Does Wind Cave National Park have an entrance fee?

No. NPS lists Wind Cave as a fee-free park with no entrance fee.

When is the best time to visit Wind Cave National Park?

In 2025 July was the busiest month with 111,639 visits and February the quietest with 10,191. Summer is hot with frequent strong storms, and winter snow can close roads at times.

Are dogs allowed at Wind Cave National Park?

Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet or crated, and they cannot go in public buildings. NPS lists Pet Friendly Hikes among the activities open to pets.

Can you camp at Wind Cave National Park?

Yes. Elk Mountain Campground has 67 sites. NPS lists nightly individual-site fees from $12 to $24.

What are the hours at Wind Cave National Park?

NPS says the park is open around the clock every day. Times at the Visitor Center and for cave tours change across the year.

All parks › Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave National Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): July^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 606,258^[3]
Campgrounds: 1^[4]

Wind Cave National Park is a national park in South Dakota run by the National Park Service^[5]. NPS lists it as fee-free, so you pay no entrance fee to get in^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Wind Cave National Park^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS says the park is open around the clock every day of the year^[6]. Opening times for the Visitor Center and the cave tour lineup shift with the season, so confirm them with the park before you go^[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was July with 111,639 recreation visits, and the quietest was February with 10,191^[2]. NPS describes summer as hot and mostly dry, with highs often above 80°F and strong thunderstorms that can bring hail and lightning^[7]. Winter highs sit in the high 30s and snow can close park roads at times^[7]. Spring is the wettest season, while fall tends to be dry with warm days and cold nights^[7].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, July, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	10,938
February	10,191
March	19,355
April	40,796
May	67,886
June	98,988
July	111,639
August	108,995
September	82,554
October	27,978
November	14,130
December	12,808

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	709,001
2022^[3]	607,418
2023^[3]	592,459
2024^[3]	489,399
2025^[3]	606,258

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list one campground in the park, Elk Mountain Campground, with 67 sites^[4]. NPS lists nightly fees for an individual site from $12 to $24^[4]. Confirm current rates and dates on the official pages before you plan a stay.

Elk Mountain Campground, 67 sites^[4]

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be crated, caged or on a leash of six feet or less wherever they are allowed, and they cannot enter public buildings^[8]. NPS marks some Wind Cave activities as open to pets, including Pet Friendly Hikes, picnicking and a visit to the natural entrance of the cave^[9]. The park can close more areas to pets, so check the official page^[8].

Before you go

There is no entrance fee, according to NPS^[1].
Visitor Center and cave tour schedules shift during the year, so check them before your trip^[6].
NPS notes that one of the listed things to do needs a reservation^[9].
Snow and bad weather can limit access to parts of the park, mainly in winter^[6].
Fees and hours can change, so confirm details on the official NPS page.

Questions people ask

Does Wind Cave National Park have an entrance fee?: No. NPS lists Wind Cave as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1].
When is the best time to visit Wind Cave National Park?: In 2025 July was the busiest month with 111,639 visits and February the quietest with 10,191^[2]. Summer is hot with frequent strong storms, and winter snow can close roads at times^[7].
Are dogs allowed at Wind Cave National Park?: Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet or crated, and they cannot go in public buildings^[8]. NPS lists Pet Friendly Hikes among the activities open to pets^[9].
Can you camp at Wind Cave National Park?: Yes. Elk Mountain Campground has 67 sites^[4]. NPS lists nightly individual-site fees from $12 to $24^[4].
What are the hours at Wind Cave National Park?: NPS says the park is open around the clock every day^[6]. Times at the Visitor Center and for cave tours change across the year^[6].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Wind Cave National Park as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 709,001, 2022: 607,418, 2023: 592,459, 2024: 489,399, 2025: 606,258. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in Wind Cave National Park (list on this page). National Park Service
Wind Cave National Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park) in South Dakota. National Park Service
Operating hours, Wind Cave National Park: The park is open all day, every day. Snow or severe weather can limit access to some areas of the park, especially in winter. Visitor Center hours and cave tour schedules vary throughout the year. Visit the park... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Wind Cave National Park. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 14 things to do at Wind Cave National Park: Wind Cave Geology Driving Tour, Picnic at Wind Cave, Watch Wind Cave Wildlife, Visit Wind Cave's Natural Entrance, Take a Cave Tour, See Prairie Dogs in Their Prairie Dog Towns, Pet Friendly Hikes,... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.