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Sequoia National Park's Crystal Cave To Reopen Following Repairs

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NPT Staff

Published Date

March 26, 2025

Guided tours of Crystal Cave at Sequoia National are scheduled to resume this year/Sequoia Parks Conservancy

Sequoia National Park's Crystal Cave, which has been closed since 2021 due to damage related to a wildfire that year and then the hard winter of 2023, will reopen to the public this year.

The KNP Complex Wildfire in 2021 left hazardous dead-standing trees near the cave, while hard rains during the winter of 2023 damaged the entrance road. Crystal Cave, the second-largest of 275 known caves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national \parks and the fourth-largest in California, boasts more than three miles of surveyed passageways. Since the 1940s, Sequoia Parks Conservancy has operated tours at Crystal Cave, and it has become the highlight of its Field Institute Program. 

Crystal Cave is a breathtaking marble cavern, but visiting requires preparation. The tour includes a half-mile round-trip hike with steep terrain and stairs, and the cave environment is cold, damp, and dark. 

Visiting Crystal Cave requires physical exertion and may not be suitable for everyone. The Sequoia Parks Conservancy suggests that those with claustrophobia, difficulty walking, heart or respiratory conditions, recent surgery or illness, or other physical limitations should avoid the tour. The cave is also not recommended for young children who cannot walk on their own, and baby backpacks and strollers are not permitted. Visitors assume all risks associated with personal injury and loss or damage to property. The park is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Tickets for cave tours this year go on sale March 31 at 10 a.m. PDT. Be sure to mark your calendars and secure your spot early, as tours are expected to sell out quickly.

Guided tours take you past stunning stalactites and stalagmites through an ancient subterranean world. The 50-minute guided tours offer a fascinating glimpse into the cave's geology, history, and ecology.

​• Location: Crystal Cave is located off the Generals Highway, about 60 minutes from the Foothills Visitor Center.​ 

• Trail Accessibility: The ½-mile trail is steep and strenuous, with stairs equivalent to a 20-story building, and cannot accommodate wheelchairs or strollers. 

• Tour Accessibility: The 50-minute guided tour involves a narrow, steep trail with uneven surfaces, making it moderately strenuous. It is not recommended for individuals with heart or respiratory conditions. ​ 

• Advance Ticket Purchase: Advance ticket purchase is required. Tickets can be purchased at: https://sequoiaparksconservancy.org/crystal-cave/

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