Dear Friends and Supporters,
Thank you for your keen interest in Wind Cave National Park, a small and oft-time overlooked treasure of this Nation’s National Park system. Please check out our Membership page.
Friends of Wind Cave National Park, authorized as a 501-c-3 charitable non-profit organization, can legally function as the conduit for public support of the important and exciting experience at Wind Cave National Park. We ask for your support and remind you that your donation may be tax-deductible and serves as a gift for future generations to come! The Friends of Wind Cave greatly assists the Park, since the Park can’t spend money outside of its boundaries. We can also accomplish some other needed tasks and goals much more efficiently than the Park because we aren’t bound by some of the federal regulations and red tape.
The Park grew considerably in 2011, when it acquired 5556 acres in the Casey Ranch addition. The addition includes the historic Sanson Ranch, and a 4000 year old buffalo jump. Work in preparation for opening the historic ranch and buffalo jump to the public is currently underway in the park. The critical components are to secure the historic buildings on the site and to make sufficient improvements to assure public safety. There is also an archeological study of the area in progress which will have to be completed before the area is opened up for visitation. Those monies have been designated through certain park channels and this initial work has begun. An access road to the addition was necessary before any of this work could be done.
Since the Park can’t spend outside of the Park boundaries, the Friends of Wind Cave raised funds to build a one-mile gravel road, creating access to the Casey Ranch addition, a necessary improvement from the previous crude two-track dirt trail. The Friends raised nearly $70,000 from its members and others, to accomplish the building of this road. The National Guard was a key factor in the building of the road, or we likely wouldn’t have been able to afford this construction project at this time. We still have some finishing work to do on the one mile of road, and we have a commitment for annual maintenance of this road, so Friends members and donors remain essential.
We are planning a celebration to thank all the Friends members and other donors when the additional work inside the Park is completed. At this time that portion of the improvements is on hold pending additional archeological studies. The significant donors of $1000 and over in this key road project will be recognized into the future on a plaque to be located at the Sanson Ranch.
Again, we thank our members and friends for their support in helping make the vision of opening the Sanson Ranch and buffalo jump for the public a reality. Wind Cave National Park is basically two parks in one, the above-ground treasures, as well as the cave itself.
Gratefully,
Friends of Wind Cave National Park
Friends groups exist across the United States as citizen-based advocates for individual national parks. Friends groups are contractual partnerships enabling effective stewardship of these parks. National Park budgets are established by the US government and typically cover only basic operating expenses. Friends groups can provide community based fundraising for various projects to enhance the local park’s interpretative programs or to maintain or install new infrastructure ranging from trails to buildings. Friends groups can receive and administer your ear-marked donation for specific projects.
Friends of Wind Cave National Park values your participation, your enthusiasm and generous financial support in helping Wind Cave National Park be one of the true jewels of the National Park system and our national heritage. Please review the other tabs to learn more.