Jewel Cave is now the third largest in the World. It is beautifully decorated and contains calcite crystal spars. Frank and Albert Michaud, two local homesteaders, discovered the cave in 1900, when they felt cold air blowing out of a small hole in a canyon. It is unknown whether any previous inhabitants of the area were aware of the natural cave opening, which was not large enough for a person to enter.

As recently as 1959, less than two miles (3 km) of passageway had been discovered. That year, however, Herb and Jan Conn, local rock climbers, began exploring, … Continue Reading