While Wind Cave at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota is undeniably the star of the show, there is also the chance to stretch your legs hiking over the prairie or within the forested Black Hills. The park separates its 30 miles (48.28 km) of hiking trails into easy, moderate, and strenuous levels.

A hiking trail at Wind Cave National Park / NPS file

Suggested trails by Wind Cave staff:

Easy Trails

Prairie Vista

Approximately 1 mile / 1.6 km (round trip)
Stroll the prairie grasslands from the visitor center. Waysides provide information along the way.
Trailhead: Begin this loop trail at the Visitor Center or at the picnic area, located 1000 feet north of the visitor center.

Elk Mountain

1 mile / 1.6 km (round trip)
The grassland and forest meet on this trail around the campground. During September and October, elk may be heard bugling at dawn and dusk.
Trailhead: Located in the Elk Mountain Campground, across from the amphitheater.

Rankin Ridge

1 mile / 1.6 km (round trip)
Gain spectacular views from the highest point in the park. This nature trail, like those above, is a loop great for families or those with little time to explore. Though the fire tower is closed to the public, on a clear day, you may be able to see as far as the Badlands from the trail's eastern edge.
A short guide for this trail may be purchased from the bookstore.
Trailhead: Follow South Dakota Highway 87 toward Custer State Park, and look for signage leading towards Rankin Ridge Nature Trail. RVs and trailers are not permitted at trailhead; hikers may also park at nearby pulloff and walk to trailhead (approx. 1200 feet to trailhead).

Wind Cave Canyon

1.8 miles / 2.9 km
This former road follows Wind Cave Canyon to the park boundary. Limestone cliffs provide nesting areas for cliff swallows, canyon wrens, and great horned owls. Look for Red-headed and Lewis' woodpeckers among the snag trees of forested hillsides.
Trailhead: Located along US Highway 385 just east of the visitor center. Look for the gravel parking area east of the road.

Moderate Trails

Cold Brook Canyon

1.4 miles / 3.5 km
This trail winds through Cold Brook Canyon to the park boundary. Along the way a ponderosa forest gives way to the open prairie and crosses a prairie dog town, a good place to see prairie falcons and other raptors.
Trailhead: Located along US Highway 385 approximately 1 mile south of the visitor center.

Lookout Point

2.2 miles / 3.5 km
Follow the rolling hills of the prairie across Lookout Point to Beaver Creek. A side trip up to Lookout Point offers views of the American Elk Prescribed Fire from 2010. This trail can be combined with part of the Highland Creek and Centennial trails to make a 4.5-mile loop.
Trailhead: Located along South Dakota Highway 87 north of the visitor center.

Strenuous Trails

East Bison Flats

3.7 miles / 6 km
Hike one-half mile down the Wind Cave Canyon Trail to reach the East Bison Flats Trail where a brief, steep climb leads to the rolling hills of the praririe. Panoramic views of the prairie, Buffalo Gap and the Black Hills await.
Trailhead: Located just north of the park's southern boundary along Route 385.

Sanctuary

3.6 miles / 5.8 km
This trail follows the rolling hills of the prairie, crosses a large prairie dog town, and ends where it meets the Highland Creek Trail.
Trailhead: About one mile north of the Rankin Ridge fire tower turnoff.

Centennial

6 miles / 9.7 km
This section is the southernmost part of a 111-mile trail through the Black Hills, ending at Bear Butte State Park. Here it crosses prairies, ponderosa forests, and winds along Beaver Creek. Part of this trail can be combined with part of the Highland Creek and Centennial trails to make a 4.5-mile loop. Reminder: overnight parking without a camping permit is prohibited. Permits are not issued specifically for parking. Shuttles are available in the Black Hills for through-hikers on the Centennial Trail.
Trailhead: This trail can be reached by South Dakota Highway 87 or NPS 5.

Highland Creek

8.6 miles / 13.8 km
This trail is the longest and most diverse trail in the park, crossing mixed-grass prairies, ponderosa pine forests, and riparian habitats of Highland Creek, Beaver Creek, and Wind Cave Canyon.
Trailhead: This trail can be reached by a 1-mile hike down the Wind Cave Canyon trail or from the northern trailhead on NPS 5.

Boland Ridge

2.6 miles / 4.2 km
A series of climbs offer panoramic views of the Black Hills, Red Valley, and the plains beyond. Elk are often seen from this trail in the morning and evening.
Trailhead: The trail begins at a small parking area on NPS 6, one mile north of the junction with NPS 5.

Like Badlands National Park, and Denali National Park and Preserve, Wind Cave National Park has an open hike policy, meaning visitors are welcome to hike off designated trails.

Backcountry Hiking

Backcountry camping is allowed only in the northwest area of the park, north of Beaver Creek, east of Highway 87, south of NPS 5 and west of Highland Creek Trail. This area has several different habitats - prairie, forest, and riparian - each with a variety of plants and wildlife. Several marked trails wind through that section of the park.

Where ever you hike, either on or off trail, be mindful that Bison and other wildlife roam throughout the park, and cell service within the park is very limited.

If you decide to explore the park and hike away from established trails, remember the 10 Essentials:

• Water
• Food
• Map
• Sun protection
• Insulation
• Illumination (flashlight, lantern, headlamp)
• First aid
• Fire (matches and igniter)
• Repair kit
• Emergency shelter

Wind Cave landscape ready for you to explore, Wind Cave National Park / Rebecca Latson