THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKSTATE & NATION TRAVEL
National parks, historic sites and practical visitor updates, directly from the National Park Service.
NPS sources checked 10/3/2026, 12:44:11 PM Eastern
Reminder: Overnight parking without a camping permit is prohibited. Permits are not issued specifically for parking. Shuttles are available in the Black Hills for through hikers on the Centennial Trail.
Official NPS sourcePayments for cave tours, campground fees, as well as Interagency Passes at Wind Cave National Park, will be by credit/ debit cards or digital payments only. Cash and check payments will no longer be accepted.
Official NPS sourceVisitors are required to wear completely enclosed shoes if participating in a cave tour, like tennis shoes, sneakers or hiking boots. Any type of sandals or shoes with any openings are NOT acceptable.
Official NPS sourceDo not rely on GPS digital navigation systems to find your way to Badlands National Park. Please note that the Visitor Center at 25216 Ben Reifel Road, Interior SD 57750 is located just off I-90.
Official NPS sourceVehicle Navigation Systems and GPS units may provide inaccurate information—sending drivers the wrong way on one-way roads, leading them to dead ends in remote areas, or sending them on roads which are impassable. Use the Interstate exits for wayfinding.
Official NPS source
On Sept. 11, 2026, Jewel Cave National Monument hosted a naturalization ceremony for 12 new citizens in partnership with the United States District Court, District of South Dakota and the Denver Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security.
Official NPS source
Wind Cave National Park will offer ranger-led elk bugling programs on select evenings in September and October in addition to daily cave tours.
Official NPS source
Jewel Cave National Monument is changing its operations for the winter season. Starting Tuesday, September 8, the monument will be open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Official NPS sourceNotch Trail and all areas within 100’ of the designated trail. During the closure period, Park staff will be repairing the section of the Notch trail ladder that has become a safety hazard for hikers.
Official NPS source
A bat at Jewel Cave National Monument has tested positive for rabies. Trained park personnel collected the live bat along the Historic Lantern Tour route on July 29. No human contact with this bat has been reported.
Official NPS source
Theodore Roosevelt impersonator Kurt Skinner will bring the country’s 26 president to life at a performance at Wind Cave National Park on August 27.
Official NPS sourceINTERIOR, S.D. — Badlands National Park has officially been certified as an International Dark Sky Park by Dark Sky International. The accomplishment marks the culmination of nearly a decade of work by park staff and partners to protect the night sky and preserve the area’s nocturnal environment.
Official NPS source
Since May, Wind Cave National Park has identified three bats that tested positive for rabies.
Official NPS source
Jewel Cave National Monument is changing its operations to prepare for visitors this summer season. The monument will be open every day starting Sunday, May 24, with extended hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Official NPS source
Beaver Creek Road, also known as Forest Service Road 391, will close May 4 while a new cattle guard is installed on the Wind Cave National Park boundary.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service today announced fireworks will again illuminate the sky above Mount Rushmore National Memorial on July 3, 2026, to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary. Public tickets for the event will be available through a lottery on Recreation.gov from April 8 – 12.
Official NPS source
Planning is underway to burn 2500 acres of land near Sheep Mt. Table this week. Timing for the prescribed fire will depend on preparedness levels, fuel moisture, weather forecasts, and resource availability, however the anticipated date is 9/25/2025.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service has acquired approximately 676 acres of James River Island within the 59-Mile District of the Missouri National Recreational River.
Official NPS source
Planning is underway to burn 1,094 acres of land east of the park’s headquarters this fall.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service at Mount Rushmore National Memorial plans to conduct a prescribed fire at Starling Basin, a 95-acre burn, on or after Oct. 1, 2025, weather permitting.
Official NPS source
Jewel Cave National Monument plans to host a free concert The Historic Dance Club Revival on Saturday, September 20th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. outside in the monument’s Historic Area.
Official NPS source
Jewel Cave National Monument is planning to host its first ever “Fly Through the Canyons” 5K trail run and walk on Saturday, September 13. The general public is invited to join this free 5K event to honor Active-Duty Military, Reserve, Veterans, and their families.
Official NPS source
Jewel Cave National Monument will cease cave tours Monday, September 8 to Friday, September 12, 2025, to complete a planned back-up generator installation. The visitor center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except on Thursday, September 11.
Official NPS sourceNo upcoming events returned. Check the destination calendars for additional programs.
National Historic Trail
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean. Follow the trail to find the people, places, and stories that make up the complex legacy of the expedition.
Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · North Dakota · Ohio · Oregon · Pennsylvania · South Dakota · Washington · West VirginiaNational Recreational River
Imagine a 100-mile stretch of North America's longest river, a vestige of the untamed American West. The Missouri National Recreational River is where imagination meets reality. Two free flowing stretches of the Missouri make up the National Park. Relive the past by exploring the wild, untamed and mighty river that continues to flow as nature intended.
Nebraska · South DakotaNational Park
The rugged beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world. These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Ancient horses and rhinos once roamed here. The park’s 244,000 acres protect an expanse of mixed-grass prairie where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live today.
South DakotaNational Monument
Immerse yourself in one of the longest caves in the world. With over 220 miles of mapped and surveyed passages, this underground wilderness appeals to human curiosity. Its splendor is revealed through fragile formations and glimpses of brilliant color. Its maze of passages lures explorers, and its scientific wealth remains a mystery. This resource is truly a jewel in the National Park Service.
South DakotaNational Historic Site
During the Cold War, a vast arsenal of nuclear missiles were placed in the Great Plains. Hidden in plain sight, for thirty years 1,000 missiles were kept on constant alert; hundreds remain today. The Minuteman Missile remains an iconic weapon in the American nuclear arsenal. It holds the power to destroy civilization, but is meant as a nuclear deterrent to maintain peace and prevent war.
South DakotaNational Memorial
Majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country. From the history of the first inhabitants to the diversity of America today, Mount Rushmore brings visitors face to face with the rich heritage we all share.
South DakotaNational 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.
South DakotaDestination directory sourced from NPS state listings, October 3, 2026. Official NPS directory