Custer's Gulch RV Park and CampgroundCampsite14 mi from Jewel Cave National MonumentTentsCaravansWaste disposal
- Elk Mountain CampgroundCampsite20 mi from Jewel Cave National Monument · 48 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToilets
- Game Lodge CampgroundMotorhome stopover23 mi from Jewel Cave National Monument · 60 pitchesTentsMotorhomesElectricityShowersWaste disposal
All campsites in South Dakota · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Jewel Cave National Monument?
Jewel Cave National Monument is in Custer, SD, at GPS 43.7298, -103.8290. It is about 21 mi from Newcastle.
Can you camp near Jewel Cave National Monument?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Comanche Park Campground, about 6 mi away; within 25 mi there are 47 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Jewel Cave National Monument?
Jewel Cave National Monument is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Southern Black Hills: Crazy Horse, the Needles and Wind Cave.
What is there to see near Jewel Cave National Monument?
Places worth a stop nearby: Crazy Horse Memorial (13 mi), Sylvan Lake (16 mi), Needles Highway and Needles Eye Tunnel (16 mi) and Mount Rushmore National Memorial (21 mi).
When is the best time to visit Jewel Cave National Monument?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)