Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave National Park protects two very different worlds - one deep within the earth, the other a sunlit world of many resources. Bison, elk, and other wildlife roam the rolling prairie grasslands and forested hillsides of one of America's oldest national parks. Below the remnant island of intact prairie sits Wind Cave, one of the longest and most complex caves in the world.

Weather & conditions

Spring: Highs range from 50-70°F with highly variable weather. Spring is the park's wettest season. Summer: Hot and generally dry with daytime temperatures regularly exceeding 80°F (27°C). Strong thunderstorms are common and can produce large hail and lightning. Fall: Generally dry with warm days and cool nights. Highs 50-60°F. Lows below freezing are common. Winter: Highs are in the high 30s with lows around 10°F. Snowfall averages 30 inches annually, periodically closing park roads.

What this latitude gives you

From 43.6° north, anything above declination +46.4° is circumpolar here: it never sets, so it is available on every clear night of the year. Anything below declination -46.4° never clears the horizon at all.

Full astronomical darkness survives the summer here, but the window is narrow around the solstice. From late August the nights lengthen quickly.

We do not hold a measured Bortle class for this site, so treat the sky as unknown until you have taken a reading of your own.