Timpanogos Cave

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September 27th 2007

Published: September 28th 2007

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allisondelynn

Timpanogos Cave 1

The beauty you'll see as you enter American Fork Canyon on your way to Timpanogos Cave.

On September 13, 2007, Steven and I decided to visit Timpanogos Cave National Monument located high in the Wasatch Mountains in American Fork, Utah. Since we do live in Utah, Stansbury Park to be exact, and have lived in the state going on one year now, we decided it was about time we saw this awe-inspiring natural wonder. As it turns out, in order to actually visit the three caves (Hansen Cave, Middle Cave, and Timpanogos Cave) you must first hike up a (thankfully) paved, yet quite narrow at times, trail that just so happens to be one and a half miles up! It's just you, the rock on one side, and the plunging mountainside on the other. As you hike up, you will gain over a 1100 feet in elevation, possibly a few sore leg muscles (as I did), and awesome views of American Fork Canyon. The views truly are amazing! I believe we couldn't have picked a better time to visit either, as early-to-mid September is great because along with the gorgeous view you're going to get, you'll also see some vibrant color as it's that time of year for change. Steven and I aren't the most active hikers,

Timpanogos Cave 2

Welcome To Timpanogos Cave National Monument.

so I was pleasantly surprised to find out we had made the hike up to the top in about 45 minutes. Once we got to the top, we were able to reap the benefit of all our hard hiking, and take in all the beauty around us. We then began our tour of the three caves of Timpanogos Cave. The tour is about one hour long, and guided by a very healthy Park Ranger as they have to hike up to the caves every day just to do their job! Of course it's cold in the caves, so be prepared with a jacket, something I wasn't. Steven and I thoroughly enjoyed walking through, and being educated about the beautifully decorated caverns, as only nature can do. We saw dazzling displays of helictites and anthodites, odd and unusual shapes and colors, and a variety of fragile wonders, all underground at an elevation of 6,730 feet. Also, another surprising thing about visiting Timpanogos Cave, other than the hike up, is that sometimes you think once you've seen a cave, you've seen a cave, but not so. Steven and I have been to Lehman Caves in Nevada, and to the magnificent Carlsbad Caverns

Timpanogos Cave 3

The rocky wall along part of the trial.

in New Mexico, and Timpanogos Cave still held it's own, standing out with it's very own unique and marvelous style. It's definitely a natural beauty worth seeing, inside and out.

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