Guided Cave Tours
Jewel Cave National Monument
Ranger-guided tours are required to enter Jewel Cave, and the various tours are offered at scheduled times, which vary by season. With four different tour options, there is something for all skill levels and interests.
Advance ticket sales are available at Recreation.gov. Advance reservations are recommended, availability of walk-up tickets is not guaranteed. The booking window closes at noon the day before, and can potentially close earlier if the tour sells out. All cave access is by guided tour only. If there are any remaining tickets or additional tours available, those tickets are sold at the park on a first come, first serve basis the day of the tour. Exploring the underground wonder of Jewel Cave is only possible on a guided cave tour. There are four cave tour options available. Two are offered all year, the Scenic Tour and Discovery Tour, and two of which are only available seasonally, the Historic Lantern Tour and Wild Caving Tour. Be sure to read the details of each and choose the one that best fits your interests and group abilities. Everyone in the group is required to wear fully enclosed shoes, for example, sneakers, tennis shoes, and hiking boots. There are restrictions of what can be brought on the tour, be prepared before you arrive. Jewel Cave National Monument offers advanced ticket sales through Recreation.gov. All financial transactions with reservations are administered by Recreation.gov. If available, tour tickets can also be purchased the day of the tour at the park on a first come, first serve basis. Note that tickets both online and in-person can go quickly.
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There are no entrance fees to the monument; however, there is an activity fee charged for each participant on the guided cave tours. More information can be found on our Fees & Passes page.
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Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
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The Discovery Tour is wheelchair accessible and service animal friendly. There are no stairs required on this tour. The smaller group size allows visitors to interact with the ranger more directly and have a more personalized experience. A wheelchair is available in the Visitor Center for visitors to use on the Discovery Tour if needed.
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Yes — Jewel Cave National Monument offers advanced ticket sales for a limited number of cave tours through Recreation.gov. Advanced sales are only available for the Scenic Tour and are offered for the scheduled times on the hour. Visitors can purchase Scenic Tour tickets in advance between 72 hours and 90 days using Recreation.gov.
Each guided tour presents different challenges. All ages are welcome on both the Scenic Tour and Discovery Tour, but please be aware that the Scenic Tour is a 1/2 mile walking tour with over 700 stairs. The Scenic Tour is a timed activity, therefore any participants must be able to navigate the stairs and keep pace with the group on their own. If this is a concern, the Discovery Tour would be perfect for your group! The Historic Lantern Tour has a minimum age of 8 years old for safety of the participants and the resource. The Wild Caving Tour has a minimum age of 16 years old for safety of the participants and the resource.
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