Wind Cave National Park is a National Park in South Dakota. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 5 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Wind Cave
We matched 5 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Wind Cave. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (1)
Canyons (1)
Fire Lookouts (2)
State Parks (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Wind 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 304° (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 | 7:25 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:43 PM | 241° | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 254° | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:00 PM | 268° | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:37 PM | 285° | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:12 PM | 298° | 14h 42m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:37 PM | 304° | 15h 25m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:34 PM | 301° | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:59 PM | 291° | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:06 PM | 275° | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:12 PM | 259° | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:30 PM | 245° | 9h 42m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:19 PM | 238° | 8h 58m |
Computed for the park's reference point (43.5801, -103.4395); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Wind Cave, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:46 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.7 | 14° |
| April | 2:41 AM – 4:21 AM | 1.7 | 17° |
| May | 12:45 AM – 3:25 AM | 2.7 | 18° |
| June | 10:59 PM – 2:49 AM | 3.8 | 18° |
| July | 10:46 PM – 1:26 AM | 2.7 | 18° |
| August | 9:49 PM – 11:29 PM | 1.7 | 17° |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:24 PM | 0.7 | 14° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Spring: Highs range from 50-70°F with highly variable weather. Spring is the park's wettest season. Summer: Hot and generally dry with daytime temperatures regularly exceeding 80°F (27°C). Strong thunderstorms are common and can produce large hail and lightning. Fall: Generally dry with warm days and cool nights. Highs 50-60°F. Lows below freezing are common. Winter: Highs are in the high 30s with lows around 10°F. Snowfall averages 30 inches annually, periodically closing park roads.
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
Wind Cave National Park is located in South Dakota about 11 miles north of Hot Springs, or about 22 miles south of Custer, on US Highway 385. The park Visitor Center, where all cave tours begin, is approximately 1/2 mile west of the highway.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Caving
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
Nearby parks
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NE
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