Closest airports
| Airport | City | Drive to the park | Straight-line miles | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | Rapid City, SD | 1 h 40 min (64 mi) | 37 | Regional |
| Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, NE | 1 h 20 min (65 mi) | 54 | Regional |
| Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, NE | 2 h 30 min (125 mi) | 110 | Regional |
| Denver International Airport (DEN) | Denver, CO | 6 h 30 min (366 mi) | 265 | Large hub |
Drive times run from the airport to Wind Cave Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.
Regional airports have fewer flights, so compare fares with the larger hub.
Directions from the park service
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.
Hours
Open 24 hours, every day. The park is open all day, every day. Snow or severe weather can limit access to some areas of the park, especially in winter. Visitor Center hours and cave tour schedules vary throughout the year. Visit the park website or call 605.745.4600 for current conditions.
Visitor centers
- Wind Cave Visitor Center: Daily, 8:00AM - 6:00PM. The Visitor Center is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Days. Regular hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM with extended hours in the spring, summer, and fall. Note: South Dakota has two time zones. All times listed are Mountain Time.
Last gas, groceries and EV charging
Places mapped in OpenStreetMap within 19 miles (straight line) of Wind Cave Visitor Center. Fill up before you head deep into the park: most parks have little or no fuel inside.
Gas stations (7 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Fuel extras and hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips 66 | See map | 8.0 | |
| Gas station (unnamed) | See map | 8.9 | |
| Gas station (unnamed) | See map | 8.9 | |
| Big Bat's Conoco | 800 Jensen Highway, Hot Springs | 9.3 | diesel |
Grocery stores and supermarkets (1 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynn's Dakotamart | 505 South 6th Street, Hot Springs | 8.9 |
EV charging
None mapped within this distance. Charge fully before you arrive, and check PlugShare or your car’s app for chargers farther out.
Opening hours and fuel types are what local mappers have recorded, so call ahead in winter or off season. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License.
Getting around
Most parks are best seen by car. Fill up before you enter, since gas inside parks is limited or absent. Parking at popular trailheads fills early in summer.
Sources
- National Park Service Data API: directions, hours and visitor centers (public domain)
- OurAirports: airport list and locations (public domain)
- OSRM drive-time estimates on OpenStreetMap road data (ODbL)
- OpenStreetMap: gas stations, grocery stores and EV chargers (ODbL)
Last checked 1 November 2026.