Exploring the National Parks

Wind Cave National Park is one of the most surprising, mysterious, and underrated parks in the Black Hills. Today we are diving into Wind Cave fun facts that will completely change the way you see this small-on-the-surface but massive-underground national park.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Wind Cave National Park gets bypassed, and why we think it should not

The human history that makes Wind Cave feel like an adventure story, including the cave’s Lakota name, Maka Oniye, or “Breathing Earth”

The teen explorer who mapped the first miles of the cave with string, candlelight, and a whole lot of bravery

The rare cave formations Wind Cave is famous for, including boxwork and giant helictite bushes

The secret behind the wind, and why scientists think we have only discovered about 10% of the cave so far

Your task for today: 

Spend 15 to 20 minutes on the Wind Cave National Park Service website and look up one thing we talked about, like the Lakota emergence story, Alvin McDonald’s diary entries, or the cave formation photos.

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-fascinating-fun-facts-about-wind-cave-national-park/ 

Planning your own Wind Cave National Park adventure?

Dirt in My Shoes South Dakota Itinerary: https://shop.dirtinmyshoes.com/products/south-dakota-itinerary 

Dirt In My Shoes Wind Cave National Park Planning Resources: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/wind-cave-national-park/ 

Episode 135: 139: Exploring Wind Cave National Park: Best Tips + Activities: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/exploring-wind-cave-national-park-best-tips-activities/ 

Episode 29: The Black Hills (Wind Cave, Custer State Park, Wind Cave, and more!): https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/29-the-black-hills-wind-cave-custer-state-park-jewel-cave-and-more/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Wind Cave National Park is one of the most underrated stops in the Black Hills, and it is absolutely worth digging a little deeper for. Come with us into the prairies of South Dakota for rare cave beauty, bison sightings, and the kind of quiet that makes you exhale.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Wind Cave is so underrated, and why I recommend it even when people say Jewel Cave is “prettier”

How to get cave tour tickets (and why you should not wait until the day of)

Which three tours to choose from as a first time visitor, plus options for special tours

What to expect on your tour (temperature, what you can and cannot bring, and tips if you have kids)

Easy, high reward things to do above ground, including wildlife drives, a short scenic hike, and a quick trip to Hot Springs

Your task for today: Have you been to Wind Cave National Park? Tell us what you loved, and share your best photos (because this park is famously hard to photograph!). Head over to our post on the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page and share with us!

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/exploring-wind-cave-national-park-best-tips-activities/ 

Planning your own Wind Cave National Park adventure?

Dirt in My Shoes South Dakota Itinerary: https://shop.dirtinmyshoes.com/products/south-dakota-itinerary 

Dirt In My Shoes Wind Cave National Park Planning Resources: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/wind-cave-national-park/ 

Episode 29: The Black Hills (Wind Cave, Custer State Park, Wind Cave, and more!): https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/29-the-black-hills-wind-cave-custer-state-park-jewel-cave-and-more/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Cactus, sunshine, and desert drama: this is the episode where we go all in on the most iconic plant of the American West. Saguaro National Park is bursting with towering giants and incredible stories of survival, and we’re digging into all of it!

In this episode, we cover:

Why the saguaro cactus is an American icon (and possibly a giant green lightsaber)

What makes saguaros so tough, and why they only grow in certain parts of the desert

The mind-blowing slow growth of a baby saguaro, and how nurse trees help them survive

The park's wild history of cactus rustling and near collapse

How the saguaro population is finally bouncing back

Your task for today: Visit Saguaro National Park’s Facebook or Instagram and thank a ranger! Their work protects plants that won’t even reach full height in their lifetimes, and it’s incredible. 

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-incredible-fun-facts-about-arizonas-saguaro-national-park/ 

Planning your own Saguaro National Park adventure?

Episode 136: Exploring Saguaro National Park: Best Tips + Activities: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/136-exploring-saguaro-national-park-best-tips-activities/

5 Things You Can’t Miss on Your First Visit to Saguaro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-things-cant-miss-first-visit-saguaro/ 

8 Day Spring Break National Parks Road Trip!: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/8-day-spring-break-national-parks-road-trip/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

The wildlife showdown is on! We’re covering the best national parks to see animals in the wild. Whether you’re hoping to see wolves in Yellowstone or whales in Glacier Bay, we share our favorite parks for seeing animals across the U.S., from the great plains of Yellowstone to the coastal coves of Glacier Bay. 

In this episode, we cover:

Our favorite national parks for wildlife overall, plus why Alaska is in a whole different weight class

Where to go for specific animals, including black bears, grizzlies, moose, wolves, and buffalo (yes, we said buffalo)

The best parks for sea life, from dolphins and manatees to whales you can literally hear from your room

A rapid-fire list of parks for some surprising creatures, like condors, bats, bighorn sheep, and birds

Your task for today: What wildlife have you not seen yet that you really want to see in a national park? Head over to the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know!

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/the-best-national-parks-for-wildlife-viewing/ 

Planning your own wildlife viewing adventure?

Dirt In My Shoes Itineraries: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-park-trip-itineraries/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

The silhouettes of giant saguaros against a glowing desert sky are the kind of view that stops you in your tracks. If you want one park that delivers pure golden hour magic, spicy Tucson flavor, and a choose-your-own-adventure split right down the middle, Saguaro National Park is it.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Saguaro is basically two parks in one, with a whole city in between, and how that changes your planning.

The best time of year to visit, plus why sunrise and sunset matter here more than almost anywhere else.

Our go-to stops on West Saguaro, including our favorite campground, a tiny trail we do every time, and quick hikes with big payoff.

Our go-to stops on East Saguaro, where the saguaros get huge, the loop drive is paved, and bikers are everywhere.

The Tucson extras that make the trip even better, including Sonoran hot dogs, two museums we love, and one oddly specific RV tip.

Your task for today: Pick your side! Are you a West Saguaro person who wants more solitude, or an East Saguaro person who wants the biggest, oldest saguaros you can find? Head over to the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know what you think!

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/136-exploring-saguaro-national-park-best-tips-activities/ 

Planning your own Saguaro National Park adventure?

5 Things You Can’t Miss on Your First Visit to Saguaro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-things-cant-miss-first-visit-saguaro/ 

8 Day Spring Break National Parks Road Trip!: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/8-day-spring-break-national-parks-road-trip/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/