Whitehall – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) and Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park announced the caverns will open for daily tours, by reservation. This comes after several weeks of operating only four days per week.
“We are seeing high demand for our tour offerings,” said Park Manager Rhea Armstrong. “This increase in capacity allows us a better opportunity to serve the public, while keeping staff and visitors safe.”
Reservations are required, as tours are operating on a limited basis. At this time, only Paradise Tours are available. This 1.5-hour, 1-mile walking tour allows access to the largest and most decorated room of the cave system, while still allowing for social distancing in 10-person groups. Nonrefundable payment in full is required at the time of booking. For reservations, call 406-287-3541.
Visitors must wear masks or face coverings on the tour. Those with sensitive skin may want to wear clean gloves, as staff cleans the handrails with a bleach solution. The cave is 48 degrees Fahrenheit, so a light jacket is recommended. No strollers or baby backpacks are allowed.
No clothing or other items that have been in another cave or mine are permitted inside Lewis & Clark Caverns. This measure is in place to help protect resident bat populations from a deadly fungal disease called white-nose syndrome, present in other caves throughout the world.
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park features one of the most decorative limestone caverns in the Northwest filled with spectacular stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and helictites. The park also features camping, trails to hike or bike, a state-of-the-art visitor center, interpretive displays, a gift shop, food and beverage concessions, amphitheater, and interpretive events presented during the summer months.
For more information about these or other events at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, call 406-287-3541, or visit http://stateparks.mt.gov/lewis-and-clark-caverns/
To get to Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, 25 Lewis & Clark Caverns Road in Whitehall:
