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Walkway on the Edge
The walkway to the entrance of the cave clings precariously to the cliff face. The walkway winds around the cliff allowing an easy walk from the parking area to a mountain-side ledge and the entrance to the cave. Minnetonka Cave, Cache National Forest, Montpellier Ranger District in Idaho
A scenic drive is afforded the driver when leaving Bannock County and heading south out of Pocatello, Idaho. You travel south on I 15 until you reach the Lava Hot Springs exit. There you turn east and drive through a picturesque canyon of tree covered sloping hills, grazing cattle and the meandering Portneuf River. On our trip, construction started about a ¼ mile from the exit ramp and we were limited to one lane and 45 mph, which provided us a leisurely drive to take in the scenery.
Once you pass Lava Hot Springs you are heading up, a climb to about 6000 feet. After the summit it’s downhill into a wide and flat agricultural valley. Again we encountered road construction. They were widening the two lanes into four. Again we were down to 45 mph. The trade off was a more leisurely view of your surroundings.
Along the way we passed through Soda Springs. The town is noted for its “man made” geyser of strongly carbonated and sulfur laden water. An early attempt to drill and reach hot springs for a spa found instead an underground chamber of
Cave Entrance
At the entrance to Minnetonka Cave. In June there are still traces of snow in front of the cave entrance. Our guide asked us to place a hand next to the ground. You could feel the cold air rolling out of the cave mouth. highly charged water. After a powerful eruption the chamber emptied and a worthless stream of sulfur water poured out of the borehole. The well is now capped and controlled by timer set to perform every hour on the hour. Located just off the main road, look for the small sign near by the park to indicate your left turn into the parking lot.
Leaving Soda Springs we were again venturing though vast areas of farm and ranch land, As far as you can see you are looking at an important source of “feeding America”. You pass through several small towns on your way to Montpelier. The speed limit on the main road is 65 mph, slowing down to 45 or 35 mph through the small town sites. We made good time and soon arrived at Montpelier. Here they have a museum and visitor center devoted to the history of the surrounding area including the Oregon, Mormon, and California Trails. It was a nice stop for some brochures, historical data and a look at the museum displays. The large parking area easily accommodates large RV rigs.
Leaving Montpelier, we headed into even more pastoral countryside until we sighted the
Cold Handrails
A developed cave, Minnetonka has hand rails to assist walking on the wet and slippery floors. There are many steps, up and down, and require sturdy footware. sign for the cave. Don’t blink! It is small as is the small two lane Forestry Service road. We passed a few homes (urban sprawl way out here?) and entered The Cache National Forrest. Rolling hills gave way to mountain slopes studded with trees as we climbed St. Charles Canyon. Bubbling streams flanked the road as we climbed steadily upwards towards the cave. We passed some very nice campgrounds along the roadway. It would be an idyllic place for anyone wishing to stay over and enjoy the area.
You can’t miss the cave. The road dead-ends at the entrance. Parking is on a pronounced incline and if you are at the end of the lot there is a stiff walk to the registration area. There are restrooms but no other amenities are available. Bring your own water and snacks. Be forewarned. No food or drink, even chewing gum, is allowed in the cave.
The cave is managed by a concession for the National Forrest Service. They do honor the National Parks senior pass. The total cost for two tickets for my brother and me was $7.00. You are guided through the cave by enthusiastic young guides who have learned
Steep and Narrow
A cave of narrow passageways, steep climbs and precarious descents, accent lighting adds drama to the depths of the cave. the history and details quite well. A wooden boardwalk leads you to the cave entrance. The boardwalk is attached to the mountainside and nothing on the other side of the walk interferes with magnificent vistas and photo opportunities. There are benches to let you sit and catch your breath from the walk. Then the guide informs you the tour takes approximately 1 to1 1/2 hours, the trip is strenuous and there are 896 stairs. The temperature is a year-round 40 so wear appropriate clothing. I suggest light gloves because the metal rapidly chills your hands. There is dripping water making the flooring wet and also slippery. Good shoes are a must.
There are bats in the cave, Townsend’s big eared bats, which left us alone. But when several cameras went off augmented with a chorus of crying children, several little fliers took off and circled the chamber seeking a quieter roosting place. Did I mention children? In our tour group they ranged from about 10 years of age to the youngest at 4. Did I mention all those steps, the darkness and the fast pace of adult tour guides? Consider well before taking the younger children. The 10 year
A Living Cave
Minnetonka cave is a living cave and dripping water continues to build cave formations such as stalagmites, stalactites and draperies. olds seemed up to the task had a good time. The younger children wanted to turn around midway though. It is a guided tour and you are committed to the tour until the end. Most of the smaller children ended up being carried up and down the stairs.
There are stalagmites, stalactites and helicites, hanging stone formations that deviate and twist seeming to defy gravity. It is an active cave and the formations continue to grow. Water dripping through cracks from the mountain above feeds the formation of new structure in the cave. The cave was formed some 330-350 million years ago. Perhaps the most interesting and possibly the most disturbing fact to the visitor is the areas major fault line runs through the middle of the cave. You can see the split in the cave wall and ceiling. One good jolt and you could become one of the cave’s fossil remains. There is dim lighting, enough to see the trails and some of the significant cave features. If you are going to take pictures a flash camera is a must.
The cave was discovered by Edward Arnell, of nearby St. Charles, Idaho while hunting game birds in
Cave Formations
Variations in climate, rain fall, snow fall, average temperature, atmospheric carbon dioxide, all affect the quantity of water and dissolved minerals delivered to the cave. These variations are reflected in the intricate designs seen in the cave formations. the summer of 1906 or 1907. He and his friends needed to enlarge the opening to crawl into the cave. They named the cave Porcupine Cave because they found not only remains of some porcupines but a live one to boot. History says a local educator, Roy Welker, is credited as the first person to call he cave Minnetonka, meaning falling waters. Work to open the cave came to a stop during the Second World War. Sadly, vandals ruined some of the caves formations. Reopened again in 1947, it is now administered by a concession and they seem to be doing a very good job. We certainly enjoyed our tour.
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