Sequoia National Park’s dazzling Crystal Cave is a standout attraction in California’s National Park System, captivating more than 50,000 visitors annually since the 1980s with its one-of-a-kind guided tours. After a four-year closure caused by back-to-back natural disasters, the park has announced that Crystal Cave will reopen for summer 2025.
From May 23 to September 7, visitors can book guided tours of the marble cave. Keep reading to learn about the cave’s unique geology, how to reserve your spot, and what to expect during your visit.
Why was Crystal Cave closed?
Sequoia National Park was forced to close Crystal Cave due to a series of natural disasters that compromised the area’s safety. The first incident was the 2021 KNP Complex Fire, which scorched over 88,000 acres and damaged roads and infrastructure leading to the cave. This was followed by intense winter storms in 2022–2023 that further worsened conditions. Since then, crews have been working to restore safe access by repairing power lines, reinforcing roads, and removing thousands of dangerous trees.
Crystal Cave is now ready to welcome back visitors, although you may still encounter some ongoing road construction and tree removal. “The opening of Crystal Cave is a big step forward in disaster recovery for Sequoia and Kings Canyon,” said Clay Jordan, superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. “We’re excited to be able to reopen this incredible attraction to visitors and encourage people to enjoy all of the beauty and wonder these parks have to offer.”
What should I know before visiting Crystal Cave in 2025?
Out of the 250 caves found in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Crystal Cave is the only one open to the public through guided tours—visitors are not permitted to enter without one. Advance reservations are required, and arriving early is recommended to avoid missing your scheduled time. Each tour accommodates up to 35 participants.
To reach the cave, guests must first take a 20-minute self-guided hike to the entrance, where they’ll meet their guide for a 50-minute tour through the cave’s elaborate marble formations. The half-mile round-trip journey includes steep paths and stairs through a cool, dark environment. Inside, visitors will explore multiple chambers, each showcasing unique geological formations.
🗓️ Dates/times: From May 23 to Sept. 7, 2025, daily between 9AM and 3PM
🕜 Tour duration: 50 minutes
📍 Location: To reach the cave entrance, visitors must first complete a 20-minute self-guided hike from the Crystal Cave Trailhead. Getting to the trailhead itself can take at least an hour by car from the park’s entrance station, and travel times may be longer due to ongoing construction and potential traffic delays.
🚗 Distance from Los Angeles: Sequoia National Park is located in Tulare County, California, which is east of Fresno. It takes about 3 hours and 40 minutes to make the 204-mile drive from Los Angeles.
🔦 What to bring: It’s important to bring a jacket for cool cave temperatures hovering around 50°F (10°C). The NPS also recommends wearing non-slip footwear and bringing a flashlight to help navigate the dimly lit interior. Note that backpacks, bags, purses, strollers, food, and drinks are not allowed inside the cave.
🤝 Accessibility: NPS advises against taking the tour if you have claustrophobia, mobility challenges, heart or respiratory issues, recent surgeries, or other physical limitations. While the trail is paved, it is uneven and not accessible for wheelchairs. Assistive Listening Devices and American Sign Language interpretation are available upon request.
🎟️ Ticket prices: Tickets cost $21.90 for ages 11+ and $11 for kids 10 and under
🌐 Reservations: SequoiaParksConservancy.org/Crystal-Cave/
What’s the history of Crystal Cave?
Crystal Cave took an incredible 1.2 million years to form, beginning as limestone left behind by an ancient sea. Over time, layers of this limestone accumulated to several miles thick before being transformed into marble by intense heat and pressure. Gradually, mildly acidic water carved its way through the marble, creating the cave’s intricate features—fissures, cracks, stalactites, stalagmites, and crystal draperies. Even today, an ancient stream continues to wind through the cave’s interior.
The Yokut people, who called it Patawin Cave, used the site for naming ceremonies long before it was “discovered” in 1918 by NPS employees C. M. Webster and A. L. Medley during a fishing trip. Shortly after, Park Superintendent Walter Fry secured the entrance and began developing the site as a visitor attraction, which officially opened to the public in 1940. Guided summer tours by park rangers have been a tradition since 1982.