Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Timpanogos Cave National Monument is a national monument run by the National Park Service in Utah.

In the park service’s words

The visitor center, caves, and cave tours have not yet opened for the 2026 season. Hike your way past stunning vistas to explore a hidden underground world. Taste the thrill of caving as you twist and bend to enter beautifully decorated rooms. Learn the science behind formations and hear stories of cave exploration and preservation. Experience and discover as you go, geologic mysteries await

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

• Cave Tour (3 to 4 Hours): Join a ranger for a 55-minute cave tour through the Timpanogos Cave system. Enjoy the cool, damp, air, marvel at the delicate, colorful, formations and learn about the million-year process that has created these unique caverns.
• Walk the Canyon Nature Trail (30 to 60 Minutes): Take a walk along the American Fork river on the north side of the canyon. This side of the canyon features wildlife and plants not found on the south side. There are several interpretive signs along the trail and benches to rest on. You can also view the cave entrance roughly 1,000 feet higher and across the canyon us
• Hike the Cave Trail (60 to 150 Minutes): The Timpanogos Cave Trail is 1.5 miles each way and gains 1,100 vertical feet. Hike past thousands of years of geologic history while enjoying breathtaking vistas and the natural sounds of the park. Plan on approximately 2-2.5 hours roundtrip.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee. Although there is no cost to enter the park, a cave tour ticket must be purchased to enter the caves.

Hours: Daily, 7:00AM - 5:30PM. The Visitor Center is currently open for the season.

Getting there

From I-15: Take Exit 284 (Alpine-Highland exit), turn east on State Highway 92 and proceed ten miles (16km) to the monument. UT 40 or U.S. 189: Travel UT 189 through Provo Canyon, west on Orem 800 North (UT 52). After 2.4 miles turn right on State Street UT- 89. After 3.8 miles, turn onto Pleasant Grove 100 East (UT 146). Stay on this road for almost five miles, as it turns in Canyon Road and takes you to the mouth of American Fork Canyon. Turn right up American Fork Canyon to visitor center.

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

• Timpanogos Cave Visitor Center: Daily, 7:00AM - 5:30PM. When open, the visitor center hours are as reflected above, check our main webpage for more information: https://www.nps.gov/tica.

Weather

Although inside the caves its always 43-48 F, temperatures on the cave trail can range from the 30s up to above 100 degrees F, depending on time of year. Carrying drinking water is a necessity, especially in summer. In the mountains, weather sometimes presents interesting challenges. The cave and cave trail do not close due to rain, unless that rain is heavy enough to bring rockfall. They will close due to high winds/rockfall, or in lightning storms. Call the visitor center if you have specific concerns.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Capitol Reef, about 157 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

• National Park Service Data API: Timpanogos Cave National Monument (public domain)
• Official website

Last checked 1 November 2026.