Jewel Cave Wild Caving Tour Pin by L.W. Bristol Classics
$7.00
In stock
Shipping calculated in cart/checkout:Â Shipping rates for first items start at $7, calculated based on weight of total order.
The official pin for people who earned it. The Jewel Cave Wild Caving Tour covers 2/3 of a mile of off-trail cave passage in 3 to 4 hours, with belly-crawling, rope-assisted climbs, and squeezes tight enough to require a pre-tour fit test. This enamel lapel pin is the take-home proof.
- Approximately 0.6″ x 0.75″ enamel on metal
- Colorful design on front, brushed finish reverse
- Standard post-and-clutch backing
- Officially approved by Jewel Cave National Monument
- Proceeds support Jewel Cave National Monument and other BHPFA partner parks and forests.
In stock
60-day returns · Ships from South Dakota via USPS
Jewel Cave Wild Caving Tour Pin by L.W. Bristol Classics
$7.00
In stock
Shipping calculated in cart/checkout:Â Shipping rates for first items start at $7, calculated based on weight of total order.
The official pin for people who earned it. The Jewel Cave Wild Caving Tour covers 2/3 of a mile of off-trail cave passage in 3 to 4 hours, with belly-crawling, rope-assisted climbs, and squeezes tight enough to require a pre-tour fit test. This enamel lapel pin is the take-home proof.
- Approximately 0.6″ x 0.75″ enamel on metal
- Colorful design on front, brushed finish reverse
- Standard post-and-clutch backing
- Officially approved by Jewel Cave National Monument
- Proceeds support Jewel Cave National Monument and other BHPFA partner parks and forests.
In stock
60-day returns · Ships from South Dakota via USPS
Real USPS rates, no markup. The money we save funds trail crews and internships.
Join BHPFA for $30 a year -> get your code by email in seconds. -> Use it at checkout today. Show your card at hundreds of nonprofit park stores nationwide for 10% off.
Every item is selected or approved by rangers and staff. Your purchase keeps them on the front lines.
Real USPS rates, no markup. The money we save funds trail crews and internships.
Join BHPFA for $30 a year -> get your code by email in seconds. -> Use it at checkout today. Show your card at hundreds of nonprofit park stores nationwide for 10% off.
Every item is selected or approved by rangers and staff. Your purchase keeps them on the front lines.
Description
What is the Wild Caving Tour pin?
This is the pin for people who did the Wild Caving Tour at Jewel Cave National Monument and want something that says so. The tour is not a stroll. It covers 2/3 of a mile of off-trail passage over 3 to 4 hours, rated “extremely strenuous” by the park. Participants scramble over breakdown, chimney between cave walls, use a rope to climb a near-vertical section, and belly-crawl through passages narrow enough that you have to pass a fit test before the tour begins: if you can fit through an 8.5″ x 24″ slot, you’re in. If not, you’re not.
Made for BHPFA by L.W. Bristol Classics, a Tennessee manufacturer that produces custom souvenir pins and medallions for national and state parks, this enamel lapel pin is the standard take-home from the tour. The design is colorful enamel on metal with a brushed finish reverse, the same construction used across the Jewel Cave pin family sold at BHPFA.
About the Wild Caving Tour
The Wild Caving Tour is the most demanding of Jewel Cave’s three guided options. The Scenic Tour follows paved paths with electric lighting. The Historic Lantern Tour retraces the Michaud brothers’ original 1900 route by candlelight. The Wild Caving Tour goes entirely off-trail, into passages that most visitors never see.
The route takes groups through named sections: Hurricane Corner, Martha’s Kettle, the Roller Coaster, and the Brain Drain. Along the way, guides point out hydromagnesite balloons (rare, fragile formations that look like soap bubbles frozen in calcite) and other cave features while teaching low-impact caving technique. The park provides hard hats, headlamps, and knee pads. You bring above-ankle lug-soled boots, long pants, long sleeves, and a change of clothes for afterward.
Groups are small: two people minimum, five maximum. Tours run late May through August and require advance reservations through Recreation.gov. Spaces fill fast. The age minimum is 16, and minors need parental or guardian supervision.
Jewel Cave itself is the third-longest cave in the world. As of 2026, more than 220 miles of passage have been surveyed under the Black Hills of South Dakota. The cave was discovered in 1900 when prospectors Frank and Albert Michaud noticed wind rushing from a small opening in the rock. Systematic mapping did not begin until Jan and Herb Conn, a husband-and-wife climbing team, started working the cave in the 1960s. Surveys are still ongoing.
Specifications
- Size: approximately 0.6″ x 0.75″ (verify against physical item)
- Weight: 1 oz (per worksheet; verify against physical item)
- Construction: enamel on metal
- Finish: colorful enamel front, brushed metal reverse
- Fastening: standard lapel pin post and clutch back
- Manufacturer: L.W. Bristol Classics (pending HQ verification)
Who is this for?
Anyone who completed the Wild Caving Tour. It’s a specific credential in a community where people track which tours they’ve done, which parks they’ve visited, and how much of the Jewel Cave survey they can cite from memory. This pin exists for that person.
It also works as a gift for the spelunking enthusiast in your life, whether or not they’ve been to Jewel Cave. Cave tours with names like “Brain Drain” and a fitness test at the door carry weight on their own.
How to attach a lapel pin
Thread the post through the fabric from the front, then press the clutch backing onto the post from the inside. For lightweight or thin fabrics, use a small card or backing disc behind the material to distribute the pressure and prevent tearing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to have done the tour to buy this pin?
No. It’s sold in BHPFA’s online store and at the Jewel Cave visitor center without any verification. But the design references the specific experience of the Wild Caving Tour, and it reads differently once you’ve done it.
Is the Wild Caving Tour available year-round?
No. The tour runs late May through August and requires advance reservations through Recreation.gov. Group size is two to five people. The age minimum is 16. Spaces fill early, so book as far ahead as possible.
What makes the Wild Caving Tour different from Jewel Cave’s other tours?
The Scenic Tour follows paved paths with permanent lighting. The Historic Lantern Tour uses candlelight to follow the Michauds’ original 1900 route. The Wild Caving Tour goes entirely off-trail through undeveloped passages. It involves crawling, chimneying, and rope-assisted climbing over 2/3 of a mile. The park rates it “extremely strenuous.”
Is this pin officially approved by Jewel Cave?
Yes. The pin is approved by Jewel Cave National Monument and is sold through BHPFA, the monument’s official nonprofit partner.
How big is this pin?
Approximately 0.6″ x 0.75″. Small enough for a jacket lapel, hat, or backpack zipper pull.
Can I get my Passport to Your National Parks stamped at Jewel Cave?
Yes. Jewel Cave National Monument is an NPS site with an official Passport cancellation stamp available at the visitor center. BHPFA also sells the Passport to Your National Parks Classic Edition if you are just starting.
Does buying this support Jewel Cave?
Yes. BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.
More Jewel Cave collectibles
Every Purchase Makes a Difference
When you shop with Black Hills Parks & Forests Association, you are directly funding:
- Education programs — nature workshops, Junior Ranger activities, and homeschool adventures for kids across the Black Hills
- Trail maintenance — keeping hiking trails safe and accessible at Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, and the Black Hills National Forest
- Visitor services — park store operations, interpretive programs, and the staff who help millions of visitors each year
- Conservation — supporting the long-term health of public lands in the Black Hills and Nebraska
BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service in the Black Hills region. We have supported these public lands since 1946.
Additional information
| Weight | 1 oz |
|---|---|
| Brand | L.W. Bristol Classics |
| Dimensions | 0.6" x 0.75" |
| Weight | 1 oz |
| Material | Enamel on metal |
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