Jul 27, 2010
By Lisa T. Bergren
Like exploring caves? About forty-five minutes outside of Bozeman, Montana, is a family adventure treasure for kids and adults alike, Montana’s first state park, the Lewis & Clark Caverns. I took my children (ages 5, 10, 13) there in 2008 and we all loved it. This year, as we were passing by on the highway, en route to The Lake, they were reminiscing about it and how it compared to Glenwood Caverns in Colorado. (In our opinion, with things like the “beaver slide,” a tight spot you slide through on your rump, more tunnels and rooms, and far more stalactite/stalagmite formations, these caves are more dramatic. But outside is pure nature; no amusement park here, like Glenwood offers.)
It truly would be a lovely place to spend the weekend. White cranes wade in the shallows of the meandering river; steep cliffs climb to the sky; thick, green grass carpets the valley.
TIP: We were on the road with our dog, and I was pleased to find they offer three locked kennels, so waiting dogs aren’t sitting in hot cars. (First come, first served.)
Tours leave about every hour and prices were $10 for 13 and over and $5 for 12 and under—a screamin’ deal for a family adventure. You walk about ½ a mile up the hill, a steady pathway that’s paved, and then enter the cavern with the guide, another 1.5 miles, for a total of 2 miles. There are lots of stairs to descend and many places where you’re hunched over or squeezing through—a delight for my children, but probably not the easiest course for older adults. Guides turn on lights to showcase each room as you enter it, then give a talk about history and geology (with a little canned humor tossed in), and even give you a chance to experience the utter and complete darkness of a cave by turning out all the lights at one point.
TIP: There is a lot of wet rock, so be sure to wear sturdy, non-slip sole shoes. And bring a water bottle and a jacket—it gets cold underground, no matter how hot it is outside. Also, there is no bathroom after you leave the visitor’s center—kids (and adults!) have to be able to “hold it” for about three hours, in total, so meter out that water to the little ones. We got into a minor crisis with my youngest.
Exploring the caverns is a true treat. Each new turn gives new and spectacular views of stalactites, stalagmites, frozen columns and “falls” created over thousands of years, drip by limestone drip.
The state park campgrounds and cabins look nice (my kids begged to stay in the tipi), down the hill and with the Jefferson River just across the road. Lewis & Clark never explored these caverns—but they did boat by on their expedition in 1805.
(Visitors from Big Sky should allow 5-6 hours, round trip, for this excursion. It’s well worth it!)
Posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010
In Montana, Trip Reports
Tags: Big Sky, Bozeman, caverns, children, day trips, family travel, family vacation, kids, Lewis and Clark, Montana, travel with children, travel with kids
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