The Wonderful Wind Cave

Our first national park was Wind Cave, in southwestern South Dakota. It is often overlooked among its neighbors, but it is truly a wonder of nature. Wind Cave has 121.5 miles of explored passages with untold amounts yet to be discovered. All these passageways are confined to within one square mile of surface area. Wind Cave's sole connection to the outside world is a hole, eighteen inches in diameter. Because the interior of the cave attempts to regulate air pressure with the outdoor environment, air flows into or out of the cave. You can put your hand inside the hole and feel the wind, hence the name.

Wind Cave is known for its boxwork, which are mineral structures that resemble hollow cubes along cave surfaces, many of which can be incredibly roomy. Other cave structures are popcorn (self-explanatory) and frostwork (miniature tree-like structures that look like they are formed out of ice.

For my Wind Cave photo album, click here.