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All visitors to Cave of the Clouds, Drapery Den, the Puoux climbing area, and the Defiance Cave Preserve must complete and submit a signed liability waiver before visiting the property. A visitor liability waiver can be downloaded from this site, completed, scanned and emailed as an attachment to (send your email request including trip date and number of cavers to Ken Headrick). No visit will be permitted without a waiver on file.

Parking Area

Preserve visitors may park their vehicles in the dirt parking area north of Interstate Highway 70 just east of the twin tunnels, west of the No Name exit. This is not an official parking/rest area of the federal highway system, so care must be taken exiting and entering the highway. Please park along the western/northern side of the parking area, as this area often has Colorado Department of Highways equipment in storage.

Climbing Area

The Puoux climbing area is directly to the northwest of the parking area. To access Cave of the Clouds, a foot trail leads steeply north from the parking area. This trail includes some easy rock scrambling that is simple in good, dry weather, but may be difficult or impossible in wet, icy or snowy conditions. If you have not previously visited Cave of the Clouds, you may find it easier to go with someone who knows the route.

No overnight camping, campfires or hunting is allowed on the property.

Propose Your Research

Have a research idea that could contribute to our understanding of cave ecosystems, bat conservation, or geological processes? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us to discuss your research proposal and how we can support your scientific inquiry.

Contact Research Coordinator