Whitehall, MT – Lewis & Clarks Caverns State Park, Montana’s first and best known state park, is located about an hour west of Bozeman and 1.25 hours south of Helena. The park offers camping, hiking and tours of its limestone caverns. We visited the park as a day trip from Bozeman, where we were staying at the Sunrise Campground. There is a park entrance fee for nonresidents of Montana of $6 per vehicle or $4 for walk-in, bicycle, or bus passengers. There is a park visitor center at the entrance which will collect entrance fees and houses displays on the geological and other natural elements of the park and its caverns. While the park is open 365 days per year, access to the cave is by guided tours only, May 1 to September 30 and on Holiday Tours in December. There is no access to caverns the rest of the year, so plan your trip accordingly.
The Tobacco Root Mountains and Ruby Valley from Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park
The caverns have been familiar to Native Americans since long before their discovery by Europeans. The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped within sight of the caverns on July 31, 1805, when they camped along Antelope Creek, but there is no evidence they were ever aware of the caves existence. The cavern was first discovered by non-Native Americans in 1882 by two people from Whitehall, Montana. The cave was purchased, privately owned, and developed for tours by mining baron Dan Morrison who showcased it as the Limespur Cave around the 1900’s. By 1938 it became Montana’s first state park.
The Paradise Room is full of columns, stalactites and stalagmites
To tour the caverns, head further up the park road to the large parking lot at the top of the hill. As you head toward the parking lot, the buildings to the left are a bathroom and gift shop and to the right is the information desk and cashier window for purchasing cave tour tickets. Tours leave from a gate to the left of the ticket window. There are four tours, the Standard Cave Tour, Paradise Tour, Wild Cave Tour and a Winter Holiday Candle Tour. We completed the Standard Tour and the tour guide did a great job of showcasing the caves history and features. Our favorite feature was the Beaver Slide, which was about 12 feet long and dropped 3-4 feet. The Beaver Slide, along with the steps and walkways of the cave tours were created by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Another view from our cave tour
Standard Cave Tour:
- Length: 2 miles / 2 hours
- Schedule May 1 – June 14 and August 20 – September 30
Tours leave approximately every half hour from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm. daily - June 15 – August 19: Tours leave approximately every half hour from 9:30 am – 6:30 pm daily.
- Cost: $12 / person, 12 years & older; $5 for children (6-11 years); 5 years & under are free. Purchase tickets upon arrival. No reservations taken.
The moderate to difficult Standard Cave Tour experiences the spectacular caverns lined with stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and helictites. The tour begins with a 1-mile gradual uphill walk to the cave entrance which needs to be completed within 30 minutes. The route inside the cave is lighted for a safe and enjoyable visit, and the caves are naturally air-conditioned. Kids especially have fun on the tour’s famous Beaver Slide and enjoy the occasional bat sighting. The tour includes 600 uneven steps and involves ducking, waddling, bending and sliding as you make your way through the cavern.
Paradise Tour:
- Length: 1 mile / 70 minutes
- Schedule June – September, 10:45 am & 2:30 pm.
- Cost: $12 / person, 12 years & older; $5 for children (6-11 years); 5 years & under are free. Reservations recommended: 406-287-3541.
This easy tour is intended for individuals with a physical limitation preventing them from being able to take the standard tour. Walk a level ½ mile trail to see the Paradise Room, the largest, most active and decorated portion of the cave. Part of the tour is wheelchair accessible. Reservations recommended. Priority given to individuals with limited mobility.
Wild Cave Tour:
- Length: 2 miles / 3 hours
- Schedule June 18 – August 20, Tuesday and Sunday only, 5:30 pm.
- Cost: $30/person; must be 12 years or older. Reservations required: 406-287-3541. No refunds.
This challenging introduction to caving gives an up-close look at some of the wildest speleothems that Lewis and Clark Caverns offer. Explore the caverns with only headlamps and expect a lot of bending, crawling, duck waddling and few handrails. Pants, long-sleeve shirts and sturdy shoes required. Helmet, kneepads, gloves and headlamps provided.
Winter Holiday Candle Tour :
- Length: 2 miles / 2 hours
- Schedule Select days in December.
- Cost: $20 / adult, 12 years & older; $8 for children (6-11 years); children 5 years & under are discouraged from attempting the tour. Reservations required: 406-287-3541. Tickets are non-refundable.
This tour is rated moderate to difficult and follows the Standard Tour route. See the colorful limestone formations by the festive glow of candlelight. For safety reasons, the upper half of the Caverns is shown with the lights on. The lower half of the cave is by candlelight. Candle lanterns are provided by the park. Parents need to use their own judgment if children will be comfortable in the darkness of the cave and in the outside cold temperatures. 1¼ miles of the tour is outside and may require walking to and from the cave through snowy conditions. Dress for walking in snow, wind and cold. Coffee, hot chocolate and cookies will be available at the visitor center before and after the tours.
Inside the cave
The park offers a campground and hiking in addition to the cave tours. We really enjoyed our cave tour which included a group of about 30 people. There were children in our group who were able to complete the Standard Tour with a little bit of help from their parents. Many of the steps are hewn into the rock and are slightly irregular in height. If you like cave tours, you should add this to your list of caves to check out.
