Great Basin National Park - Caving (U.S. National Park Service)

Wild Caves
Lehman Caves is the most famous of Great Basin National Park's caves, but there are actually more than 40 caves in the park. Eight of these wild caves are accessible with a cave permit. All other wild caves are closed to the public.

Many of the permitted wild caves in the park are important hibernacula and maternity roosts for various species of bats, including four National Park Service Sensitive species. Due to the disturbance caused by human use, the permitted caves that are used by sensitive bat populations will be closed to public entry during the dates listed below pursuant to Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1.5 (a) (1). The following closure dates are subject to change based on annual variations in bat use:

Upper Pictograph
April 1 through September 15

Little Muddy
April 1 through October 1, or if oxygen levels are below 19%

System’s Key
January 1 through May 15 and October 15 through December 31

Ice
January 1 through May 15 and October 15 through December 31

Crevasse/Halliday’s Deep
January 1 through May 15 and October 15 through December 31

Wheeler’s Deep
April 1 through August 1

Model
Throughout the year, dependent on water levels

Snake Creek
No Closure Dates

Obtaining a Permit
Cave Permits will be approved for those who can demonstrate their experience with horizontal and vertical caving techniques, cave conservation ethics, and expertise with the required equipment. Application of a permit does not guarantee approval. The permit must be in your possession while caving.

Permits must be applied for at least one week prior to the cave trip. No more than one wild cave permit per week will be issued for each cave. Groups entering wild caves are limited to a minimum of three and a maximum of six persons. A separate Cave Permit Application is required for each cave, in the case of multiple cave permit requests.

Permit applications can be mailed to:

Resource Management
Great Basin National Park
100 Great Basin National Park
Baker, NV 89311

For further information please contact the Resource Management staff by email or by phone at (775) 234-7331 ext.228.

>Cave Permit Application

>Cave Permit Terms and Conditions