After enjoying another leisurely morning, we loaded up the car and drove to the Lehman Caves Visitor’s Center, where we met our injured hiker who had been spending a few days with relatives out in Ely.
We grabbed another fabulous lunch at the café and checked in for our cave tour appointment.
Absolom Lehman, a local miner and rancher, discovered Lehman Caves in 1885. The cave system was set aside as a national monument in 1922. In 1986, the monument was expanded to include 77,000 acres and was redesignated as Great Basin National Park.
A very friendly ranger led us on a 90-minute tour through the massive caverns, the beauty of which easily rivals that of Timpanogos Cave. The stalactites and stalagmites formed huge fangs which seemed to guard the great rooms and small, underground lakes of crystal clear water.
As we were led out of the damp cold of the caves back to the dry heat of the Nevada desert, I felt a twang of sadness, knowing that my time in this amazing place was coming to an end.
But I will be back, and a whole world of discovery will be waiting for me.
WOW - what a trip! The photos are beautiful, and I'm very envious of the whole affair. We've been chasing bristle cones for months, but haven't quite made it all the way yet. Glad you had so much fun. Love you!
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