CUSTER, SD - Jewel Cave National Monument will begin repairs on the elevator shaft and modernizing the elevator cars used to transport visitors and staff in and out of the cave December 2020. To ensure visitor and construction worker safety, ranger-guided cave tours along the Scenic Tour Route will be suspended throughout the duration of the project, which is expected to last from December 2020 through late fall 2021.
Completed in the late 1960s, the 300-foot elevator shaft has undergone very few updates in over 50 years. The planned repair work will include replacement of structural steel beams within the elevator shaft, patching of concrete elevator shaft walls, and installation of moisture control devices along the height of the shaft walls. The work also includes replacement of obsolete elevator equipment and modernization of elevator cab finishes.
“This work is expected to help resolve the chronic elevator problems that have at times required the cancellation of cave tours over the last few years, often during our peak summer season," said Michelle Wheatley, Superintendent of Jewel Cave. “The project timeframe was selected during the shoulder seasons to minimize the impacts to the visiting public. These repairs and improvements will benefit visitors for years to come. We look forward to resuming cave tours along the Scenic Tour Route in this coming summer."
Consistent with previous winters and springs, the visitor center, park store, and surface trails are open Thursdays through Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed Mondays through Wednesdays.
For construction updates, follow Jewel Cave on social media through Facebook or Instagram. For more information regarding the visitor center and cave closures, call the visitor center at 605-673-8300. For additional information related to operational hours and available visitor services, please visit the monument online for more details.
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Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
