• A water drop clings onto the edge of a orange stalactite, surrounded by white stalactites.

    Timpanogos Cave

    National Monument Utah

Introduction to Caving Tour

Your tour begins with a scramble over breakdown towards an unlit section of Hansen Cave. (top photo) As you explore further, rope rigging helps you navigate a steep slide. (middle photo) Your journey ends at an overlook of Hansen Cave Lake. This close up photo shows the captivating effect a single drop of water can cause on the still lake's surface. (bottom photo)

Your tour begins with a scramble over breakdown towards an unlit section of  Hansen Cave. (top photo) As you explore further, rope rigging helps you navigate a steep slide. (middle photo) Your journey ends at an overlook of Hansen Cave Lake.  This close up photo shows the captivating effect a single

Top photo-NPS, Andrew Simister
Middle photo-NPS
Bottom photo-NPS

Ever wondered what it's like in the caves away from the developed trails and cave lights?

Or what it's like to be a caver?

With a helmet in place and headlamp turned on you are ready to experience Hansen Cave in its natural state. With a ranger, you'll scramble and sometimes even crawl on the trail leading to Hansen Cave Lake, along the same route Martin Hansen conducted tours in the late 1800's. You'll learn all about the sport of caving and low-impact caving skills. The tour lasts approximately 1 ½ hours and is considered strenuous.

Be prepared to get your clothes dirty and have fun!

Tour Information

  • Due to the strenuous nature of the tour, participants must be in good physical condition.
  • Minimum age: 14 years old
  • Limited to 5 people
  • Price: $15.00 per person
  • Length of tour: approximately 1 ½ hours (3 ½ - 4 hours round trip from the visitor center)
  • Advance tickets required. Please call the visitor center at 801-756-5238 to check availability of Introduction to Caving Tours and to schedule your tour.
  • Tours given Memorial Day through Labor Day.

What to Bring

  • Clean, leather gloves (no suede or cloth)
  • Good hiking shoes
  • Wear long pants and long sleeves (you will get dirty)
    • To help prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome, a disease that is killing hundreds of thousands of bats in North America, the Monument prohibits any boots, clothing or gear (including cameras) that have been in ANY other cave or mine at ANY time.
  • Unopened 4 pack of AA batteries (for the headlamp)
  • Drinking water and a sweatshirt or jacket (cave temperature approximately 45°F)
  • The monument will provide caving helmets and head lamps

Learn More about Caving

  • Research the caves in your area - some offer "spelunker" tours.
  • Join a Grotto! Grottos are local caving clubs registered through the National Speleological Society (NSS). Grottos organize caving trips for their members. For more information and to find the nearest grotto to you visit the NSS web site at www.caves.org.

Did You Know?

drapery cave formation

Cave Draperies, or Cave Bacon, form as calcite rich water trickles down an inclined bedrock surface. Over thousands of years a thin line of calcite builds up along the wall as water follows this same path over and over. These formations appear in caves in all different shapes, sizes and colors.