The cave is famous for its helactites, the squiggly ones that seem to defy gravity. To see them, I’d recommend a reservation or getting here early (open at 7am), as they do sell out. Then, walk up the switchback trail for 1.5 miles, and be careful not to wander off the near vertical drops while you gawk at the stunning views. The gap between the mountains appears to be deeper than it is wide, and there’s a river flowing through a forest at the bottom along with the road. Don’t mind the many hikers. They’re probably just out for exercise, as one lady told me her friend had climbed it over 100 times. And I suspect they exercise regularly with mountain goats here, since I also saw two moms carrying two kids each with more in tow.

The regular tour is ranger led and includes three sections of cave. The middle section has a crack in the ceiling which has dripped water for ages to create the amazing structures: flowstone, soda straws, popcorn, bacon, small crystals, stalactites, stalagmites and columns, in a variety of colors. We also saw a party of explorers with caving equipment entering small passages, which is another tour option for the skinny and flexible. This is my favorite cave.