Boyden Cavern

Useful Information

Location:	Kings River Canyon, Sequoia National Monument. Monarch Wilderness, Calaveras County. (36.81525854, -118.8171186)
Open:	MAY daily 11-16. JUN to SEP daily 10-17. OCT daily 11-16. Given times are first and last tour, tours on the hour. [2004]
Fee:	National Park entrance fee (not associated with the cave): $10 each vehicle. Adults USD 10, Children (3-13) USD 5. Groups: Adults USD 9, Children (3-13) USD 4.50. For Schools, Scouts, and others, only with reservation. [2004]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	T=13 °C
Guided tours:	D=45 min, L=460 m.
Photography:	allowed (with flash)
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Boyden Cavern, PO Box 78, Vallecito, CA 95251, Tel: +1-209-736-2708 Boyden Cavern, 74101 E. Kings Canyon Road, Kings Canyon National Park, CA
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Boyden Cavern is located in the deepest Canyon of the United States, the 2,500 m deep Kings River Canyon, which is part of the Sequoia National Forest. The cave entrance lies beneath the 600 m high marble walls called Kings Gate at the shores of Kings River.

The tour starts with a five-minute walk to the cavern entrance. The path is abot 300 m long and the last part of about 40 m is pretty steep. At the entrance are some benches to rest on, and it is a good idea to start a little earlier and rest some time here and enjoy the view.

The tour includes Pancake Room, a stalactite group called the Upside Down City, and a flowstone formation called Mother Nature's Wedding Cake. In the Bat Grotto some bats spend summer days sleeping. The Drapery Room contains curtains, soda straws and helictites. Like in all American caves, the guide turns off the light to show the visitors total darkness, as if this were something special. The last highlight is a small subterranean stream.