Military Families Remove Car Parts from Jewel Cave Park

When military families showed up to clean Jewel Cave National Monument in South Dakota, they expected trash bags and bottles. Instead, they hauled out nearly an entire vehicle's front end from the park's Historic Area.

Seven volunteers with Blue Star Families joined National Park Service staff on June 20 for what became an unexpectedly ambitious cleanup project. After meeting at the visitor center, they hiked the Canyons Trail to reach the work site tucked away in the monument's historic section.

Over two hours, the group filled multiple bags with trash and debris that had accumulated in one of America's protected natural spaces. The car parts discovery turned a routine cleanup into a major win for park preservation.

The weather even cooperated. Despite forecasts calling for rain, the skies stayed clear throughout the entire cleanup and hike back.

The Ripple Effect

This cleanup represents something bigger than trash removal. The Military Families Outdoors program, which organized the event, connects service members and their families with nature through hands-on conservation work.

The program runs through a partnership between the Defense Health Agency, National Park Service, Blue Star Families, and Wilderness Inquiry. It promotes outdoor recreation and wellness opportunities specifically designed for military communities who've sacrificed so much for their country.

Blue Star Families supports over 1.5 million military and veteran families nationwide by connecting them with resources and local communities. These volunteer opportunities help combat isolation while giving back to public lands that belong to all Americans.

The volunteers earned their reward after the hard work. Park officials invited them to participate in a cave tour, letting them experience the underground wonder they'd just helped protect.

Jewel Cave National Monument officials expressed gratitude for the volunteers' dedication to preserving the historic area and stewarding public lands for future generations. Thanks to these seven volunteers, the park's Historic Area is cleaner and safer for the thousands of visitors who'll explore it this year.