These are a few of my pictures from our visit to Mitchell Caverns State Park in the Mojave National Preserve (via Las Vegas) in January of 2022. When I was in Mojave in 2017, this area of the park was closed so we didn’t have an opportunity to experience it. When researching for this trip, I saw it had reopened and I knew we had to check it out.
I wrote more about our January trip through the Mojave National Preserve on the blog but here you can see it was an exceptional place. It is touristy and you can only visit on a paid tour with the state park staff that allows them to protect the caverns from vandals and bats from disease. But if my husband who doesn’t normally enjoy these things says it is worth it, you have to go if you are in the area!
- Jack and Ida Mitchell ran a resort from 1934 through 1954. Activities included tours of the Mitchell Caverns.
- In 1972, the caverns and the reserve became part of Providence Mountains State Recreation Area.
- The caverns include two main caves named El Pakiva (The Devil’s House) and Tecopa (after a Shoshonean chieftain).
- Rimstone dams formed around edges of ancient pools of water.
- Curious formations of helictites are seen throughout the caves, which take random gravity-defying shapes wander in various directions.
- Spectacular and intricate limestone formations found include stalagmites, stalactites, helictites, lily pads, draperies, curtains and cave coral.
- The trail to the caverns is available to those not taking tours.
- The most popular months to visit are October through November and February through April.
- Temperatures inside the caverns vary slightly from chamber to chamber but generally range in the 60s.
- The location and the natural state of the caverns do not allow for trails to be ADA accessible. Also, the cavern formations create areas as low as 62 inches and as narrow as 14 inches. For those that cannot make the hike, a video tour of the caverns is available for visitors to watch at the visitor center.
Visit the California State Parks website for more information about Mitchell Caverns. We were able to pay in the visitor’s center this day but now (like a lot of things) reservations are paid online. There may be reception at the park but the smart thing is to pay before heading into Mojave. Bathrooms are available in the parking lot and there are picnic tables on the grounds.
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