Jewel Cave : The Story Behind the Scenery

Myriads of speleothems, or cave decorations, grace the underground realm of Jewel Cave. Fragile enough to succumb to a single touch, delicate aragonite crystals known as frostwork radiate outward like translucent spikes of ice.

Jewel Cave National Monument, in southwestern South Dakota, was established in 1908 to preserve Jewel Cave, the second longest cave in the United States and third longest in the world.