About
Length (round trip)3.6 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyEasy
Elevation gain200 ft up
Typical time1 hr
TrailheadHighway 385, south of the visitor center
SurfaceOld service road down a limestone canyon
Best seasonThe cave is 54F year round. Surface trails are best May to October; prairie wildflowers peak in June and the bison rut is in August.
DogsNot allowed
What you'll see 🦌 Wildlife🕳️ Cave or arch

Wind Cave Canyon trail is an easy, 3.6 mi (5.7 km) round-trip, hike.This trail follows an old road down 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's woodpeckers among the snap trees of forested hillsides. Trail Safety Hiking off trail is permitted. Watch out for wildlife. Bison and other wildlife are dangerous and unpredictable. Do not approach. Carry and drink plenty of water. There is no drinking water on this trail. Check the weather forecast before you hike. Bring extra layers. A topographic map is recommended and can be purchased at the visitor center park store.

Tips
Great horned owls and cliff swallows nest in the canyon walls, and it is one of the most reliable places in the Black Hills for red-headed woodpeckers. Flat and easy.
Location

Highway 385, south of the visitor center

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
Your Hikes

🔒 Login or create an account to record the trails you've done, rate them, and tie them to a trip.

Trail data: USGS National Map / PAD-US, the National Park Service, state agencies, and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Access and conditions change — check with the managing agency before you go.