Balconies Cliffs-Cave Loop
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
The cave section involves scrambling over slippery, uneven boulders in near-total darkness. Wear shoes with real tread — sandals and smooth-soled sneakers are a recipe for a twisted ankle or worse.
Flash flooding can fill Balconies Cave with water rapidly during rainstorms. If rain is in the forecast, skip the cave portion and do the cliffs trail as an out-and-back instead.
Trail Details
- 1
Start on the Balconies Cliffs Trail (clockwise) rather than the cave side — you'll get warmed up on the easier terrain first, and the cave makes for a more dramatic finale on the way back to the trailhead.
- 2
Bring a real headlamp or flashlight, not just your phone. The cave section has low ceilings, wet rocks, and spots where you need both hands free to steady yourself on boulders. Your phone flashlight won't cut it when you're also trying to grip rock.
- 3
The Balconies Cave closes seasonally (typically mid-February through mid-May) when Townsend's big-eared bats are raising pups inside. Check the NPS website the morning of your visit — closure dates shift yearly based on bat activity.
