Hiking the Elk Mountain Nature Trail in Wind Cave National Park
Distance: 0.8 miles / 1.3 km
The Elk Mountain Nature Trail, also called the Elk Mountain Loop Trail, in Wind Cave National Park is a short, easy interpretive trail around the Elk Mountain Campground, the only drive-up campground within the park.
That said, the 0.8-mile (1.3 km) loop is a somewhat hilly adventure that circles the entire campground and is open to all park visitors, not just those with camping reservations.
On a different note, the Elk Mountain Nature Trail is one of only two day hikes in Wind Cave National Park that is pet-friendly, the other being the Prairie Vista Trail near the visitor center.
U.S. National Park Pass
There is no entrance fee to visit Wind Cave National Park.
However, entrance fees are collected at Badlands National Park and Devils Tower National Monument, which is why I recommend purchasing your National Park pass in advance before traveling to the Black Hills.
Elk Mountain Nature Trailhead Parking
The Elk Mountain Nature Trailhead is located within the Elk Mountain Campground, where parking for non-campers can be found in the joint parking lot that serves both the loop trail and the amphitheater.
Alternatively, those who are camping can pick up the loop within a short walk of any of the designated campsites in the campground.
Google Maps Directions: Elk Mountain Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Wind Cave
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Wind Cave National Park.
Hiking the Elk Mountain Nature Trail
The Elk Mountain Nature Trail can either begin at the path that leads toward the amphitheater or at the trailhead shown here, which is what I recommend in order to follow the numbers on the interpretive trail.
If you are interested in following along with the interpretive trail, guides should be available at the trailhead or the Wind Cave Visitor Center, or you can simply download the trail guide on your phone using the link below.
Download: Elk Mountain Nature Trail Guide
The Elk Mountain Trailhead is the lowest point on the entire hike, meaning the loop starts climbing almost immediately upon leaving the parking area behind.
Much like the Yuccas found across the Southwest U.S., such as those along the Under-the-Rim Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park, Wind Cave has its own native species, known as the Great Plains Yucca.
That said, visitors in Wind Cave National Park can expect to see the Great Plains Yucca flower in the late spring/ early summer months.
The one thing I hope these photos show more than anything else is that there is very little shade on the Elk Mountain Nature Trail, which is true for most of the day hikes across the open prairies in Wind Cave National Park.
This is why I highly recommend hiking the trail in a hooded sun shirt, as one will certainly be useful here and for countless other adventures across the Black Hills in western South Dakota.
On the far northern side of the loop, the Elk Mountain Nature Trail splits with a path that leaves the main loop toward the wildlife fence that surrounds both the Elk Mountain Campground and the Wind Cave Visitor Center.
That said, the correct path around the loop is to go straight (left) toward the campground.
This is the highest point on the Elk Mountain Trail—meaning that from this point on, the loop begins descending back to the beginning, traversing a few minor hills before returning to the trailhead.
At this next split, go straight to continue around the Elk Mountain Nature Trail, as the path to the left is simply a social trail between the loop and the campground.
This is where the Elk Mountain Trail begins to traverse a handful of rolling hills as it loops through the Ponderosa forest surrounding the campground and the amphitheater.
The nice thing about the Elk Mountain Nature Trail is that all the hills are very short, which cannot be said about a number of other day hikes in Wind Cave National Park, such as the East Bison Flats Trail and the Boland Ridge Trail near the park’s eastern boundary.
If you are interested in reserving a site at the Elk Mountain Campground, reservations can be made through the official Recreation.gov website or by using the booking widget below.
Book Here: Elk Mountain Campground
No information is collected by this website when using the Recreation.gov booking widget, and all reservations made here are secure through the official website.
Elk Mountain Amphitheater
Just before the end of the loop, the Elk Mountain Nature Trail passes the Elk Mountain Amphitheater, where park rangers lead programs focused on the park’s nature, wildlife, history, and geology.
These programs are free and typically take place in the evenings during the busiest travel seasons in the park, usually from late spring to early fall.
Elk Mountain Nature Trailhead
This is where the Elk Mountain Nature Trail returns to the parking area and trailhead shown at the beginning of this article.
