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Lewis and Clark Caverns


     The Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is the oldest of the Montana state parks and was established in 1936. It was named for Lewis and Clark even though they did not actually discover the caverns. Lewis and Clark did pass through the park in 1805 and 1806 during their historic expedition.

      The Lewis & Clark Caverns trail system offers 7 different trails to reach the caverns. Lewis and Clark Caverns is best known for its geology and is among the most intricate limestone caves in the United States. It is not one of the largest, but it does have a couple of very large chambers. There are well over a million formations within Lewis and Clark Caverns and it is the only show cave in the northwestern part of the United States. Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is best known for the cave, which is open from May first to the end of September. There are three tour options. The Classic Cave Tours are two miles in distance and last two hours. The Paradise Tours are one mile and about an hour. The Wild Cave Tours are offered on Sundays and Tuesdays from mid-June to mid-August and are three hours with much strenuous crawling.

      Along with the caves this three thousand plus acre park has many other recreational opportunities. There are two visitor centers, a cafe, a gift shop, two picnic areas, and river access to the famed and historic Jefferson River. The Jefferson River offers many opportunities for canoeing and fishing. The park also offers features over ten miles of hiking trails to enjoy the wildlife and beautiful scenery nearby. The state park elevation is forty-three hundred feet and the cavern entrance stands at fifty-three hundred feet.