Crystal Cave
Walk Review
Cassie and I went on a guided tour of Crystal Cave, which recently reopened after a four-year hiatus (due to 2021 wildfires and 2023 extreme winter weather).
The 1/2-mile route inside the cave was paved and easy to walk for the most part (there were a few spots where it was a little tight and, separately, where it was a little slippery).
The cave was well lit, and there was no need for a flashlight.
Unlike other caves I’ve been to, there was a stream running through the cave, which I thought was super cool.
To get to the tunnel entrance, there is a steep 1/2-mile hike from the parking lot. The highlight was Cascade Falls, which was right next to the cave entrance.
Our tour guide, Cora, was knowledgeable and friendly. Although it’d be great to explore caves in an unguided fashion, with popular places like this, it just makes sense.
The bathrooms were clean, though there were plenty of flies. The hand sanitizer was available outside the stalls.
What I Learned
There are over 200 caves in Sequoia National Park! It’d be so cool to go caving and exploring one that requires a bit more equipment!
I booked the earliest time slot available as I figured it would be less crowded. I was right and then some, as 1/2 of the 9 a.m. group no-showed!
What Happened?
~1 mile, 1 hr 30 mins, 450 ft of ascent
About 4 months ago, I received an email from the fine folks that run Crystal Cave that it was reopening for 2025. When the reservation opened up, I immediately jumped on the reservation website and booked a guided tour for Cassie and me.
The registration email told me to start driving to Crystal Cave with a two-hour buffer if coming from Kings Canyon. So, with a 9 a.m. reservation in hand, we departed our campsite around 7 a.m. Even though I drove at or under the speed limit for most of the drive, we arrived at a Road Closed sign at around 8:10 a.m. We were the first to arrive, so we just parked our car near the gate and kept ourselves busy—we brushed our teeth, ate breakfast, and Cassie even painted a little.
The rangers arrived a little after 8:30 a.m. to unlock the gate, and we drove a few more miles to the parking lot. At the parking lot, we put our foodstuff into the bear vaults, checked in, stepped into a hydrogen-peroxide solution, and walked down to the cave entrance.
The tour started as soon as everyone in our 9 a.m. group arrived and lasted about an hour. The guide mainly explained the history and the formation of the cave and added to what we could see with our eyes. The tour itself was in a balloon shape, and we got to see the water running through the cave, a couple of tightly squeezing passageways, as well as a couple of large open rooms.
At the end of the tour, we headed back to the parking lot, where we retrieved our food and started the long drive back home.
On the way home, we had the most amazing meal at Los Tapatios Mexican Restaurant in Visalia. I had the whole fried talapia plate while Cassie had grilled fish tacos. Everything was delicious—the fish was perfectly seasoned and cooked; the chips were crispy and light; and all three salsas we tried were exquisite. This might be our favorite Mexican restaurant yet.
