- Be certain to follow current US Fish and Wildlife decontamination protocols before and after visiting the cave to protect the bats from potential infection from the pathogenic fungus that creates White-Nose Syndrome among selected hibernating bat species.
- Always let someone know where you are going when caving. Have an established time for your return so that family members or friends will know if you are late.
- Do not enter the cave alone. Always have at least two or three persons on your trip for safety.
- This cave is probably not ideal for very young children under the age of 7 or 8. If children are included on a trip, be sure to carefully supervise them on the trail and within the cave.
- Cellular telephone service is available at the cave entrance and on the trail to the cave. In case of a caving emergency, contact 911 and advise the dispatcher the nature of the emergency, including the location. Garfield County Search & Rescue will most likely be the organization to coordinate the rescue, though the Colorado Cave Rescue Network may become involved.
- Lock the cave gate behind you when you have entered. Although the cave is fairly simple in its passageways, it would not be helpful to lock an unexpected visitor inside who you may not have seen prior to departing. Be certain the gate is securely locked after you enter, and particularly when you leave.
- Do not touch the walls or speleothems with your hands, even if wearing gloves. The walls have many historic pencil signatures from the 19th and early 20th centuries and can be damaged by touching. Spelothems, even broken, should not be touched.
- Try to follow common, established trails through the cave, avoiding walking on flowstone when possible.
- The cave is home to a seasonal colony of Townsend’s Big-Eared bats and other cave life. Do not disturb or harm the inhabitants of the cave (or other life on the Preserve property). If bats are present, please do not shine your lights at the roosting bats, and talk quietly.
- Do not use flagging, string or other materials to mark your route through the cave.
- Use safe caving practices when visiting. This includes three independent sources of light, helmets, gloves, sturdy footwear, warm clothing. An electric head lamp securely attached to a helmet is a better option than a hand-held flashlight. A small cave pack can carry extra gear, along with a snack and water.
- The high dome in the north portion of the cave leads to a dead-end passage. Do not ascend the rope without proper vertical gear and training.
- Carry out all personal trash from the property and from within the cave. Do not litter.
- Do not leave human waste within the cave for any reason. Carry it out from the property with you in a plastic baggage for disposal.
- Please do not cut switchbacks on the trails.
- Use particular care outside the cave in wet or snowy conditions. The direct trail to the cave may become slippery or even impassable during some weather. An alternate western trail that begins above the City of Glenwood Springs water flume offers a longer, but safer route to the cave entrance.
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.