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The heart of a mountain: Timpanogos Cave |
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Written by Julie Chapman
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Tuesday, 29 July 2008 |
Located in American Fork Canyon, the Timpanogos Cave National Monument is a remarkable place to explore. The cave is located at the end of a very steep, though paved 1.5-mile trail, which begins at the stairs on the eastern side of the visitor center and ranger station.
We paid our entrance fee for the cave and set out to hike this trail with four kids (two of whom were carried). Because of how steep the trail is, climbing 1,100 feet in a series of switch backs, it took us about 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach the cave entrance. Don’t think that because it is paved that it is easy. Strollers, wheelchairs and even dogs on leashes are not allowed on the trail, particularly because of the constant, sharp dropoffs down the side of the mountain.
We spent most of the hike up with the kids hiking on the inside (mountain side) of the trail, and my husband and I on the cliff side, and added constant hand-holding to that pattern on the way down — just to be safe. That said, the hike itself was stunning as each new switchback or turn around the face of the mountain brought out an increasingly panoramic and deep view of the canyon dropping away below us and the valley stretching out from the canyon’s mouth, disappearing into the distance.
Of course, the hike is only half of the adventure. The cave itself is remarkable. Although it is suitable for any age (from infant to ancient) it isn’t necessarily accessible to everyone: you have to be able to walk along very narrow, sometimes quite low, metal catwalks and up and down steep, slippery stairs. Access to the cave is only available in guided tours, but the rangers who conduct these are knowledgeable of the history of the cave, both geologic and human, and excited to share the wonders of the underside of our world with visitors.
My favorite room, and the favorite of our ranger, is the Chime Room, sometimes called the Soda-Pop Straw Room. This room is full of a rare form of stalactite, which is a fine, convoluted, twisted formation that is hollow on the inside. When the cave was first opened to the public, before it became a National Monument, visitors were allowed to tap these formations with little mallets, and enjoy the fact that each formation had its own resonance and musical tone. For good reason, this hasn’t been allowed for decades, but the idea of the musicality of the natural world is still somehow beautiful to think on.
From stalagmites and stalactites to underground pools and flow-stone formations larger than a house, each new room opens itself up to you with another wonder as you wind your way through this cave system, privy to a side of your landscape which many rarely, if ever, get to experience.
IF YOU GO:
Where: From Interstate 15 take Exit 284 (Alpine-Highland exit), then turn east on State Highway 92 and proceed 10 miles to the monument.
Summer hours: May through Labor Day, 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Cave tours are available throughout the day. The first hike to the caves is at 7:30 a.m., and the last is at 4:30 p.m.
Fall hours: After Sept. 1, 2008, the cave will be open on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 14, 2008, when it will close for the season. The visitor center will be open 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: There is an entrance fee for American Fork Canyon: $6 for three days; $12 for seven days; $45 for annual pass. America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, Golden Age or Senior Pass, Golden Access or Access Passports are honored for entrance.
Cave fees: $7 adults (16 and older); $5 junior (ages 6-15); free for infants (ages 0-2); 1/2 price for Seniors/Access pass holders. America the Beautiful pass does not cover use fees.
Tickets: Tour tickets may be bought up to 30 days in advance. Call 801-756-5238. Tickets must be purchased at the visitor center, they cannot be purchased at the entrance to the cave.
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