Jewel Cave National Monument is a National Monument in South Dakota. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Jewel Cave
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Jewel Cave. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Caves (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Jewel Cave the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:27 AM | 8:12 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:44 PM | 241° | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:26 PM | 253° | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:02 PM | 268° | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:39 PM | 285° | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 298° | 14h 43m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:40 PM | 304° | 15h 26m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:36 PM | 302° | 15h 08m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:01 PM | 291° | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:07 PM | 275° | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:13 PM | 259° | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:34 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:31 PM | 245° | 9h 41m |
| December | 7:23 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:20 PM | 238° | 8h 57m |
Computed for the park's reference point (43.7310, -103.8300); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Jewel Cave, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:47 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.7 | 14° |
| April | 2:43 AM – 4:23 AM | 1.7 | 17° |
| May | 12:47 AM – 3:17 AM | 2.5 | 17° |
| June | 11:02 PM – 2:42 AM | 3.7 | 17° |
| July | 10:49 PM – 1:29 AM | 2.7 | 17° |
| August | 9:52 PM – 11:22 PM | 1.5 | 16° |
| September | 8:45 PM – 9:25 PM | 0.7 | 14° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Weather in the Black Hills varies significantly throughout the year and may be drastically different from the northern hills to the southern hills. The temperatures listed are for average lows to average highs in the location of Custer, South Dakota. Spring ~ Temp. Range of 29°F to 53°F / Summer ~ Temp. Range of 54°F to 80°F / Fall ~ Temp. Range of 33°F to 58°F / Winter ~ Temp. Range of 14°F to 37°F The yearly average rain is 19 in., with May being the wettest month. The yearly average snow is 48 in.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
By car: Jewel Cave National Monument is located 13 miles west of Custer, South Dakota and 24 miles east of Newcastle, Wyoming on U.S. Highway 16. The monument is about 54 miles from Rapid City, South Dakota via U.S. Highway 16 / 385. By plane: The nearest major airport, Rapid City Regional Airport, is 63 miles away.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Caving
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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SD
SD
WY
NE
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