Visitation
Jewel Cave is open year round. The Park Service offers three tours: the scenic tour, a half-mile loop through a paved and lighted central portion of the cave accessible by elevator; the historic tour, a candlelight tour through the earliest-discovered part of the cave; and a spelunking tour, through an undeveloped part of the cave near the scenic loop. There are some surface trails. While reservations are not required, they are recommended during the summer seasons.
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Much of Jewel Cave is covered with spar crystals, but they are rarely as clear as this cluster.
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Spar crystals cover much of the walls in some sections of the cave. Typically they are a dull brown color as in this room.
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Aragonite frostwork is another speleothem found throughout the cave, typically in small crusts on the walls.
Read more about this topic: Jewel Cave National Monument