Cave tours at Wind Cave National Park will be temporarily closed starting May 1, 2024.
This closure allows the elevator system to be replaced and modernized. Work is expected to last through the fall. This current elevator system has been repaired before, but still has parts from the 1930s.
Around 130,000 visitors use the elevator to access the cave each year.
Park officials said instead of touring the cave in person, virtual tours will be available in the auditorium and there are still plenty of trails to check out on the prairie.
"In addition to ranger led talks and hikes, we have new exhibits being installed in the visitor center this spring that include several interactive stations, a walk-through cave, and a prairie diorama," said Park Superintendent Leigh Welling.
