Cave Management Plans Finalized

This article was originally published in The Midden – Great Basin National Park: Vol. 19, No. 2, Winter 2019.

Most Great Basin caves require crawling and specialized gear. Seven caves in Great Basin National Park are now open for permitted recreational use.

NPS Photo by Gretchen Baker

by Gretchen Baker, Ecologist

Great Basin National Park now has an approved Lehman Caves Management Plan and a Wild Caves and Karst Management Plan. These are the first cave management plans for the park, and they will help direct future management actions for the park’s 40 known caves and over 20,000 acres of karst (bedrock that may include caves).

These plans went through the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) process, with a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) signed by the Regional Director, Stan Austin, on September 23, 2019.

Key points in the Lehman Caves Management Plan are direction to add supplementary types of cave tours, including a virtual cave tour; rehabilitate the aging infrastructure, especially the lighting system; protect natural and cultural resources; and allow for research.

The Wild Caves and Karst Management Plan helps protect the 39 undeveloped caves in the park. Some are open by permit for recreational visits during select time periods of the year. All other wild caves are closed except to research and management uses. Recreational permits will be approved for those who can demonstrate cave conservation ethics and their experience with horizontal and vertical caving techniques and equipment.

One recreational permit per week, with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 participants, is allowed for each cave during its open period. The group needs to have enough cave experience to travel safely through the cave on their own.

In order to apply for a recreational cave permit, please contact the cave specialist at least two weeks in advance of your planned trip at e-mail us or 775- 234-7541.

The cave and karst management plans will help the park plan for future actions. Data gaps in knowledge were identified in the plans, and one proposal has already been funded to help improve conservation at Lehman Caves.