Tongass National Forest
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El Capitan Tour at a Glance
El Capitan Cave is one of the longest mapped caves in the Americas. Over two miles of passage have been mapped from the main entrance.
Getting to El Cap, as the cave is called locally, takes a somewhat strenuous
1,100 foot hike up a steep 367-step stairway to an elevation of 250 feet
and a platform at the mouth of the cave.
For your safety and to protect fragile cave resources, visitors can only explore El Cap on a guided Forest Service tour.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Tongass National Forest provides free guided tours of El Capitan. Reservations for these tour must be made at the Thorne Bay Ranger District (907-828-3304).
The first step is gearing up for the hike and tour.
Along the staircase to the mouth of the cave, your tour guide introduces
the local vegetation, explains the karst ecosystem topography, gives
the history of the caves formation and teaches cave etiquette.
Not far into the cave, you enter the "twilight zone," the semi-darkness where light filters into the cave through the small holes that lead to the surface.
Your guide will explain archeological and paleontological discoveries of El Cap Cave. Archeologists have found evidence of humans using the cave over 3000 years ago.
Cautiously moving farther into the cave, with the aid of your headlamps and guidance, you experience the wonderful features and beautiful formations of El Capitan Cave.
Take the Tour
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USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest Accessibility Statement
Last Modified: July 11, 2007