National Parks 2020: Wind Cave National Park

It’s time once again to explore more National Parks through yarny goodness. Over the past four years, we have explored the United States through its National Parks, and in 2020, we will have represented them all. Many of these are lesser-known National Parks, and we hope you spend some time exploring them through the links we’ve shared.

Check out our Socks on Vacay/Socks on Staycay summertime sock knitting collaboration with our friend Shannon Squire, too: https://shannonsquire.com/socks-on-vacay-staycay-2020/

Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/

Where is this National Park located?

Wind Cave National Park is located in the southwestern corner of South Dakota.

Whose land does this National Park reside upon?

The land within Wind Cave National Park has historical, cultural, and spiritual meanings to many American Indians. The park consults with twenty tribal governments on major projects and plans. These tribes are: Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Fort Belknap Tribe, Fort Peck Tribe, Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Lower Sioux Indian Community, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council, Oglala Sioux Tribal Council, Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council, Santee Sioux Tribal Council, Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribal Council, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council, Three Affiliate Tribes Business Council, and Yankton Sioux Tribe.

When was it established as a National Park?

January 9, 1903

Why is this park amazing?

Established in 1903 as the first national park dedicated to preserving a cave system, it was later expanded to preserve the unique and shrinking mixed-grass prairie habitat. We don’t have space to talk about all of the amazing cave structures that can be found at Wind Cave, but they are weird and wonderful and simply breathtaking. Check it out here: https://www.nps.gov/wica/learn/nature/cave-formations-speleothems.htm

Why did we choose these colors?

The colors of our Wind Cave yarn are inspired by the wide variation of colors in those wacky caves; it seems like it’s “just brown” until you look closer.