WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK

MY HUSBAND AND I VISITED WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK WHILE WE WERE WORKING AS ARCHAEOLOGISTS WITH OUR OWN BUSINESS. WE WENT BACK WI TH OUR OWN SON. IT IS A FUN CAVE TO VISIT AND IT IS VERY FUN TO PRETEND YOU ARE A PIONEER SPELUNKER TO EXPLORE THE CAVE. THEY GIVE YOU KNEE CAPS, GLOVES AND A CANDLE DURING THE HISTORIC TOUR. AT THE MIDDLE OF THE CAVE TOUR DID THEY ASK YOU TO BLOW OUT YOUR CANDLES. IT IS SO VERY DARK IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE IN OUTER SPACE. THE GUIDE TOLD SOME STORIES AND WE SHARED SOME AS WELL.

THIS CAVE IS IN THE BLACK HILLS WHERE WE WORKED FOR THREE YEARS. IT HAS A BANANA BELT WEATHER ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HILLS. DURING THE WINTER THERE ARE SOME WARM DAYS. THEY HAVE MANY BUFFALO ROAMING BY THE CAVE AS WELL AS PRAIRIE DOGS AND ELK.THE ELK BEGIN TO BUGLE AT HIGH PITCHES DURING THE FALL MATING SEASON. THEY HAVE AN AMPHITHEATRE TO LISTEN TO THEM AT NIGHT.

THE CAVE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1903. IT HAS SOME UNUSUAL CALCITE -CRYSTAL BOXWORK. IN 1912 THE AMERICAN BISON SOCIETY REESTABLISHED A BISON HERD. THEY ALSO ADDED ELK AND ANTELOPE. IN 1935 THE GAME PRESERVE DECIDED TO
REMOVE THE FENCES. IN 1946 THEY ADDED 16,000 ACRES ENLARGING THE PARK TO 28,000 ACRES. BY THE 60'S THEY HAD GROWN IN POPULATION SO THAT THEY HAD TO REMOVE SOME OF THEM TO OTHER PARKS. THE RANGERS RESEEDED OVER GRAZED GRASSLANDS AND REMOVED EXOTIC SPECIES. AN ACTIVE FIRE PROGRAM WAS STARTED WITH PRESCRIBED BURNS.

THE CAVE IS OVER 300 MILLION YEARS OLD -ONE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST! IT IS COMPLEX AND HAS 81 MILES OF KNOWN CAVERNS. THE BOX WORK IS RARE.. IT IS STILL UNDERGOING CHANGES. IT HAS NEEDLE LIKE GROWTH OF CALCITE.THAT IS CONCENTRATED ALONGSIDE CRACKS. DURING PALEOZOIC PERIOD PERIOD IN BLACK HILLS MANY MANY MARINE SPECIES.-

NATIONAL-PARK.COM