WHITEHALL – Staff at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park are pleased to reopen the cave and the upper visitor center for the 2026 season. Cave tours will be offered May 1 through Sept. 30.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, cave tour tickets will be available by reservation only and must be reserved at least 24 hours in advance. This will help visitors plan ahead for their visit to the Caverns, and it will allow park staff to accommodate visitors efficiently and fairly during seasons of high demand.
During the shoulder seasons – prior to Memorial Day or after Labor Day – any unsold tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the park.
Tour reservations can be made online here (click on Tours and Programs) or by phone at 1-855-922-6768. Tours cannot be purchased by calling the park directly. Visitors are encouraged to check the website frequently as tour options, times and availability may change throughout the season.
Paradise Tour
The Paradise Tour includes a view of the largest and most decorated room in the cave – the Paradise Room. This 1-mile tour lasts 90 minutes. It includes 15 stairs between two rooms, but the path is mostly level and ADA accessible. Because the Paradise Tour provides better accessibility and easier passage, this tour may be preferable for visitors with small children, claustrophobia, or those who prefer a less arduous experience. Please contact the park if you have questions.
Tickets for the Paradise Tour are $10 for visitors ages 62 and older, $15 for visitors ages 15 to 61, $10 for kids ages 5 to 14 and free for anyone 4 or younger.
Classic Tour
The Classic Tour features a 2-mile journey through the majority of the developed cave and includes the second-largest and longest rooms on the cave tour. This tour lasts two hours and includes more than 600 stairs, stooping and tight squeezes. It is not recommended for visitors with claustrophobia or mobility limitations.
Bats occupy some rooms that are part of the Classic Tour. Bats can be susceptible to pathogens carried by people, such as the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. For this reason, visitors are asked not to wear any clothing, shoes or accessories – including glasses, jewelry and cameras—that have been in another cave or mine in the past five years.
Tickets for the Classic Tour are $15 for visitors ages 15 and older and $10 for kids ages 5 to 14. Children ages 4 or younger are not allowed on the Classic Tour.
Interpretive programs
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park offers a variety of weekly interpretive programs, including guest lectures, ranger talks and guided hikes. Beginning the week of Memorial Day, the park will host ranger talks on Friday evenings and guest speakers on Saturday evenings. As these event schedules are finalized in the coming weeks, they will be posted on FWP’s Region 3 Facebook page.
Planning your visit
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is a full-service park offering a wide variety of recreational activities, including an extensive trail system for hikers and bicyclists, a large family-friendly campground with a playground and bathhouse, two visitor centers, a café serving hot and cold meals, gift shop, amphitheater, and many interpretive programs and features in addition to cave tours. Camping options include electric and non-electric sites, cabins, a wall tent and hiker/biker sites. Access to the Jefferson River for floating or fishing is available through several nearby fishing access sites. The cave itself features one of the most decorated limestone caverns in the Northwest, filled with spectacular stalactites, stalagmites, columns and helictites.
The campground and trails are open, and the showers, comfort station and water stations will reopen as weather allows. Campgrounds are reservable from May 15 to Sept. 20. These can be reserved online by visiting montanastateparks.reserveamerica.com.
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, click here or call 406-287-3541.
For more information on park hours, resources, rules and events, click here.
Photo: Cave popcorn lines Lewis and Clark Caverns. Photo: Megan Strickland Sacry