Jewel Cave National Monument

10/31/2026

BATS & HALLOWEEN: FACT VS. FICTION! 🦇🎃

While seasonal decorations love to portray bats as spooky, the real trick is that these creatures are actually under threat and need our support!

Did you know? Female bats rear just one pup per year! Because they grow and reproduce so slowly, bat populations take a long time to recover when disrupted.

During the winter, many bats hibernate to conserve energy. Waking them up prematurely can exhaust their energy reserves. That is precisely why White-Nose Syndrome is such a severe threat, and why the historic entrance to Jewel Cave remains closed to visitors during cold months.

Beyond human disturbance, bats face challenges from pesticide use, habitat loss, disease, and much more. Several local species, including the Northern long-eared bat and Townsend’s big-eared bat, are currently monitored or designated as species of concern. Scientists continue to study the bats of Jewel Cave to better understand them and the challenges these amazing creatures face.

Your Halloween Mission: Help us change perceptions! Share a fun bat fact with a friend today or consider installing a bat house nearby to give these bats a safe place to roost.

NPS Photo: A bat's wing is inspected during research. All bats were handled following IACUC, and state and federal protocols. Bernard Research Lab

10/30/2026

Mark your calendars!

Join us on Saturday, November 7th, from 10 am to 3 pm at the Jewel Cave Visitor Center for Native American Heritage Day. This event is dedicated to learning and celebrating indigenous stories of the Black Hills through cultural presentations and art!

This free event includes performances by:
- Hoop dancer Jasmine Bell
- Singer Sequoia Crosswhite
- Traditional Native American flute player and storyteller Darren Thompson
- Jingle dress dancer Jessie Rencontre
- Storyteller and Lakota Elder Mike Lammers

We would like to thank our park partner Black Hills Parks and Forest Association for funding the event.

This is a free event; however, visitors interested in taking a cave tour must purchase cave tour tickets on Recreation.gov or in person on the day of their visit.

NPS photos: Hoop dancer, Star Chief Eagle, performing at the 2024 Native American Heritage Day at Jewel Cave NM.

10/29/2026

What do those big ears do?!

Townsend’s big-eared bats rock ears up to 38 mm long, when laid back, they reach the middle of their body! These big-ears act like satellite dishes, funneling the softest rustles in total darkness so they can dodge cave walls and snag insects with incredible precision. They also use their ears to generate lift while in flight and aid in thermal control, folding backward to help conserve body warmth in chilly roosts.

Your Bat Week Mission: Learn about some of the 1,500 bat species around the world and explore their unique adaptations. Which adaptation do you find most incredible?

NPS Photo/Richard Hart, 1959: A bat in Jewel Cave, with a hand for scale. NOTE: Do not handle bats unless you are specifically trained to do so and are wearing gloves.

10/28/2026

Leaf, Pinecone… or Bat?🍂

Eastern red bats are North America’s most abundant “tree bats.” Found in wooded areas east of the Rockies from Canada to central Florida, it’s hard to be-leaf these little bats are everywhere, hiding in plain sight. In fact, the species is so skillfully hidden that the first Eastern red bat at Jewel Cave wasn't documented until the summer of 2023!

These bats roost high in the foliage of deciduous and evergreen trees. Despite their bright red coats, they use brilliant camouflage to blend right in. Hanging by a single foot and wrapped snugly in their furry tail membranes, they disguise as fall leaves or pinecones as they twist gently in the wind, completely disguised from predators.

Your Bat Week Mission: Keep your eyes on the trees, that hanging pinecone or lone leaf just might be something a whole lot different!

NPS Photo: Eastern Red Bat in a tree at Russell Cave National Monument.

10/27/2026

UNSOLVED BAT MYSTERY! 🦇🔍

Jewel Cave is home to one of the largest known hibernating colonies of Townsend’s big-eared bats in the world! Hundreds of these bats spend their winters in Jewel Cave, but when spring arrives, where do they go?

These bats aren't known to travel far, yet despite years of searching, researchers have only found ONE nursery colony in the Southern Black Hills. Pregnant bats seem to pick secluded, hidden caves and mines to raise their pups away from any human disturbance. A single pregnant female was spotted near a monument water source back in 1989, proving the secret nursery is out there somewhere!

Your Bat Week Mission: Learn how to respect bat roosting sites and if you see something, say something, citizen scientists play a vital role! Finding and protecting these nursery sites is key to protecting the next generation of bats!

NPS Photo/Richard Hart, 1958: Clusters of Townsends Big-Eared Bats at Jewel Cave.

10/24/2026

This week we’re shining a little extra light on our resident bats because… IT’S BAT WEEK!!🦇

Did you know that hundreds of bats across ten different species call this monument home? Seven of these species are year-round residents that rely on the cave’s stable environment to thrive and hibernate.

During our mid-winter bat counts, rangers regularly spot Townsend’s big-eared bats hanging out in open roosting areas, unlike other species that prefer to squeeze into cracks and crevices.

Meanwhile, summer visitors, like the heavy-coated Hoary bat and the Silver-haired bat, make their homes high in the tree canopy and Ponderosa pine snags. We even welcomed a new neighbor hiding in the trees, the Eastern red bat, first documented here in 2023!

Your Bat Week Mission: Head over to batweek.org to discover virtual events, fun activities, and ways you can help protect these vital insect-eating, pollinating, seed-spreading heroes.

NPS Photo 1: Little Brown Bats prefer to squeeze into smaller cracks and crevices inside the cave.
NPS Photo 2: Groups of Townsend's Big-eared Bats are often seen clustered together in open areas.
USGS Photo 3/ Paul Cryan: A hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) roosting on the branch of a tree.

10/22/2026

❗SPECIAL TOUR ALERT ❗

Tuesday, October 27th, Jewel Cave National Monument is hosting a free lantern-led Scenic Tour at 12:45 pm.

Twenty free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:30 am in the park visitor center. Participants must be able to walk all 734 stairs of the Scenic Tour route unassisted while carrying the park-provided lantern. All participants also must wear fully enclosed shoes.

Fee-free Discovery and standard Scenic tour tickets are also available to commemorate the 168th Birthday of President Theodore Roosevelt!! You can reserve tickets online in advance or pick them up on a first-come, first-served basis at the ticket kiosk on the day of the event.

Video has no audio. Video shows a ranger walking into and out of a dark cave room while carrying a lantern.

10/21/2026

It’s Wildlife Wednesday! While our monument hosts a biodiverse roster of native birds, a powerful predator drifts through the Ponderosa canopy in near-total silence.

The Great Horned Owl is a master of adaptation, making its home in almost any environment, from thick coniferous and deciduous forests to arid deserts and even our own suburban parks. Spanning nearly the entire continent, these powerful birds can be found year-round from Mexico to Canada. Much of this success comes down to their incredibly flexible diet. As the most diverse hunters among North American raptors, they aren’t picky about their next meal, taking on anything from scorpions and frogs to large creatures, like hawks, opossums and skunks.

Whether observing them at Jewel Cave or in your own backyard, keep an eye out for these incredible birds. These silent predators are essential to our ecosystem and simply far too remarkable to ignore!

NPS Photo 1: Great Horned owl perched at Jewel Cave.
NPS Photo 2: Baby Great Horned Owl at Jewel Cave.

10/20/2026

Jewel Cave National Monument currently has seasonal Recreation Fee Clerk & Technician positions open on USAJOBs.gov! These positions are expected to enter on duty between March and May 2027. Visit USAJobs.gov for more information and to apply!

Recreation Fee Clerks and Technicians collect and account for cave tour fees, assist with cave tour reservations and check-ins, and serve as front-line representatives of Jewel Cave!

10/20/2026

Get ready to celebrate Theodore Roosevelt's birthday with fee-free tours!

Join us at Jewel Cave National Monument on October 27, 2026, for fee-free Scenic and Discovery tours! You can reserve tickets online in advance or pick them up on a first-come, first-served basis at the Visitor Center on the day of the event.

Often celebrated as the “conservation president,” Roosevelt transformed the future of preservation and the National Park Service forever. Utilizing the power of the Antiquities Act, he established over a dozen National Monuments across the nation; including our very own Jewel Cave National Monument, officially designated on February 7, 1908.

Theodore Roosevelt protected these places to inspire, educate, and be enjoyed by YOU! Step outside, experience YOUR public lands, and help safeguard these incredible spaces for future generations.

NPS Photo 1: While the sign at Jewel Cave National Monument's entrance has changed looks several times through the years, it has always greeted visitors and welcomed them to one of the earliest national monuments!

10/05/2026

Today’s homework: thank a teacher.

National parks are places where students can learn about history by standing where it happened, explore science by observing nature, and discover stories that help us better understand the people and places that shaped our world.

Behind those experiences are teachers helping students ask questions, make connections, and learn about the world around them.

On World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the educators who inspire curiosity, encourage exploration and remind us that learning can happen just about anywhere. (Including places with a really good view.)

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/teachers/index.htm

NPS Image

10/05/2026

Every day from October 12 to November 5, 2026, visit Mission San José's granary during park hours (9am-5pm) to view the mission descendant community's family ofrendas.

Ofrendas are an essential part of Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead. The word ofrenda means offering in Spanish. They are also called "altares" or altars, but not for worship. These altars are not only full of family pictures, but of symbols and meaning, honoring the ancestors who have passed, and offering them items of the celebration such a "pan de mu**to" and marigold flowers.

NPS Photo

10/04/2026

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” — Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables

And we’re rather glad there are national parks to experience them in. Fall is a great time to get outside and enjoy the spectacular spectacle (say that five times fast) of changing leaves. There is plenty of room for imagination when you find yourself surrounded by forests painted in brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. In our experience, you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. So consider this your invitation to find a little wonder, a little enchantment, and perhaps a kindred spirit among the trees.

Forests, woods, and shrublands in national parks put on their autumn colors from September through December. There’s a whole world of beauty waiting to be explored!

Image 1: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Image 2: Great Smoky Mountains NP
Image 3: Great Sand Dunes NPP
Image 4: Rocky Mountain National Park
Image 5: TheodoreRooseveltNPS

10/03/2026

“On October 3rd, he asked what day it was.” — Cady Heron

It’s October 3rd.

October is kind of a big deal around here. The autumn months splash many national parks with a rich array of fall colors, while cooler temperatures have wildlife getting ready for winter. Some are migrating. Some are gathering food. Some are putting on extra layers.

Same, honestly.

So whether you’re here for the foliage, the wildlife, or simply to judge the leaves on their color palette, national parks are a pretty fetch place to experience fall. Fetch? We’re making it happen.

And if you want to keep up with what’s happening in parks this season, you can find more ways to connect with your national parks at the link below.
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/fall-season.htm

Image: Red Osier Dogwood leaves stand out against aspen trunks at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. NPS/Patrick Myers

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

Wherever military life takes you, there’s likely a park adventure nearby.

Active-duty military members, Veterans, and Gold Star families can get a free America the Beautiful Pass, providing access to national parks and federal recreation sites across the country.

Active-duty military families can also find free events, nearby outdoor opportunities, and resources for exploring national parks, public lands, and waterways through the Military Families Outdoors Program, wherever military life takes them. Visit: go.nps.gov/mfo

Whether you’re PCSing, exploring near your duty station, or looking for a weekend adventure, your next park visit may be closer than you think.

NPS Photo: Rangers at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park recently teamed up with Blue Star Families and community partners for a day of fishing, outdoor fun, and family time at Fletchers Cove.

Blue Star Families Defense Public Health

10/01/2026

Fat Bear Week has officially lumbered to a close.

What a week. As they say, a journey of roughly 3,000 to 4,500 calories begins with a single salmon. Something like that. There might be some steps involved too.

In the end, 16 bears entered. Bear 89 “Backpack” became champion. Talk about the hunger games. And several ate their way into our hearts. Figuratively. And thousands of us humans spent an unreasonable amount of time judging bears for being excellent at being, well, bears.

It was a week of big bellies, bigger appetites, and absolutely no regrets. We shared some science, learned about the Alaskan ecosystem, stood around for hours watching large mammals eat, and found multiple way to incorporate “chonk” in everyday vocabulary.

Now the bears have more important things to do, such as eating then sleeping, a bit more eating, sleeping, and finally preparing to sleep after eating. As for the rest of us, we all return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Must we?

We must.

We will miss you, Fat Bear Week. Until next year: stay chunky, stay hungry, and remember: there’s always room for one more salmon.

NPS Images

10/01/2026

10/01/2026

Now that Fat Bear Week is over, it's time for Chunky Puppy Day! Tune in to the Puppy Cam tomorrow, Thursday, October 1, at 2pm AK time to find out how big the America's Best Idea litter got this summer.

How much do you think they weigh now? Share your guesses in the comments below.

NPS Photo: Graupel from the Weather litter during a weigh-in last year.

09/30/2026

This is the ideal marmot body. You may not like it. You may not understand it. But this is what peak performance looks like.

Now that Fat Bear Week is over, we’re returning to our regularly scheduled programming: other fat mammals.

The tundra-dwelling yellow-bellied marmots have been preparing for hibernation for the last couple of months. Since marmots spend more than half their lives hibernating, they’ve developed some impressive adaptations for surviving the winter:

✅ First, they’ve been building up healthy fat reserves (sound familiar? Bears. Us too, but that’s another post) to sustain them for up to eight months. Basically, a nice winter savings account.

✅ When they finally enter hibernation, they become true hibernators, slowing their heart rate from around 200 beats per minute to as low as 30. It’s an impressive energy-saving strategy.

✅ Speaking of saving, they also save on utilities by cuddling up with the colony in a communal burrow. Because heating is expensive, and roommates are the answer. Was that on the lease?

NPS Photo: A rotund marmot standing on a rock at Rocky Mountain National Park