Caving

Step into Gap Cave and follow a trail filled with history, science, and natural beauty. From Dr. Thomas Walker’s early explorations to stories from the Civil War, this tour brings the past to life while guiding you through stunning cave formations and the wildlife that call this place home.

Please join us for the free Bat Flight Program (April through October), an evening ranger talk about bats prior to their flight. No reservations are required for this program that occurs every evening from April through October. The program takes place at the Bat Flight Amphitheater, located at the Natural Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern. The start time for the program changes as the summer progresses and sunset times change. Programs may be cancelled in the event of lightning.

Exploring the Alpine Lakes Loop or Bristlecone trails? From 9am to 3pm, keep your eye out for a friendly ranger ready to chat about Great Basin's spectacular high country. Occurs daily, staff and weather permitting.

Curious about Great Basin's alpine country? Anytime from 11am to noon each day, find a ranger in the Wheeler Peak Bristlecone Grove for an informal chat where you can ask about the trees, the animals, and other aspects of the higher elevations of the park. Topics vary. Occurs daily, staffing and weather permitting.

The Grand Palace Tour allows visitors to experience the entire developed area of Lehman Caves on a 90-minute ranger-guided adventure through more than half a mile of lighted cave paths.

The Lodge Room Tour is a 60-minute ranger-guided adventure through the Gothic Palace, Rose Trellis Room, Music Room, and Lodge Room of Lehman Caves.

The 30-minute Accessible Tour of Lehman Caves visits the Gothic Palace, the first highly-decorated room of the cave and can accommodate a wheelchair, with assistance . This tour is intended for persons with limited mobility, unable to negotiate stairs, or stand for long periods of time and their immediate companions. Please do not reserve this tour if you are capable of completing another tour, unless you are traveling with a companion who needs an accessible tour. If no one in your party needs an accessible tour, please consider selecting another tour. NOTE: Rangers are unable to assist with or be responsible for transport of mobility assistive devices.

Join a park ranger on the Lehman Caves Visitor Center porch for a fun and interactive program on a wide variety of Great Basin topics - wildfire, wildlife, wild caves, and more. Check the information board or at the visitor center information desk for the day's program.

CaveSim is a fun, immersive experience for visitors ages 5 & up that makes caving accessible to a wide audience. Containing 140 feet of simulated cave passages, CaveSim was custom-built for Great Basin National Park and inspired by Lehman Caves. Inside CaveSim, visitors will find speleothems (cave formations), bats and other cave life, historic artifacts, and more. But unlike Lehman Caves, there is no easy walking trail. Visitors will have to crawl, climb, and squeeze through various passages to explore the cave. Also unlike Lehman Caves, this means touching the cave walls and floors to navigate – but be careful where you touch! CaveSim is equipped with sensors that activate when sensitive, fragile resources are touched (accidentally or otherwise) to help guide your footing. Outside of the trailer, join a ranger for Q&A sessions and more hands-on activities on various cave science and preservation topics. The CaveSim experience usually takes 30 minutes, so plan your day accordingly. CaveSim Rules & Safety Helmets and gloves are required and provided by NPS. Visitors do not need to bring gear to explore CaveSim – but should bring curiosity, flexibility, and a desire to experience something new. Visitors 15 and under are required to have adult supervision, whether inside the CaveSim or waiting outside the trailer. Visitors under 5 are prohibited from entering CaveSim. Though not a real cave, CaveSim is not a playground. Running, pushing, jumping, and roughhousing are prohibited inside and outside the trailer. A ranger will remove a group or part of a group from CaveSim if they are disruptive. No bags are allowed inside CaveSim, and all items from pockets should be removed. Belts and watches may snag on rough surfaces, so it is recommended to remove them before entering as well. Claustrophobia and unease can be experienced in CaveSim due to the tight spaces inherent in cave environments. You have the option of being escorted out if these feelings are overwhelming for you or any group members.

Step into Gap Cave and follow a trail filled with history, science, and natural beauty. From Dr. Thomas Walker’s early explorations to stories from the Civil War, this tour brings the past to life while guiding you through stunning cave formations and the wildlife that call this place home.

Step into history on a guided tour of Cumberland Gap, where a guide brings to life the journeys of Native peoples, explorers, and pioneers who crossed this natural passage through the Appalachian Mountains. Along scenic trails and overlooks, you’ll experience sweeping views and stories that reveal why the Gap became known as the “First Gateway to the West.” This 1.2-mile round-trip hike is considered moderate. Programs and events are subject to cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

The Lodge Room Tour is a 60-minute ranger-guided adventure through the Gothic Palace, Rose Trellis Room, Music Room, and Lodge Room of Lehman Caves.