By Kalani Morse
Spelunkers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts alike need not travel very far to add a little of everything to their day.
Just a few miles north of Provo in American Fork Canyon, high in the Wasatch Mountains, awaits the Timpanogos Cave National Monument.
The cave system consists of three dramatically decorated caverns. Each cavern is full of unique colors and natural formations. Helictites and anthodites are just a few of the many attractions to be found throughout the various chambers in the monument.
“The Helictites are the main attraction,” said Park Ranger Roberta Jacobsmeyer. “They are amazing because they defy gravity.”
According to Jacobsmeyer, helictites are like stalactites and stalagmites expect for the fact that the mineral deposits form under pressure, which results in helix type formations.
“They look like curly fries growing out of the floor and the walls,” said Jacobsmeyer.
Other attractions are quite massive: The Great Heart of Timpanogos stalactite in Timpanogos Cave is 5 1/2 feet long, 3 feet wide and weighs in at 4,000 pounds.
A stalactite-stalagmite pairs that have been forming for eons in Timpanogos cave are growing closer year by year. Today they are only 3/4 of an inch apart, and, if growth continues at that rate, they will probably connect in about 200 years.
The caves offer other features besides mineral formations. Small, clear pools are spread throughout the caves and reflect their unique surroundings. With more than 30 pools and lakes in the Timpanogos Cave System the chances of going thirsty on a hike are slim.
A lake in Hansen Cave, which is not visible along the cave tour route, supplies drinking water for the fountain at the Timpanogos Grotto. As hikers climb to the entrance of the cave, they rise over 1,000 feet.
The popularity of the caves has led the National Park Service to establish summer season cave tours which resumed in early May.
“The cave tours are very popular and we suggest if you plan on coming on a Saturday you reserve tickets in advance,” said monument superintendent Kit Mullen.
According to Mullen, the half-mile tour lasts about an hour on a surfaced, well lighted and fairly level route. The tour starts at the Hansen Cave and continues through Hansen, Middle, and finally Timpanogos Caves.
“The hike is like going into the heart of Timpanogos said National Forest Service employee Brooke Shepherd. The tours will run seven days a week until Sept. 22 when they plan on doing construction to improve the facilities, Jacobsmeyer said.
Tour tickets may be purchased at the visitor center from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets may also be reserved up to 30 days in advance by calling the visitor center at 801-756-5239. There is a $3 entrance fee to enter American Fork Canyon.
According to the National Park Service, the caves were originally discovered in 1887 by Martin Hansen, a Mormon settler from American Fork who stumbled across the opening to what is now Hansen cave while following a trail of mountain lion tracks.
The other two caves were discovered in the early 20th century and were subsequently connected by man-made tunnels. In 1922, the U.S. Forest Service and other activists convinced President Warren G. Harding to issue a proclamation that established the three caves as the Timpanogos Cave National Monument.
