Summers in Fresno are extremely hot, and a great way to escape is to visit Crystal Cave in Sequoia National Park. The cave remains at a constant temperature of 48 degrees Fahrenheit and is the fourth largest cave in California.
Before one even begins the 45-minute tour of Crystal Cave, there is a half-mile hike downhill to the cave entrance. At the entrance the cool air from the cave comes rushing out, cooling off any roasting tourists.
Crystal Cave was discovered by two trail workers, Cassius Webster and Alex Medley, on their day off in 1918. The two men stumbled upon the cave while fishing at nearby creeks. After the men explored part of the cave, they informed park superintendent Walter Fry of this natural treasure.
After being alerted, Fry and a group of rangers returned to the cave two days later to explore. The men made it as far as the Junction Room, where they would have seen a stream flowing over banded marble, long stalactites and sparkling crystal in many speleothems. Although it has been many years since the Junction Room was first explored, the room has remained almost the same to this day.
When the tour began, I was instantly in awe of seeing the various cave formations. Throughout the tour I could see the Junction Room, Organ Room, Dome Room and Marble Hall; the entire cave is carved out of marble. Each room is similar but uniquely different at the same time.
The Organ Room contains enormous stalagmites and stalactites. If the speleothems were hit, they would create a hum sound imitating the drone of an organ.
“I think the cave is great,” Glenn, a Crystal Cave tour guide, said. “I’m from the Fresno area myself, and I think the cave is definitely for people who live in the area — it’s our backyard. The cave has a lot of American history and a lot is still going on inside.”
Next to the Organ Room is the Dome Room, which contains a giant structure from the floor to the ceiling. Over the years this formation has acquired many nicknames, including “the capitol building” and “Jabba the Hut.”
Marble Hall is the room of all rooms in the cave, and it is the last destination before the tour is over. In this room two of the walls are schist, making it one corner of the cave. Marble Hall consists of elaborate speleothems and a massive ceiling which captivate all visitors.
Because of its abundant formations, Crystal Cave fascinates many visitors, Glenn said.
“This is my first season, but I’m constantly learning something new,” Glenn said. “Not only are we researching the bugs inside of the cave and the water all the time, but I’m learning about the world. The parks are a great place to come because of all the different nationalities — like today there were people from Sweden.”
Aside from the cave’s intriguing structures, it provides a home to bats, spiders, scorpions, worms and many other specimens.
“There are students across California studying the insects from the cave,” Glenn said. “At San Diego University they are researching the Crystal Cave flat worm. It was thought to be an endemic species in the cave, but recently the worm was found in the water outside the cave.”
Not all caves are used for commercial use; most caves remain in their natural state for research or are too dangerous for human exploration. In Sequoia National Park there are over 200 caves and new ones are constantly being discovered.
Tours of Crystal Cave are only available during the summer. For more information, check out Sequoia National Park’s website.
