Underground Jewels

As I mentioned previously I scouted out all of the national park sites along our route home.  I found both Wind Cave and Jewel Cave in South Dakota.  We didn't have time to properly visit either site, so I decided to stop by Jewel Cave since there was one tour that would be free with our park pass.

Immerse yourself within the second longest cave in the world. With over 160 miles of mapped and surveyed passages, this underground wilderness appeals to human curiosity. Its splendor is revealed through fragile formations and glimpses of brilliant color. Its maze of passages lure explorers, and its scientific wealth remains a mystery. This resource is truly a jewel in the National Park Service.
--from NPS Website, Jewel Cave main page

We arrived near the end of the afternoon and walked towards the ticket booth at the edge of the parking lot.

We quickly discovered that there was no remaining room on the free tour.  Instead of purchasing any other tickets we walked towards the main visitor center.

This block represents some of the narrowest spots along the Wild Cave Tour.  It is 8 1/2 inches high and 24 inches wide--could you squeeze through?

There were several display cases with various rock specimens.

This was one of the largest pieces of rock and beside it was a sign saying "please touch."  This crystalline piece is Nailhead Spar.  It is discolored due to being touched by many people--so while being something fun to touch and feel it is also a cautionary piece explaining one of the reasons that rocks may not be touched while you are on a cave tour.

A series of signs explained the history of the cave and the various owners who had controlled it until it was acquired by the government and Jewel Cave National Monument was created.  A large map shows most of the known passages in the cave.

Another display explains about the large number of volunteers that help to explore the cave and map its furthest reaches.

The display included both pictures, explanations, and samples of actual equipment.

I'd like to go back to the cave someday and actually take one of the tours.  I've been underground in both Carlsbad Caverns and Mammoth Caves and would enjoy adding several other caves to that list.

~Matt