Boyden Cavern Guide
Time spent in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is usually spent looking up at the towering sequoia trees. Deep in the heart of Kings Canyon though, is the opportunity to head downwards and beneath the Sierra Nevada mountains. Alright, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but Boyden Cavern is a unique change of scenery here and a worthwhile addition to any trekker's trip through these parks.
When to Visit
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The cavern is open from May through October each year; expect the busiest crowds through the first week of September. The temperature in the caves is a constant, humid 55 degrees Fahrenheit, though the outside will vary: while the upper portion of Kings Canyon can range from mild to hot in the summer, temperatures at the bottom can be very hot, cooling off by the fall.
Traveling to Boyden Cavern requires driving the twisting road down to the bottom of Kings Canyon.
How to Get There
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Boyden Cavern lies within the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument, between the Grant's Grove and Cedar Grove areas of Kings Canyon National Park--sounds kind of confusing, right? You'll have to pay the $35.00 entrance fee for the national park to get here no matter what, and anywhere from $18.00 - $22.00 for a tour ticket, depending on the day of the week. Fresno is the closest city with a major airport, around 1 hour and 45 minutes away. As previously mentioned, the cavern is generally open May through October, all depending on when the road (Highway 180) from Grant's Grove to Cedar Grove opens after the winter.
Boyden Cavern
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Time: 45 - 60 minutes.
Distance: N/A.
First things first, you'll need tour tickets; while it's possible to walk up and buy them from the concessionaire, why not save yourself the hassle and reserve them online ahead of time here. Arrive for your tour at least 10 minutes before your scheduled time so you can check in, and once it's time, they'll open the gate for you and your group to make the short, but steep hike to the cavern's entrance. You do get some pretty great views of the canyon, as well as the Kings River flowing below.
Parking lot and concessionaire building in the distance.
Once you reach the top and the cavern entrance, your guide will be waiting for you to go over the rules and regulations: no tripods, monopods, large bags, or backpacks allowed inside--if you did bring one of these things, there's a secure box at the entrance you can store them in, and grab them at the end of the tour. You'll definitely want sturdy footwear too, and if you plan on leaving via the wild cave exit, but more on that later. At this point, it's time to follow the guide inside to the cavern.
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Hi there, I'm Dan: videographer, travel-addict, and beer-lover. I left corporate life behind to start my own video business and travel the world. Want to know more about me and Dan Treks?
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Views of Kings Canyon walking up (above) and the cavern entrance (below).
Upon entering, it can be a little bit of a tight squeeze--the cavern isn't as big as something like Carlsbad Caverns National Park, but you won't find yourself ducking too much. In the beginning you'll notice a handful of classic cave formations like stalagmites and stalactites, but the best stuff comes later in the tour. Here, your guide will probably tell the story of how this cave was actually someone's home-- Putnam Boyden discovered the cave in the late 1800's, living there while working as a timber logger at nearby Hume Lake; taxes were probably pretty low at least.
The start of the tour (above), and the formations get better the further in you go (below).
Moving deeper into the cave, your guide takes you into different rooms, pointing out some of the most remarkable formations. The cave is relatively well lit by the lighting system they have in place, but otherwise, it would be complete darkness--your guide will probably gather you in one of the rooms and turn the lights off, giving you a chance to experience what total darkness is like.
The wedding cake(above) and Christmas tree (below) formations.
The wild cave exit.
The Mist Falls trail in nearby Kings Canyon National Park.
Once you reach the back of the cave, that's pretty much it, and once everyone has had a chance to take their pictures, it's time to exit the same way you came in--unless you're up for the wild cave exit. In short, there's a second exit from the cave that involves hiking through a fairly shallow subterranean creek, through a few tight spaces, and eventually popping out beneath the main cave entrance. It's not always open, and is completely optional, but if you do opt for it, you'll want some waterproof shoes or hiking sandals, since your feet will definitely get wet.
You're finished with Boyden Cavern and standing in the middle of Kings Canyon, so now what? It would be a shame if you came all this way and didn't bother exploring the national park, what with it's giant sequoia trees, waterfalls, meadows, and even more nearby. Do yourself a favor and check out my complete guide to Kings Canyon National Park, and see if something catches your interest--it's one of the best kept secrets in the entire National Park Service.