Sequoia National Park’s dazzling Crystal Cave is a gem of the National Park System in California, offering a thrilling public tour experience that has delighted over 50,000 visitors a year since the 1980s. Now, after four years of closure due to consecutive natural disasters in the park, Sequoia National Park has confirmed the reopening of Crystal Cave for summer 2025.
From May 23rd to September 7th, visitors can now reserve a guided tour of the marble cavern. Read on for everything to know about the cave’s geology, tour reservations, and what to expect during your visit.
Crystal Cave closure and reopening
Sequoia National Park was forced to close Crystal Cave after back-to-back natural disasters affected the area’s safety. Firstly, the 2021 KNP Complex Fire burned over 88,000 acres in the park, including road and infrastructure leading to the cave. Then, severe winter storms of 2022-2023 created more unsafe conditions for visitation. Crews have been working to restore access by replacing power lines, stabilizing roads, and clearing several thousand hazardous trees.
While some road construction and tree removal are ongoing, Crystal Cave is now ready to welcome back visitors. “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.”
Visiting Crystal Cave in 2025
Of the 250 caves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Crystal Cave is the only one offering guided tours—in fact, you cannot access the cave without one. As such, you must reserve in advance and arrive early to avoid delays. Each tour has a capacity of 35 people.
After a 20-minute self-guided hike to the cave entrance, guests can meet their guides for a 50-minute exploration through the intricate marble cave. The route comprises a half-mile round-trip hike with steep terrain, stairs, and a cold and dark environment. There are numerous “rooms” within the cave, each of which with distinct geological features.
🗓️ Dates/times: From May 23 to Sept. 7, 2025, daily between 9AM and 3PM
🕜 Tour duration: 50 minutes
📍 Location: Visitors must take a 20-minute self-guided hike from Crystal Cave Trailhead to the cave entrance. It can take at least an hour to reach the trailhead by car from the park entrance station, and there may be traffic due to construction.
🚗 Distance from San Francisco: Sequoia National Park is located in Tulare County, California, which is east of Fresno. It takes about 4 hours to make the 262-mile drive from San Francisco.
🔦 What to bring: The cave is cool and damp with temperatures around 50°F/10°C, so be sure to bring a jacket. NPS also recommends non-slip shoes and flashlights to improve visibility in the cave’s dim lighting. You may not bring backpacks, bags, purses, strollers, food, or drink into the cave.
🤝 Accessibility: NPS recommends avoiding the tour if you have claustrophobia, difficulty walking, heart or respiratory conditions, recent surgery, or other physical limitations. The trail is paved but uneven and not wheelchair accessible. Assistive Listening Devices and ASL 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/
Crystal Cave geology and history
Crystal Cave is an astonishing 1.2 million years in the making, originating as limestone deposited by a bygone sea. The limestone built up several miles of aggregate thickness before transforming into marble under intense heat and pressure. Then, the cave’s unique formations were shaped by the persistent flow of slightly acidic water through the marble, resulting in fissures, cracks, stalactites, stalagmites, and crystal draperies. An ancient stream still weaves through the cave’s passages today.
The indigenous Yokut people used Crystal Cave, which they called Patawin Cave, for naming ceremonies. But it wasn’t until 1918 that NPS employees C. M. Webster and A. L. Medley “discovered” the cave on a fishing trip. Park Superintendent Walter Fry then built a barricade across the cave entrance and developed it into an attraction, which opened to the public in 1940. Park rangers have led summer tours of the cave since 1982.