Timpanogos Cave National Monument, American Fork, Utah.
Sept 12th, 2015
The Alpine Loop Highway is only 45 minutes from home and has a lot of great places for outdoor entertainment. Although we have lived in Utah for over 15 years, we still hadn't gone to Timpanogos Cave National Monument, which is really 3 connected cave systems, until today. The trail is paved the entire way and is only 3 miles in and out, but it is steep and gets tiring. There is over 1000 feet of elevation gain in the 1 1/2 mile ascent. There is little shade in the afternoon since the entire trail is on the northwest face of Mt Timpanogos. There are benches to rest on scattered along the trail, but there is nowhere to fill up a water bottle if you run out on the hike. It is amazing to think that the caves were discovered back in the late 1800's when some brave souls were logging all the way up there. You really get a sense of the elevation after exiting the cave tour. The tour itself is about 45 minutes long and is fun and informative. The guide was great and was taught in a way that kept everyone engaged. The kids loved walking inside a mountain, ducking under stalactites, and twisting through the little passages. Overall, we would recommend this to everyone.
Activity rating 0-10
Kid fun: 9
Difficulty: 6
Cost: $7/person for the cave tour. Forest entrance fee is waived with tour
Make sure to check their website for the most updated info.
Difficulty: 6
Cost: $7/person for the cave tour. Forest entrance fee is waived with tour
Make sure to check their website for the most updated info.
