Let's just get started right away on our time traveling posts. I was glad I thought to look ahead at the website for Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. As it turns out, there were two guided tours and each one required a ticket. When I tried to make reservations several days ahead, the longer "Classic Tour" was sold out. As it turns out the "Paradise Tour" was just fine, and we enjoyed it. Here's the information about the tour we took.
If we could have gotten into the "Classic Tour," it would have meant climbing a lot of stairs and some rather rugged spelunking. It was just as well because I wasn't sure I could have accomplished all this tour required with my still sometimes-painful shoulder.
Our tour consisted of a half-mile walk to and from the cave opening. This was the view from the path leading to the cave entrance.
Here's another shot from a different viewpoint. You can see the Jefferson River off in the distance.
For this entrance, nearly 600 feet were blasted out to create a tunnel that led to the "Paradise Room."
There were two doors inside the tunnel in order to create an airlock and protect the wetness inside the cave.
Moving on, it was a low ceiling...tall enough for me, but Mike had to duck at times.
Looking back once we reached the Paradise Room, it looked like this. We went back out the way we came in.
Inside, it was a highly decorated room. I don't have a lot to say about this, and so I'll just let you look. We've visited a lot of caves. There are better tours, but this cave was the wettest we've seen. At times, water dripped on my head. Our guide told us those were "cave kisses."
This was our guide, Taryn, and she did a great job, making the narrative very entertaining.
As hot as it was outside, the cave maintains a temperature at around 48-50°F. A jacket was highly recommended.
In this next image, you can see that some of the stalactites were broken off. The ones nearest the middle have begun to grow again.
Okay, and so our entire tour was spent in that one room. Walking back, I took this picture so you could see the distance from the visitor center.
Okay, so I'll continue on catching up tomorrow morning. I need to tell you about our visit to Missouri Headwaters State Park in Three Forks, Montana, and then I have two quilts shops to tell you about. Let's meet back here tomorrow, okay?
8 comments:
If my world were to cave in tomorrow, I would look back on all the pleasures, excitements and worthwhilenesses I have been lucky enough to have had. Not the sadness, not my miscarriages or my father leaving home, but the joy of everything else. It will have been enough. ~ Audrey Hepburn
Smart woman!
Okay...I could never do those cave walks--The thought of being in there gives me the heebie-jeebies--but they are really pretty--thanks for the tour inside...hugs, julierose
An amazing cave! We took the kids and grandkids on a really excellent cave tour in the Black Hills 3 years ago. However one of the kids panicked, and her dad had to take her back out very quickly. And I began to think I was going to have to live in the depths of the cave forever due to the endless stairs to exit. I was the 2nd to last member of the group to reach the top. LOL
Doesn't anyone wear covid masks anymore? I know we are all tired of covid but it is still on the loose.
There is no way this side of hell that you would ever get me into a cave like that. I enjoyed seeing your photos but even those almost make me hyperventilate. Yikes.
Don't mind me... Just catching up....
What a beautiful cave. I think you are all very brave, I couldn't go there... No windows...
Thank you for letting me look round, I did enjoy.
Xxx
Way cool caverns. Silly me, as I wasn't aware of these. Another part of your adventure I will add to my bucket list. I do love caverns, yet haven't been to any since I was a kid.
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