WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK, S.D. - Wind Cave National Park is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. As of noon on March 18, the Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center is closed until further notice.
This closure only affects the visitor center and cave. Park roads will remain open, as will the park’s 28,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie and ponderosa pine forest. Visitors can still view the park’s wildlife and hike any of its 30-miles of trails. Highways 385 and 87 will remain open. Gravel roads in the park’s backcountry, NPS 5 and 6, are open, but not maintained in the winter.
Visitors are encouraged to visit the park virtually, either by it’s website, www.nps.gov/wica, or on the park’s Facebook page. The website hosts podcasts, information about the park’s wildlife and history, along with hiking and camping activities, which are still available.
The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at Wind Cave National Park is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working with the federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website and social media channels.
The NPS urges visitors to do their part when visiting a park and to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by maintaining a safe distance between yourself and other groups; washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick.
For high-risk populations, such as the elderly and people with underlying conditions, we ask that they take extra caution and follow CDC guidance for those at higher risk of serious illness.
Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with Wind Cave’s website (www.nps.gov/wica) or their Facebook page for specific details about park operations.
Tags: closure wind cave national park covid-19
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
