Timpanogos Caves Hike

Since we did such a good job on the hike to Red Pine Lodge, we decided that we should hike to the Timpanogos Caves.

I have done this hike on numerous occasions, as a child.

I thought it was just part of the family vacation in Utah routine.

Enjoy a burger at the CougarEat, eat an ice cream sundae at the Creamery, take a tour on Temple Square,

and hike to the Timpanogos caves, just to name a few, "Must Do" activities when you are in Utah!

Then as an adult, one summer, I took the three older kids on the hike with my sister, Mary Ann.

I'm not sure where Mark was that trip...but I realized that he has never hiked to the caves,

and since the two younger kids had never hiked it, I figured that it was about time that they saw the caves.

I was pretty pumped for the hike until we headed up the trail. I totally forgot how steep and narrow the trail was!

They tell you to allow 1 and 1/2 hours to hike to the top and we did it in 44 minutes. Impressive!

Especially if you take into account all the time we stopped to take pictures. Seriously!

The views were incredible, so I would pull out my camera to take pictures of the scenery and then the girls would strike a pose and insist I take a picture.

So here is pics as we made our way up the mountain, into the caves and back down. Feel free to scroll down quickly to the end.
On the trail and ready to hike.

STOP and read this sign.

NBD. The gang with a little bit of attitude.

Allie posing in front of the beautiful mountains.

Dad putting his spotting scope in Brooke's backpack.

Jumping photos are a must, with Ashley is posing in the back!

The girls posing in the tunnel.

"Warning Steep Cliffs."

They happened to be casually hanging out on this rock.

"Hydrate or Die."

The canyon view is gorgeous!

Allie copying Ashley's silly pose with the sign.

Brooke attempting to find mammals using the spotting scope.

Dad loves finding his moose and deer, but unfortunately none were found.

44 minutes to the top. NBD.

The children were frightened by the darkness inside the caves.

The stilactites inside the caves were so interesting.

A little pond in the cave.

Yay for being inside the caves.

The view inside the cave.

The girls.

Allie and Mom wore ruffles, but they still kept up on the hike.

Dad is looking at the caves, not the camera.

It was required to wear backpacks on the front because the tunnels were so small.

Posing silly on the stairs.

Dad and Mom squeezing through the tunnels and posing for a pic, of course.

They love getting cuddly.

Dad's head barely fits!

"I protected the caves today." What did you do?

The doorway into the caves.

We played a game: stand faraway and put the camera on automatic timer,

then sprint over and pose for the pic!

This round of the game was a little more sucessful.

Allie lives life on the edge.

The girls on the mountain.

What? We're leading?!

Pretty wildflowers.

Cuddling again. Silly girls.

On the rocks for the second time... and hoping this hike ends soon.

Dad enjoying the walk home.

Ashley and Allie posing to prove they made it. NBD.