- Cave Tours given May 1 - September 30 take visitors 2 miles on a chilly, twisting, underground trail through limestone rooms.
- Free Admission for Montana residents, $6/car, $4 Walk/Bike
- Tours: $12 adults, $5 kids ages 6 to 11.
- Fishing Access Trail takes hikers a leisurely 1.3 miles along the Jefferson River.
Overview
Discovered in 1892, and dedicated as Montana’s first state park in 1941, Lewis and Clark Caverns is named after Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The famous explorers never saw the Caverns but the area does overlook about 50 miles of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Trail.
Location
Lewis and Clark Caverns is located 1400 feet above the Jefferson River at 1455 US HWY 2, about 45 miles west of Bozeman, Montana.
Lewis and Clark Headquarters Office
1455 Highway 2
Whitehall, MT 59759
(406) 287-3541
Season
Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is open daily, year-round.
Guided Cave Tours given May 1 through September 30 take visitors 2 miles on a somewhat chilly, twisting, underground trail through awesome limestone rooms of stalagmites, stalactites and helictites. Watch for Western Big-Eared Bats and Woodrats that call these dark caverns and nearby caves home.
Cave Tour Hours
- May through mid-June: 9am to 4:30pm
- Mid-June through mid-August: 9am to 6:30pm
- Mid-August through September: 9am to 4:30pm
Fees
- Free Admission for Montana residents
- $6 per car
- $4 Walk or Bike
- Cave tours: $12 adults, $5 kids ages 6 to 11
Activities
Discover the Lewis and Clark Caverns Visitor Center, amphitheater, gift shop, and cafe on site. Other area activities include:
Hiking
- Easy – Fishing Access Trail takes hikers a leisurely 1.3 miles along the Jefferson River.
- Moderate –Greer Gulch Loop Trail offers a 2-mile, roundtrip jaunt with views of the Tobacco Root Mountains and access to the Danmore Gypsum Mine Trail.
- Strenuous – Cave Gulch Trail runs only 2-miles but gains a 1,000 feet in elevation, continuing 4 and a half miles to the Visitor’s Center through a Douglas Fir forest and aligning most closely with the trail that original cavern explorers used.
Mountain Biking
Cyclists are allowed on above area trails and must be yield to hikers and not contribute to trail erosion.
Picnic
Two picnic areas are located along the 3.2-mile path to the Caverns
Camping
The campground offers 40 campsites, showers, dump station, restrooms and summer interpretive programs. Make reservations ahead for group use of the pavilion, 3 cabins and 1 tipi available. Note that water is turned off October 1-April 30 during which time flush toilets, showers, drinking water, and the RV dump facilities are not available. Leashed pets are allowed.
