Hike Timpanogos Cave National Monument
Have you wanted to hike Timpanogos Cave National Monument? The Timpanogos cave hike is awesome! You will not be disappointed.
I have hiked Timp Caves multiple times. It is one of my family’s favorite hikes to go on with friends. I’m excited to share with you all of my tips and tricks for the Timpanogos Cave hike.
In this post, I am going to help you prepare for hiking Timpanogos Cave. We will let you know how to get reservations for the Timpanogos caves, as well as give you a complete guide of the Timp caves trail. We will also go over what to expect when entering the Mt Timpanogos cave.
I am sure you will have a few questions about logistics and timing which will also cover below.
Let’s explore all of the awesome things you need to know before you visit Timpanogos Cave National Monument.
If you would like to save this information for later be sure to pin this to Pinterest.
This post may contain affiliate links (Including Amazon) that will give me a commission at no additional charge to you.
Where is the Timpanogos Cave Hike?
Timpanogos Caves are located in the Unita National Forest. Typically, this area requires a fee of $6 to enter.
If you are visiting the Timpanogoes Cave National Monument you will NOT need to pay the fee and may proceed without stopping at the National Park booth.
If you want to explore more of the area after you hike you will need to pay the fee. A National Park pass will work for entrance to this area.
Timpanogoes Cave is one of the best hikes in American Fork Canyon. Let’s plan your Timpanogoes Cave hike.
Reserve Your Timp Caves Guided Tour
One of the most important things you must do is book a reservation. You will not be allowed to go inside the caves without a reservation.
You will want to plan ahead because the Timp cave hike is really popular. Sometimes you have to reserve weeks ahead of time during the busy season. It is worth it!
How Long is Timpanogos Cave Hike?
When you book your tickets, you will pick your arrival time. Your cave tour will start once you reach the top of the hike. The park rangers anticipate you reaching the top about 1.5 hours after your arrival time.
To get to the Timpanogoes Cave you will hike 1.5 miles uphill.
How Long Does the Timp Cave Hike Take to Complete?
If you go on a Timp Cave Tour plan about 3.5 hours. You might be able to complete the hike faster but I would still plan around this amount of time.
When is the Best Time to Hike Timpanogos Caves?
Sadly, you can not hike this trail year-round. It is only open Spring-Fall.
Typically tickets will become available after Memorial Day. It really depends on the winter and how long it lasts as to when the Timp Cave tours will open.
If the trail is snowy it will not open. (It is really steep and would not be safe!)
The Timpanogos Cave tours will go through the summer and end around Labor Day. However, if the weather is nice they will stay open longer. We went last fall on September 29th!
Best Season to Hike Timpanogos Caves
I have hiked in spring, summer, and fall.
I prefer fall. It is so beautiful to see the different colors of leaves all around. Utah in the Fall is amazing!
Summer was really hot! We endured and made it to the cool caves! Bring lots of water and you will be fine!
Spring is great to hike Timp Caves but it can be cold as you get higher and closer to the cave entrance. As long as you are prepared it is fine.
Mount Timpanogos Cave National Monument Hours and Admission Prices
Timpanogos Caves are only open for tours, you can not go in by yourself.
The Timpanogos Caves Visitor Center is open from 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM.
How Much Are Tickets for A Timpanogos Cave Tour?
- Adult Tickets (12+): $12
- Child (2-11): $7
- Infants: $2
Be sure to book your tickets ahead of time. Infants do need a ticket.
Mount Timpanogos Visitor Center
You will want to arrive about 15 minutes early so you can visit the Timpanogos Visitor Center before your hike.
The Mt. Timp Cave Visitor Center has a fun area for kids to explore. You can also buy a few survivors. Bathrooms are available at the visitor center.
There are also park rangers outside that will give you instructions about the hike and area.
Junior Ranger Program
The Timp Caves does have a Junior Ranger opportunity. You can grab your packet before you begin your hike. We loved the reward at the end of the hike!
Mount Timpanogos Cave Hike
After checking in at the Mount Timp Cave Visitor Center and getting your briefing with the park ranger, you can begin your hike.
How Hard is the Timpanogos Cave HIke?
This hike is strenuous! It is hard. It is all uphill for 1.5 miles. There are lots of switchbacks!
Don’t let this worry you. This hike is totally worth the effort! Once you get inside Timp Caves you will forget how hard it was to get up there!
Can Kids Do the Timp Caves Hike?
Absolutely! My kids have done this hike several times. The caves are so cool that the kids don’t mind “doing hard things” The reward is worth it!
Another great thing is that the hike is completely downhill on your way back. That part is enjoyable and goes by pretty fast.
My Experience
When my youngest was just under 2 I decided to do the Timp Caves hike. I put him in a baby hiking backpack and went for it. I am a pretty small person and I have to say, it was so hard!
I had to have my sister take a turn with the baby backpack. We helped each other out and it worked out fine.
This hike was hard carrying a baby on my back but it can be done!
Now my 2-year-old is 8 and we hiked without any problems!
Here are a few Mount Timpanogos photos of the trail so you can know what to expect.
Trailhead
The trailhead is located right next to the Timp Cave Visitor Center. This is where you will meet a park ranger and be given more information about the hike and what animals or reptiles you will see along the way.
Cool Sites to See on the Timp Caves Trail
Before you reach the 1/2 mark there are a few spots where you can rest. Believe me you will want to! Be sure to drink plenty of water!
The higher you get the better the views get! You can look out and see American Fork Canyon from a fantastic view.
There are benches to rest on at certain places along the trail or you can find huge rocks to climb on. This is helpful for the younger kids!
The 1/2 Mark
When you make it to the halfway mark you will see a sign in the rock. I think you will feel the same way I did when I reached this point. Excited, exhausted, but determined to get to the Timp Caves Tour!
Final Accent to Timpanogos Cave Tour
The last part of the hike just gets prettier and prettier. It is so beautiful! We would hike a little and then rest.
If you are hiking with kids this last part you will probably want to take a lot of little breaks to make it to the top.
Timpanogos Cave Tour
The Timpanogos Cave Tour is awesome! You will wait at the Utah cave entrance and the park ranger will lead you inside the caves.
You will present your tickets at this point.
One thing we loved about the Timp Cave Tour was that the different stalagmites were lit up. Without the light these caves are udder darkness!
We learned all about the history of how these caves were discovered and were able to experience complete darkness.
The cave tour is really neat and such a great experience.
Mt. Timpanogos Cave Tour Tips
Even if it is 100 degrees outside the caves will be cold. It is good to bring a long-sleeved jacket or sweatshirt to wear inside the caves.
Hiking Timpanogos Caves Descent
Here is the good news…hiking down is so much easier! It feels like it takes half the time to get down as it did to get up.
The only thing I noticed was my knees where hurting coming down. (I have bad knees.) I had to stop a few times just to give them a break!
Are you Ready to Hike the Timpanogos Cave Hike?
Hiking Timpanogos Cave is such a great experience. It is so worth it to see the Timp Caves! They are amazing.
Hopefully, this has given you a pretty good idea of what to expect when you hike Timpanogos Caves.
If you are looking for fun kid-friendly hikes in Utah, I have a lot of ideas. I live in the SLC area and we love going to the mountains with our family. There are so many amazing places in Utah to visit!
Facebook Group
If you have any questions be sure to join my Facebook Travel Community This great community can help answer any questions you may have about your upcoming trip. Plus, I try to add any great deals or promotions that companies send me!
