About
Friends of Wind Cave National Park
We are citizens who raise money and volunteer for Wind Cave National Park, on the prairie above and in the cave below. The National Park Service lists us as a partner of the park.
The park
Two parks, and a third
Below ground: Wind Cave is one of the longest and most complex caves in the world: more than 170 miles of known passage as of November 2026, under just 1.25 square miles of land, with more surveyed every year. It is known for boxwork, thin calcite fins that look like honeycomb.
Above ground: 33,851 acres of mixed-grass prairie and ponderosa pine forest, home to bison, elk, pronghorn, mule and whitetail deer and prairie dogs. Black-footed ferrets were reintroduced in 2007.
The third park: in 2011 the park added the 5,555-acre Sanson Ranch on its southeastern edge, with a late-1800s ranch.
The Friends
Citizens who help the park
Friends of Wind Cave National Park gives citizens a way to take part in the park’s work. We raise money for projects the park budget can’t cover, send volunteers to work days and park events, encourage young people to learn at the park, and speak up for the value of Wind Cave to the community, the region and the nation. The National Park Service lists the Friends as a partner of the park.
- 2012: hosted the Sanson Ranch Celebration, our first fundraising event, for about 200 people.
- 2016: volunteers helped with National Public Lands Day work on the Sanson Ranch, and the Friends served cake at the National Park Service’s 100th birthday party.
- 2018: raised more than $60,000 for the culverts and gravel that let National Guard engineers rebuild Road 266 to the Sanson Ranch.
- 2022: ran a booth at the National Speleological Society convention in Rapid City and helped fund equipment for a camp in the cave.
- 2024-2026: helped fund the Lidar virtual cave tour in the visitor center, and sponsored the park’s Theodore Roosevelt programs in 2025 and 2026.
Questions people ask
Is Friends of Wind Cave National Park part of the National Park Service?
No. Wind Cave National Park is run by the National Park Service. The Friends are citizens who raise money and volunteer for projects the park budget can’t cover, working with park staff.
When was Wind Cave National Park created?
On January 9, 1903, when President Theodore Roosevelt signed the law creating it. It was the eighth national park and the first national park created to protect a cave.
How long is Wind Cave?
More than 170 miles of known passage as of November 2026, according to the park, and survey teams keep adding more.
Who runs Wind Cave National Park?
The National Park Service. As of November 2026 the park superintendent is Eric Gabriel. The park had 606,258 visits in 2025.
How can I help Wind Cave National Park?
Give online, become a member from $20 a year, come to a work day, or join the board. See all four ways.