Custer, SD - Jewel Cave National Monument is changing its operations to prepare for visitors this summer season beginning Sunday, May 21.  The visitor center will be open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with cave tours at scheduled times. These hours will continue until Labor Day. On Tuesday, September 5 the visitor center will change its hours to 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until October 28.

Jewel Cave’s Historic Lantern Tours and Wild Caving Tours will begin for the season on Sunday, June 4. The park plans to offer the Historic Lantern Tours daily until Labor Day as staffing allows, and the Wild Caving Tour on Saturdays through mid-August. The monument will also continue to offer the popular Scenic and Discovery Tours. All tours will be available to book in advance on Recreation.gov, with limited walk-up tours for the Scenic, Discovery and Historic Lanterns Tours being available if staffing allows. Wild Caving Tours will only be available to reserve on recreation.gov.

The monument also partners with the Black Hills Parks and Forests Association, which operates a Park Store inside the visitor center.  The store will be open on the same schedule as the visitor center and provides visitors with multiple products and services to complement their visit.

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted at www.nps.gov/jeca, as well as on social media through Facebook at www.facebook.com/JewelCaveNPS/ and Instagram at www.instagram.com/jewelcavenps.