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Show 14 Recreation & Tourist Guide, May, 1986 Timpanogos Cave is real beauty the first cave is even evident. The tours are guided by a in By CHUCK ZEHNDER Managing editor had Arlo Theres something just an away that makes an excellent tour. Its a National Monument, even! And yet very few have ever visited it. Its Timpanogos Cave in American Fork park Canyon. miss. There is a formation called The Heart of Timpanogos which Arlo explained in a long and detailed story. The formation is the largest stalctite in the cave, weighing more than two tons. Arlo also added his own d comments to why the formation might be a womans heart: Its hard and hour-and-a-ha- lf Ive lived here about 14 years and went through the cave for the first time earlier this week. Unfortunately, Ive toured Carlsbad Caverns twice and am reminded of a World ranger. I Shelley, who has been leading tours there for 34 years. He made the tour even better with his interesting comments and pointing out many formations the casual visitor would easily heart-shape- cold! Ive been in many caves around the country and even found and explored one a few years ago in southeastern Minnesota, but I have never seen a cave with so many helictites and argonite crystals. They make the cave very unique and add a brilliant beauty. There are two underground lakes of crystal, clear water in this cave. This is also a very active cave. There is more growth going on in Timpanogos probably than in Carlsbad, a cave which is at leasy fifty times larger. Go tour Timpanogos,; if youve never been in a cave before, you will be pleasantly surprised by the undergound The Heart of Timpanogos is the largest stalactite in the cave and has an interesting beauty. A' word of caution is needed story behind it. at this point. The cave entrance is up a steep trail of a in length. It War I song, How can you keep them down on the farm, climbs a thousand feet from after theyve seen Paree - the visitors center at the But if you havent visited a canyon floor. This takes about to hike, but cave before, or very many of an the really big ones, this is the trail is blacktopped and certainly worth the trip and has resting benches along the the time. way. Take a jacket or sweater There are actually three caves you will go through; with you its 43 degrees in two and cave the connected you will be unby they are tunnels carved through the derground for about an hour. rock. The first cave is the Saturdays are extremely Hansen Cave, named after its busy and visitors may have to discoverer in 1887,- Martin wait for later tours. Get there Hansen. early on Saturday because Hansens grandson they are sometimes filled by 2 discovered Middle Cave in 1921 p.m. Sundays are better days and that same year Tim- for touring as there are less visitors. Weekdays are best of panogos Cave was also found. cave and much larger than this picture might indicate, The largest room is the Chimes Chamber in Timpanogos Cave. It is also filled with the most formations of any room in the quite a few tables, running water and grills. There are many camping areas in the Uinta Naional Forest, both above and below the Monument. Closest is Pleasant Grove picnic and area with four campsites. Above the camping Monument are camping sites at Hanging Rock, North Mill, Little Mill, Grey Cliffs and Echo. There are other campgrounds even higher. The easiest way to reach Timpanogos is to follow the signs along the Interstate at American Fork or Pleasant Grove. The prettiest way is to go up Provo Canyon to the and go over Sundance turn-othe mountain on the blacktop highway. There are hiking trails around the Monument and some of the most beautiful vistas Ive seen. There are books about the caves, and geology of the area available at the vistors center. There is also a conssession ff snacks and enjoy them in the shade before or after the hike to the cave. There is interpretive information available along the trail to the cave entrance, but you must ask a ranger at the desk for the trail guide. Fees are $2 for adults, $1 for senior citizens and children between 12 and 15 12 are and children free. All youngsters under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The cave usually closes on stand near the visitors center and covered picnic tables October 1 due to snow on the there so you can buy light trail to the cave entrance. under mile-and-a-h- ! hour-and-a-ha- lf - There are some very good formations in the second two caves most of the geological formations in the Hansen Cave were destroyed when local residents began taking them from the cave around the turn of the century. Some blasting all. In addition to the cave, American Fork Canyon offers fine camping and picnicing facilites beside a clear mountain stream. Timpanogos Monument has a picnic area near the visitors center with Near the exit Arlo Shelley shows visitors how water at one time ran through the cave and smoothed the rock. |