Caving

Most trips, because of the vertical skills necessary and the fragile nature many of these caves, are limited by group size and the number of trips allowed into the caves. These limitations are listed below in the "Availability" section on each description. We thank you for your understanding and patience in helping us protect our caves.

Blowhole

Candlelight

Vertical: 90 foot drop into the mine shaft with a couple of challenging climbs in the cave

Nature: Lots of climbing involved Candlelight Cave has no natural entrance; it is entered by swinging into an audit 90 ft down a 210-ft mine shaft. The cave was once described as a "Utah's piece of Lech." The cave is covered with corrosion residue and fragile aragonite formations.

Temperature: 60 degrees

Length: 1 mile

Travel Time from Camp: 15 minutes

Availability: One guided trip, 6 people per trip, names will be raffled

Nutty Putty

Vertical: A few short drops that are easily climbable

Nature: Mostly horizontal Nutty Putty Cave was once the most highly visited wild cave in Utah with over 5,000 visitors yearly. This year the cave is being gated under lease from recreation departments from Brigham Young University and Utah Valley State College due to the high amount of rescues it received in 2004. Although the cave has no significant formations, the cave is hydrothermally heated, occasional spot of corrosion residues, and has some of the greatest airflow in state.

Temperature: 60 degrees

Length: 1400 feet

Travel Time from Camp: 15 minutes

Availability: This cave may be filled with cement or gated by the State Trust by the time of the regional, if it is available, trips will be self guided, and numbers per group unlimited.

Neffs

Vertical: Several pitches ranging from 15 feet to 200 feet

Nature: Lots of climbing and several sloping rappels Neffs Cave, once the deepest cave in United States, or for that matter once the deepest cave in the Western Hemisphere, is a true classic. The cave follows steeply dipping bedding planes to a depth of 1,165 ft.

Temperature: 45 degrees

Length: 1 mile

Travel Time from Camp: 1 hour 30 minutes with a 1 hour 30 minute hike

Availability: Two guided trips per day possible except for Saturday, 6 people per group, sign-up required

Monte Carlo

Vertical: Several pitches ranging from 30 to 150 feet

Nature: Monte Carlo Cave is approached by an old mining road reaching the heights of about 9,000 ft in elevation. The cave is multiple pit drops leading to depths of 475 feet.

Temperature: 45 degrees

Length: 700 feet

Travel Time from Camp: 1 hour

Availability: Two guided trips per day, 6 people per group, sign-up required

Spanish Moss

Vertical: 40 feet

Nature: Spanish Moss Cave is short but large cave that is heavily decorated with dripstone and Anthodites. The last part of the hike to the cave is a 300 foot climb up a 40 degree slope.

Temperature: 50 degrees

Length: 600 feet

Travel Time from Camp: 1 hour with a 1 hour 30 minute hike

Availability: Three guided trips per day, 6 people per trip, sign-up required

Red Baron

Vertical: 40 feet

Nature: Red Baron Cave is located just across from Spanish Moss Cave but about 1000 ft higher in elevation. The cave has awesome 20 ft rappel into its entrance located at the top of a 200 ft cliff. The cave is classic for its large green helictites. Some tight squeezes are involved, and the hike to the cave is relatively steep.

Temperature: 45 degrees

Length: 1000 feet

Travel Time from Camp: 1 hour with a 2 hour hike

Availability: Two guided trips per day, 6 people per trip, sign-up required

Pink Lime Pit

Vertical: 60 feet

Nature: Pink Lime Pit is a large 30-ft diameter pit dropping to depth of approximately 60 ft. This pit is the popular vertical training cave for Utah Cavers and it is just within walking distance from camp.

Temperature: depends on the weather

Length: 60 feet

Travel Time from Camp: 5 minutes

Availability: Self-guided, unlimited group size

Tabernacle Hill Lava Tubes

Vertical: None

Nature: Tabernacle Hill Lava Tubes are a series of short tubes. The trip is not complete without a visit to the nearby Meadow Hot Springs.

Length: tubes range from 50 to 500 feet long

Travel Time from Camp: 2 hours

Availability: One guided trip per day, unlimited group size, sign-up required

Upper

Vertical: 25 foot entrance drop

Nature: Upper cave is a short dusty cave about 200 feet long. It's dusty but fun to crawl around in.

Travel Time From Camp: 20 minutes

Availability: Self-guided

Hush Hush

Vertical: 90 feet with a few climbs

Nature: Hush Hush is a very dusty cave with very interesting mining artifacts.

Length: 500 feet

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Vertical: None

Nature: Timpanogos Cave National Monument hosts the area's premiere tourist cave. The cave known for its high concentration of helictites, its green and yellow formations, and its amazing 1.5 mile hike gain over 1,100 ft in elevation. Since its Labor Weekend, make early reservations by calling (801) 756-5238. Reservations can typically be made only one month in advanced. When you call ask for Sheila and let her know you are with the Rocky Mountain Caving Regional.

Length: A round trip tour including the hike takes about 3 hours.

Travel Time from Camp: 1 hour

Availability: YOU MUST RESERVE YOUR TICKETS AT LEAST ONE MONTH IN ADVANCED

Lehman Caves

Lehman Caves can only be entered with a guided tour. Cave tours are 30, 60, or 90 minutes long. Longer tours go further along the same route than shorter tours. The full tour route is 0.54 miles round-trip. The First Room Tour (30 minutes) visits only the Gothic Palace, the first room in the cave. Because children ages 4 and under have a limited attention span, they are not permitted on the 90 minute tour. Cave tours are limited to 25 persons per tour. Cave tours often sell out during busy summer months. To ensure space, buy your tickets early in the day, or in advance over the telephone (775-234-7331 x242). Please note that tickets cannot be purchased over the phone on the day of the tour. Great Basin National Park is on Pacific Time. Fees vary with the length of the tour.