Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, Limestone cave system in Whitehall, Montana.
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is a limestone cave system with multiple decorated chambers and passages that branch throughout the underground. The park encompasses around 3,000 acres and provides camping areas, cabins, and hiking trails across the property alongside the cave network.
Hunters discovered these natural caves in 1892, and the location became Montana's first state park. The park's establishment marked one of the earliest efforts to protect and open a natural cave system for public use in the western United States.
The caverns are named after the famous Lewis and Clark expedition that explored this region of Montana. Visitors can see signatures and names scratched into the walls by earlier explorers, revealing how long people have come to visit this place.
Guided cave tours operate from May through September, with different routes available for varying fitness levels and interests. Bring sturdy shoes and a jacket, as the cave interior stays cool and the passages can be slippery in places.
The entrance hike involves climbing over 200 stairs to reach the cave openings, while the cave walk itself covers roughly two miles through chambers and corridors. This moderate physical engagement sets it apart from cave experiences that are entered at ground level.
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