Address: Bend, OR 97707, USA
Phone: +15413835300
Sunday: 9AM–5PM
Monday: 9AM–5PM
Tuesday: 9AM–5PM
Wednesday: 9AM–5PM
Thursday: 9AM–5PM
Friday: 9AM–5PM
Saturday: 9AM–5PM
Rae Cota
Very cool cave! Pretty cold so bring warm clothes. The lanterns they rent are nice and bright and also adjustable which was nice. We paid $20 for 3. Also, I recommend reserving parking online as it gets busy and it's only $2. Unfortunately we didn't see any bats but saw a cool spider.
Christy McCulloch
Recommend! Make sure you get a pass in advance on recreation.gov for parking. Also, bring your Northwest Forest Pass (they'll sell you a day pass if you don't have one). Don't wear flip-flops -your toes will freeze! The cave is 42 degrees, so felt great on the hot day we went, but you need a sweater. Pretty easy walk, but several (170+) steps to enter/exit the cave. They rent flashlights for $5- worth it!
Ellisia Cone
It was awesome. You make you're reservation in advance online at the time you want. It's only 2 dollars. And of course you pay the 5 dollar park fee. But its pretty cool. It's definitely cold and dark.
Megan Duncan
Really cool experience! It is important to note that when the parking lot fills up you have to wait for people to leave before you can go. On Saturday we drove by 2x when the gate was closed and there was a long line of cars waiting to get in. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best time to go if you don't want to wait. I recommend a 1000 lumen flashlight it made our experience 100% better. The flashlights you can rent for $5 do not light up most of the cave. The hike is out and back, took 1.5 hours. You are required to attend an orientation which took 15 minutes. It was also 38 degrees in the cave so bring warm clothes. Really fantastic experience highly recommend!!
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Yes. If you have a state park or America the Beautiful pass you don't have to pay to park but if you don't it's $5 for the day. It also costs $5 per lantern and 1 lantern per 2 people is recommended. You may bring your own but they have to be high quality. 1,000 Lumens at least.
I wouldn't. There are some very rocky points and narrow points and its very dark and slick in other points. And it just gets more dangerous carrying a baby if theres other people trying to navigate the rocky floor at the same time
They have a system to check that everyone who goes in goes out. If you're close to closing they can sometimes turn you away. If you're already in the cave they'll find and either escort you out or ask to hurry back.
I don't think you could take a stroller in the cave. There is a stair case at the entrance, and the floor in the cave is not always smooth. Our 2 year old walked some of it, and I carried her for some of it. I would probably put a 13 month old in a carrier of some kind. There are some low parts where you have to duck. They aren't long sections, but having a child in a backpack might not work for those sections. I would encourage you to go for it, just know you might end up carrying the child for some portions.
About 3 quarters of the way before u had to duck down too about 4 ft . I am 6ft 1inch tall .
No chance to see any bears... There are bats in the cave but didn't see any....
The cave does not have a visitor center at the location
They were open to the public, but they were slow to get into. You lined up on the street and waited til there was a group leaving. At that point the ranger let in some cars, gave a presentation then let you go down. Getting there early is key. Have water and snacks for the wait.
Yes
If you had a recreational pass it was free to park.
The beginning is a rocky and uneven with lots of stairs. My kids had headlamps on, but they rent lights that are much better. You don't have to go all the way to the end, where the ceiling meets the ground. You can turn around whenever you want.
Yes you can get through
It's self-guided and the cave closes at 4pm.
Must haves: two flashlights; a jacket; a way to get there. An explanation for the last point: there is a tiny parking lot, and I had to walk 1 1/2 miles from the much larger lot at the visitor center.
There is a $5 fee to enter the park unless you have a National Park pass. We had our own flashlights and park pass, so for us this was a "free" activity. A phone flashlight wont be enough, better to go with headlamps or real hand-helds. Also, make sure not to wear any shoes that have been in another cave as they are worried about infecting the bats.
Yes
No they're not. The ceilings are not that low and the walking surface is pretty level. It's about a mile trek to the end of the tube.
Cost $5 to rent light but free to go down
It's two miles round-trip to the end and back. Depends on the senior.. I dont recommend anyone with recent knee or hip replacement, or those who are at risk of falling down regularly
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