My Trip to the Civil Defense Caves
By Matt Montoya
Sign to Civil Defense Caves
It was a Friday night, and I was ready to get away from homework and monotonous TV programs and to seek an adventure. My friends and I drove to Wal-Mart to buy glow sticks and ingredients for s’mores. Next, we traveled for 50 minutes, driving past the Sand Dunes in St. Anthony onto the dirt road that leads to the Civil Defense Caves. It was a cool night, and we were bundled up in hooded sweatshirts and jackets to fight the cold.
When we arrived at the cave, we hiked downhill into the entrance, which is covered with rocks of varying sizes. Using our flashlights to illuminate the dark recesses of the cave, we proceeded to hike through the cave, occasionally climbing over large rock formations as we went. After fifteen minutes, we found ourselves at the end, in a large, cavernous room. The floor was covered with mounds of large rocks and gradually slanted uphill as it got closer to the far wall of the room. We cut open our glow sticks and flicked the brilliant-colored goo all over our clothes, so that we were covered with glowing spots. With the remaining glow sticks, we flung the liquid over the rocks and cave wall, and then, we turned off our flashlights. The ensuing effect was a room full of bright green, purple, and red specks. We proceeded to play a game of hide-and-seek. Two members of our group closed their eyes and counted, while the rest of us hid among the rocks. The glowing spots illuminated the room enough for the searchers to be able to discern the different shapes of the rocks, but it was nearly impossible to tell the difference between a crouched individual and the rocks themselves, which made for a challenging and hilarious experience. This hide-and-seek lasted about an hour, after which we cleaned up our empty glow stick containers and marched back into the open night air.
When we arrived at the cave, we hiked downhill into the entrance, which is covered with rocks of varying sizes. Using our flashlights to illuminate the dark recesses of the cave, we proceeded to hike through the cave, occasionally climbing over large rock formations as we went. After fifteen minutes, we found ourselves at the end, in a large, cavernous room. The floor was covered with mounds of large rocks and gradually slanted uphill as it got closer to the far wall of the room. We cut open our glow sticks and flicked the brilliant-colored goo all over our clothes, so that we were covered with glowing spots. With the remaining glow sticks, we flung the liquid over the rocks and cave wall, and then, we turned off our flashlights. The ensuing effect was a room full of bright green, purple, and red specks. We proceeded to play a game of hide-and-seek. Two members of our group closed their eyes and counted, while the rest of us hid among the rocks. The glowing spots illuminated the room enough for the searchers to be able to discern the different shapes of the rocks, but it was nearly impossible to tell the difference between a crouched individual and the rocks themselves, which made for a challenging and hilarious experience. This hide-and-seek lasted about an hour, after which we cleaned up our empty glow stick containers and marched back into the open night air.
A Look Out of the Civil Defense Caves
Outside the caves, we constructed a small fire and roasted marshmallows for s’mores. After an hour or so of warming ourselves by the fire and eating s’mores, we packed into our four vehicles and drove back to reality.
Tips for visiting the caves:
Tips for visiting the caves:
- Make sure your vehicle can handle bumpy, dirty roads before you begin the trip
- Bring flashlights
- Be careful not to get fluid from the glow sticks in your eyes, as it will cause irritation. If you do get it in your eyes, rinse them immediately with water.
- Be cautious as you hike through the caves. Lack of attention or flashlights could result in injury.
A Look into The Civil Defense Caves
Directions to the caves from Rexburg:
From the north Rexburg interchange of Highway 20, (after Wal-Mart), travel 16.6 miles north on Salem highway past sand dunes, heading towards Kilgore. Look for a small sign indicating that the Civil Defense Caves are five miles on the dirt road heading east. The road is traversable by passenger cars, but drive carefully, especially shortly after rainstorms. After about three miles, there is a fork in the road. Take the left fork, which continues in a north, northeast direction for about a mile, and ends in an open area that serves as a parking area. There are usually several fire pits near the entrance to the cave, which is just north of the parking area.
Works Cited
"Civil Defense Caves." Rexburg Idaho Chamber of Commerce. Rexburg Idaho Chamber of Commerce, Web. 16 Nov 2009. <http://abc.eznettools.net/rexburgcc/thingstodo/parkstrails/trailhike/CivilDefense.html>.
From the north Rexburg interchange of Highway 20, (after Wal-Mart), travel 16.6 miles north on Salem highway past sand dunes, heading towards Kilgore. Look for a small sign indicating that the Civil Defense Caves are five miles on the dirt road heading east. The road is traversable by passenger cars, but drive carefully, especially shortly after rainstorms. After about three miles, there is a fork in the road. Take the left fork, which continues in a north, northeast direction for about a mile, and ends in an open area that serves as a parking area. There are usually several fire pits near the entrance to the cave, which is just north of the parking area.
Works Cited
"Civil Defense Caves." Rexburg Idaho Chamber of Commerce. Rexburg Idaho Chamber of Commerce, Web. 16 Nov 2009. <http://abc.eznettools.net/rexburgcc/thingstodo/parkstrails/trailhike/CivilDefense.html>.
