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Timpanogos Cave National Monument is a real treat to visit. Not only are the cave formations spectacular, the steep walk up to the entrance is a great workout.
Introduction to Timpanogos Cave National Monument
Timpanogos Cave National Monument protects three caves on Mount Timpanogos full of several incredible cave formations. Their average temperature is 46 °F.
Martin Hansen (1847–1934) discovered the first cave — now known as Hansen Cave — while cutting timber in October 1887.
In the summer of 1913, James Williams Gough (1897–1986) and Frank Johnson were with their families visiting Hansen Cave when they discovered Timpanogos Cave. The entrance was lost, but Vearl James Manwill (1900–1966) rediscovered it on August 14, 1921.
A few months later, on October 15, Martin’s son George Heber Hansen (1884–1951) and grandson Wayne Errol Hansen (1903–1989) came across another hole while hunting. They returned couple days later with 74-year-old Martin, who was the first to enter Middle Cave.
Timpanogos Cave National Monument was created on October 14, 1922, and initially maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. The National Park Service took over in 1933, building structures into the early 1940s. The original visitor center burned down in 1991. It was housed in a double-wide trailer home until a new visitor center opened to the public on June 19, 2019.
Getting to Timpanogos Cave National Monument
From Salt Lake City, we took the Alpine Loop Scenic Backway through American Fork Canyon to reach the visitor center. It’s open from roughly late May through late October, depending on the weather.
The fee to access the 20-mile scenic drive — surrounded by the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest — costs $10 for a 3-day pass or $20 for a 7-day pass (as of April 2025). As long as you’re not stopping anywhere other than the monument, you don’t have to pay the fee — it’s only required for parking at picnic areas, campgrounds, and trailheads outside the monument.
Ranger-Guided Cave Tours
Three ranger-guided cave tours are available. All prices are current as of April 2025:
- The Timpanogos Cave Tour visits Hansen Cave, Middle Cave, and Timpanogos Cave. It takes roughly 55 minutes along a ⅓-mile trail. Tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for kids age 2-11, $6 for Senior or Access Pass holders, and $2 for kids under 2.
- On the Lantern Tour, which is only suitable for visitor over 6, visitors are guided by a ranger holding a lantern. It takes about an hour. Tickets are $17.
- The Introduction to Caving tour takes you to Hansen Cave Lake “along the same route Martin Hansen conducted tours” in the late 19th century. Tours last about 90 minutes and are limited to 5 people. Visitors must be at least 14 years old. You’ll wear a helmet with a headlamp and learn caving skills, safety, and etiquette. Scrambling and crawling are involved. Tickets are $22.
Tours often sell out in advance. To avoid disappointment, it’s highly recommended to purchase tickets online well ahead of your visit.
All cave tours begin and end at the visitor center. After picking up your tickets, you have to hike up a steep 1 ½-mile (2.4 kilometer) trail with an elevation gain of 1,092 feet (333 meters) to the cave’s entrance, where you’ll meet your ranger. There are no elevators or cable cars, and hiking up can get exhausting. Take plenty of water. Allow yourself four hours, including the hike up to the entrance and back down.
The caves and visitor center are open between May and October depending on weather conditions. Check the official website for more info.
Timpanogos Cave Tour
As I just mentioned, the steep path up Mount Timpanogos is the only way to reach the entrance. On the way up, you’ll find plenty of spots to sit and rest while enjoying the breathtaking scenery.
It took us roughly 45 minutes to reach the cave’s entrance at a brisk pace. Once there, we met with a very nice ranger named Nancy who chatted with us while we waited for the tour to begin. They run every 15–30 minutes throughout the day.
The tour begins near the original entrance to Hansen Cave, continues through Middle Cave, and ends in Timpanogos Cave, via tunnels created in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration. Once inside, Nancy told us the story of the cave’s discovery.
The most fascinating features are the fragile helictites, but cave bacon, cave popcorn, stalactites, and stalagmites are also present. Unfortunately, many of the formations in Hansen Cave were damaged or removed by the Duke Onyx Company and tourists before the creation of Timpanogos Cave National Monument.
Getting through the cave is fairly easy. There might be a few slippery spots along the way and we had to watch our heads in some places. Although there were some tight spots to navigate, nobody in the group felt claustrophobic at any time.
Overall, our tour was excellent and our ranger, had a contagious enthusiasm. We couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the cave. The views on the hike are also worth the trip.
