CUSTER, S.Dak. – Welcome to one of many unique sites within the National Park System, a place where disguise comes into play. At this national monument in the beautiful Black Hills, the surrounding landscape dons a costume of canyons, limestone cliffs, open meadows, and ponderosa pines—and, for all its grandeur, the visible terrain doesn’t give away the unexpected chambers beneath it.

In the passages of Jewel Cave, Earth shows itself to be toothed, its grin furnished with stalactites and stalagmites; playful, as it sports ornaments of calcite popcorn and rare hydromagnesite balloons; and adventurous, accessorized with spiders and flowers of gypsum. This wild world of speleothems (cave formations) dazzles visitors with walls that gleam with crystals. Nailhead (blunt) and dogtooth (pointed) spar crystals line Jewel Cave, giving Earth a sparkling inner self that rivals any diva in glamour. Visitors with a range of abilities can take in the “jewels” that give the monument its name—the speleothems and the crystals—while journeying through the Scenic Tour of the cave or taking part in the barrier-free (fully accessible) Discovery Tour.

Volunteers continue to explore the underground maze of passageways, which, at its current length of just over 146 miles, is already the world’s second-longest cave. Underground, it spreads beyond the three-square miles of the national monument. Even more fascinating, studies show that only a small portion of the overall cave length has been explored. In essence, Jewel Cave is a rare site within the National Park System—an evolving site, since the full extent of the cave has yet to be discovered.

For those who prefer to stay above ground, meandering hiking trails at this site lead adventurers through the patchwork habitat of ponderosa pines and wildland fire scars. Hikers view the stunning geology that lies above Jewel Cave.

This national monument offers a quick getaway for those who live nearby. Visitors from farther afield may wish to add other National Park System sites, such as Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave, Devils Tower, Minuteman Missile, and the Badlands, to their trip. The National Park Service invites everyone to enjoy Jewel Cave and experience the thrill of discovery. As the saying goes, things are not always as they seem. Between Custer, S.Dak., and Newcastle, Wyo., a rugged landscape on the surface conceals an awe-inspiring world of shapes and palettes of colors that captivate visitors’ attention.

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Each week, National Park Getaways help people find new places to reconnect with nature, history, family, and friends. To see previous Getaways, visit www.nps.gov/getaways.