Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
This is a wild cave tour. There are no railings, walkways, lights, etc. Unthanks is managed primarily for conservation and research purposes. There are several threatened and endangered species that call this cave their home and it is extremely important to conserve the habitat for these species and protect the hydrology coming into and out of the cave. We are very excited to be able to show folks some of why this cave is so special.
You should plan to crawl on your hands and knees for several hundred feet to enter the cave. The majority of the trip will be walking passage, but there are several additional hands and knees crawls throughout the experience. You should plan to climb over some boulders along the trip, we'll have folks to give you a boost if needed. There is also one semi tight passage to navigate - it is only ~5 ft. long and we will have people posted on either side of it. It is also possible to go over the tight passage if that is a limiting factor for you. We do not expect anyone to do anything that they are not comfortable doing. If at any point you decide something is above your level of skill or comfort, you can stop and we'll have someone wait with you or escort you out of the cave.
We will be underground for 2-3 hours depending on the speed of our group. Plan to get dirty, muddy, and wet. Please wear clothing that you are ok with getting dirty and/or potentially tearing. We will provide helmets, lights, and knee pads for everyone on the tour, plus a limited selection of adult size gloves.
