Crystal Cave
Crystal
Cave is closed for the season. It will open again for tours in May of 2009
(see schedule below).
Come explore the underground beauty of Sequoia National Park! Walk by scenic
waterfalls on the half-mile trail to Crystal Cave. Beautiful stalactites and
curtains, impressively large rooms, and ornate marble polished naturally by a
subterranean stream make a tour of Crystal Cave an unforgettable experience.
LOCATION
Crystal Cave is located off the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park,
between the Ash Mountain entrance and Giant Forest. To reach the cave, drive
down the scenic, winding, paved road to the cave parking lot. Hike down the
half-mile trail along beautiful Cascade Creek, where you will be met by a guide
at the cave entrance.
No buses, trailers, or vehicles over 22 feet
long are permitted on Crystal Cave road. Vans are acceptable.
TOURING THE CAVE
Anyone wishing to visit Crystal Cave must be part of a guided tour. Tour
tickets are not sold at the cave entrance. They must
be purchased in person at the Foothills or Lodgepole visitor centers in Sequoia
National Park. After purchasing tickets allow at least 1½ hours to arrive at the
cave.
PLEASE NOTE: The cave is not wheelchair accessible.
No tripods, walking sticks,
strollers, or baby backpacks are allowed in the cave.
Single canes, used for mobility, are allowed.
If you are interested in filming in Crystal Cave, please call (559) 565-3114 for a filming permit.
REGULAR TOUR
Before passing through the Spider Web Gate, your guide will give a brief history
of the cave and point out the unique formations and features. During the 45
minute tour, you will be led from room to room on paved lighted pathways,
pausing to listen to the water and echoes in the cave in total darkness.
Tours are usually limited to 50 persons.
Temperature in the cave is a constant 48 degrees F (9 degrees C). Sweaters or
jackets are recommended.
Crystal Cave Tour schedule for 2009:
May 9 – June 12
Monday – Friday Tours at 11am, 12 pm, 2
pm, 3 pm
Saturday & Sunday Tours at 11am, 12 pm, 1pm, 2 pm, 3 pm,
4 pm
Exception: Memorial Day Weekend – every half hour from 10:30 am to 5 pm
June 13 – September 7
Monday – Friday Tours every half hour
from 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
Saturdays
Tours every half hour from 10 am to 5 pm (including 4th of July and Labor Day
weekend)
Sunday Tours
every half
hour 10:30 am to 5 pm
September 8 – September 20
Monday – Friday Tours at 11am,
12 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm
Saturday & Sunday Tours at 11am, 12 pm, 1pm, 2 pm,
3 pm, 4 pm
September 21 – October 25
(weather permitting)
Monday – Friday Tours at 11am, 1pm, 2 pm
Saturday Tours at 11am,
12 pm, 1pm, 2 pm, 3 pm
Sunday Tours at 11am,
12 pm, 1pm, 2 pm
Schedule changes: Tour
times and schedules are subject to change due to weather, road conditions,
staffing, employee housing, park emergencies, or other requirements.
Prices (subject to change):
Adults: $11.00
Seniors (age 62 & up): $10.00 for cardholder only
Children 6 -12: $6.00, under 6 are free
Golden Access - Free for cardholder only
SNHA members get a 50% discount.
Not a member? Find out
how to become one.
We also offer discounted and free tours of Crystal Cave for school groups
and non-profit groups.
School Group
Tour Information
Non-Profit Group Tour Information
Información en Español
Check here for information on:
CAVES IN THE
CLASSROOM;
An in-school learning field trip!
DISCOVERY TOUR
This popular 1½ hour tour is a more in-depth experience in smaller groups. It provides a deeper understanding of the geology and
wildlife of the cave environment. The tour is only available Monday through
Friday, once a day at 4:15 p.m. Tours begin June 22nd and go through September
3,
2009 (excluding July 3rd). Limited to 16 persons, ages 13 and up.
Cost: $18.95/person $16.95/SNHA member
$17.95/Senior
WILD CAVE TOUR
Four to six hours crawling and climbing off-trail tour in Crystal Cave. Limited
to 6 persons, ages 16 and up. Cost: $129/person. SNHA members: $20
discount.
For 2009 tour schedule and how to register, check
here.
The General Sherman Tree and Crystal Cave; One
Memorable Day in Sequoia National Park
No trip to Sequoia National Park is complete without standing
beneath the General Sherman
tree or walking through Crystal Cave. With
Sequoia Sightseeing Tours and
Sequoia
Field Institute as your guide you can do it all in one day!
Pack a generous lunch and hop on board for a day of sightseeing in Sequoia
National Park. With an expert naturalist guide your first stop will be a walking
tour of the General Sherman tree. Continuing on the Congress Trail, you’ll walk
right through a living giant sequoia, the Black Arch tree. You will collect
experiences, memories and photographs that will inspire friends and family.
After a picnic lunch, you’ll have an engaging narrated driving tour down the
historic Generals Highway and Colony Mill Road to one of California’s most
decorated touring caves: Crystal Cave. Join a one hour tour of Crystal Cave and
you’ll be amazed at the beauty that lies just beneath your feet here in Sequoia
National Park.
Our day is just moderate enough to be energizing yet gentle enough to take the
whole family. So, leave the driving to us and you’ll have the time of your life
adventuring in Sequoia National Park.
The walk to/from Crystal Cave is considered strenuous by some. It is the
equivalent to walking 300 steps down and the same on the way back up. You should
be able to walk the 300 steps in 30 minutes. Those with ambulatory or
respiratory problems are strongly cautioned.
Tour includes:
1. Door-to-door service for the whole tour.
2. Fun and interesting narrated driving tour in the heart of the Giant Forest,
Sequoia National Park.
3. The ability to access places by vehicle that tour buses are not allowed to
drive.
4. A local naturalist guide for your off the beaten path walking tour of the
General Sherman Tree and Congress Trail.
5. Pre-reserved tickets for a one-hour guided walking tour of Crystal Cave.
6. Time in the Giant Forest Museum.
Folks should:
1. Wear comfortable and stable walking shoes. Clothing should be appropriate for
the day: The day can be hot, but you’ll need to be prepared for the underworld
of Crystal Cave by bringing a sweater. It’s 48 ° F inside the cave.
2. We’ll be getting off the beaten path so expect the trails to be uneven and
unpaved. Wear stable and comfortable shoes.
3. Bring a camera!!
4. You provide lunch. With prior notice, the Wuksachi Lodge can pack a boxed
picnic lunch for you. Stay hydrated in these mountains by bringing at least one
full litre of water per person.
Cost: $88/adult; $59 children 12 and under. The cancellation policy is per
Sequoia Sightseeing Tours. Tours will not go if there are fewer than 6
people. The maximum number of participants is 25.
Dates: Every Saturday June 6 to October 24, 2009. Those interested in other
dates should call ahead.
Register by logging onto www.sequoiatours.com or phone (559) 561-4189.
For more information about EdVenturing in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National
Parks call (559) 565-4251 or click onto the Sequoia Field Institute page of this
website.
In 2003, vandals destroyed hundreds of formations in three caves in Sequoia
National Park,
including a dozen in the entranceway to Crystal Cave. SNHA created the
Protect Sequoia Caves Program to raise awareness about protecting caves and
other natural resources in our national parks. Proceeds from the sale of
this button go to this effort.
You can purchase a "Protect Sequoia Caves" button pin from our
online bookstore. Sales of these items support education and natural
resource protection programs in Sequoia National Park.
Since 1982, Crystal Cave has been operated by the Sequoia Natural History
Association, a non-profit educational organization, working in conjunction
with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks to help make quality educational
programs available to the public.
