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Cascade Springs and Cascade Falls are just 10
minutes from Hot Springs. You'll enjoy the gorgeous view, a refreshing dip in
the warm spring water, and a stop at nearby Keith Park for a picnic under the
gazebo.
Wind Cave National Park, located only minutes
from Hot Springs, has much to offer visitors. Above ground you'll find rolling
prairie, interesting rock formations, and beautiful pine forests open to exploration.
The park is also home to native wildlife such as bison, elk, pronghorn, mule
deer, coyotes, and prairie dogs. The 70-mile labyrinth of passageways in Wind
Cave make it the 10th largest cave in the world. The cave has some spectacularly
large rooms and is a favorite with children. The main features of the cave are
the winds gushing in or out depending on the barometeric pressure and the rare
boxwork formations. Only two caves in the world are known to have them. The park
itself, just to the south of Custer State Park, is home to a good sized buffalo
herd and much wildlife. The area above ground is scenic and a favorite with hikers.
The Wildlife Loop Road offers the traveler a wide variety of experiences. There
are open grasslands and rolling hills speckled with pine. Many of the park's
wildlife species occupy this area and are commonly seen. They include buffalo,
bighorn sheep, antelope, deer, elk, coyote, prairie dog, and numerous birds.
Also, some of the park's wild "begging" burros live at the southernmost
end of this road. The park is home to one of the worlds largest buffalo herds.
111
miles in length, the Centennial Trail is the longest trail in the Black Hills.
On foot or by bike, you'll experience old growth forests, sunny meadows dotted
with wildflowers, towering granite crags and remote canyons. With luck you'll
see turkeys, deer, elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep and bison. |