Candlelight Cave Tour

Candlelight Cave Tour

Step back in time and experience the cave as the first explorers and early tourists did—by the soft glow of a flickering flame. With only the light of a candle lantern in hand, you’ll watch shadows dance across the marble walls as you follow your guide into the depths of the cave, imagining yourself among the first to ever set foot inside. This 60-minute adventure is offered during the summer, with tours limited to 10 people. Children must be at least 10 years old. The candlelight tour is held on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and is the last tour of the day. Visit the Plan Your Visit section for up-to-date information on tour seasons and hours.

Tickets & Reservations

While tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis on candlelight days, reservations are recommended to ensure your spot. For updates and ticket availability, stop by the Illinois Valley Visitor Center in Cave Junction.

Children

For safety reasons, children must be 10 years or older to participate in the candlelight tour.

Physical Considerations

Please note that this tour is moderately strenuous and requires navigating narrow, twisting passages with ceilings as low as 51 inches (130 cm). You will need to ascend and descend over 120 steps, many of which are steep, uneven, and lack handrails. As part of the safety briefing, guides will ask visitors to demonstrate the ability to crouch down to 51 inches and walk a few steps before beginning the tour. If any visitor finds this difficult, they are welcome to explore Watson’s Grotto, the first room of the cave, but may need to exit after that point.

This tour is not recommended for individuals with heart conditions, breathing issues, poor balance, difficulty walking, or those with joint pain or mobility problems.

Cave Preservation

To protect the cave’s delicate formations, visitors are asked not to touch the walls or features along the tour route. For a hands-on experience, visit the interactive exhibit in the visitor center.

What to Bring

• Warm clothing (the cave remains a cool 44°F/7°C year-round).
• Sturdy, closed-toed walking shoes (open-toed shoes, flip-flops, and sandals are not allowed).

What Not to Bring

Please leave flashlights, backpacks, purses, walking sticks, cameras, food, gum, candy, drinks, and tripods at home to ensure safety and conservation during the tour.

Protect Our Bats

To help prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome, a fatal disease affecting bats, please avoid bringing any gear, clothing, or shoes that have been used in other caves, mines, or bat habitats. Spores can easily be transferred and endanger local bat populations.