Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park will open for its 81st season on Wednesday, and a snowy winter above ground means an active visit underground.
“[Visitors] are going to have a great cave experience,” said Tom Forwood, manager of the park, “because a really wet year means the cave is really wet coming in to the spring off of that heavy snow winter.”
“So […] bring your not-nicest clothes if you’re coming out to see the cave this year,” Forwood added.
It was also active inside the cave this off-season. Crews spent months working on high efficiency lighting and new hand rails, both of which will make the walk through the cave more pleasant this season.
“It’s going to encourage people to grab and use the hand rails, which is what we want from a safety perspective,” Forwood said.
The lighting will also enhance the visit. If you’ve never been, or have been through several times this season, Forwood promises to provide something new for everyone.
“We’ve definitely pointed out and brought out some features that you may have missed before that are still absolutely gorgeous,” Forwood said. “I’ve had a couple things just walking through today […] that was like ‘I’ve never seen that,’ and after over 2,000 trips through the cave, that’s a rare moment for me.”
The Lewis and Clark Caverns open for regular tours on Wednesday, May 1, and will continue through September.
-Reported by Chet Layman/MTN News
