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| It took 2 days to get there by car... On day 2 we finally got to Wind Cave in South Dakota. | We found out that the other cave we were going to do, Jewel Cave, was closed (broken elevator)... sigh... | This was a great time to see these things without a million tourists like in the summer season... hardly no crowds! |
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| Wind cave is basically all contained in a one square mile but with levels of levels of maze like passages piled on top of one another.... | Paha Sapa limestone is what the rock that Wind Cave lies on. | You can't see it here but there is a little hole that is blowing out air...the original entrance. |
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| The entire cave has this unique and rare formation called boxwork. | It grows all over the walls and ceilings of the cave. | It is actually thin blades of calcite.... |
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| and are extremely fragile. | Next stop was Badlands National Park. | You can barely see it from the interstate but once you top a rise in the park.... WHAM... there it is!!! |
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| Very very cool formations of rock... | made from giant ash clouds settling from an ancient volcano... | and over time have eroded into fantastic shapes. |
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| But you don't want to crawl on it... it is very crumbly! | Sign... (bad picture.. sorry!) | Note the RV in the center on top... gives you a bit of perspective on the size of this place.... |
