05/15/2026
Some amazing exploration happening at Jewel Cave National Monument! ⛰️ If you’re looking for inspiration for your Black Hills vacation, it’s only a 15-minute drive from us at Custer KOA, making it the perfect adventure for warm summer days when you can stay cool underground. 😎
As of 2026, 220.3 miles of passageway have been recorded in Jewel Cave- that's a lot of rooms! The honor of naming the rooms and passageways go to the caver who discovers them. Maybe you're already familiar with the Target Room or the Formation Room from your scenic tour, but there's a lot more cave to discover out there. Because of the volume of air moving in and out of the cave during air pressure changes on the surface, scientists estimate we may have only discovered roughly 4-5% of Jewel Cave! Recently, we asked park visitors to imagine what they might name a new room. Here are some of our favorites:
The Big Yahoo
Bag End
The Room for Improvement
Cavey McCaveface
Makin' Bacon
What would you name a newly discovered room or passageway?
NPS Photo: An explorer in a helmet and caving gear looking to the side at a massive, illuminated calcite crystal development in Jewel Cave.