Name: Cave of the Domes State: AZ County: Coconino
Topographic Location: Grand Canyon-South Rim GPS:
Date Visited: 10/14/2011
The Campground: For this trip we chose to stay at Mather Campground located at Grand Canyon Village Grand Canyon before so the choosing of this location was more of a crap shoot. But after researching and looking at photos of the options near the South Rim I decided to take my chances. Everything I found said that this was the best campground…other than the ominous, black Ravens that made their presence known and felt. Literally.
We made our reservations on-line for 4 nights, 5 days at the cost of $18 per night, for a grand total of $72.00. There are no hook-ups at this campground, but RV’s up to 30’ are allowed. In addition to the cost for the camp site we also paid an additional $25 for the park fee entrance raising our cost to $97.00. I honestly was not expecting much, but turned out to be very pleasantly surprised!
To begin with, the Rangers all seemed happy and approachable. This is always nice. I hate dealing with employees who are stressed out and miserable when I am trying to relax and unwind! Secondly, the campground is amazing! They have a coin laundry on site with a modern restroom containing pay-for use showers. A full RV dump station, which is free, is located at the front of the camp outside the main campground gate and in front of the laundry. The dump station allows you to fill up your water tanks without charging you and you can choose between spring water or non-drinking water! Are you kidding me? Nope. I am not!
Modern public restrooms are spread throughout the camp in convenient locations for all camp sites. These restrooms also include an outside dish washing station. But perhaps the greatest thing about this campground is that it provides all campers with unlimited free access to fresh natural spring water!!! The water that is usually in plastic bottles costing about $2.00 for 16oz! FREE! I wanted to bottle some up and bring it home to sell, but my wife said I was being impractical. Whatever!
Anyway…there are RV specific sites which are all pull-through. Tent sites are standard pull-ins. Not all sites are the same size, so when making a reservation (http://www.nps.gov/) ensure you chose the appropriate size. When you check in at the front gate they confirm this as well. The size of the site does not change the cost, it just ensures you fit! Another consideration to keep in mind is what side of your RV you want facing the fire pit/camp and which side you want facing the road. I didn’t know this little tidbit, so I had to get permission from the Ranger to move to a different spot. Which, had it been during a normally busy time of year I would not have been able to do. So, here is a tip. When looking at a map of Mather campground you will notice that there are three loops of sites on each side of the main road into the campground. All of these loops are one-way roads. The entrances to the loops are the first turns, with the second turn being the exit. Another way of saying this is…if your RV has it’s door entrance located on the passenger side (or right side),then if your loop is on the right side of the main road, the RV sites on the outside of the loop will face into your fire pit/camp area. If your camp site is located on the inside of the loop, then your RV door will face away from your fire pit/camp area and open onto the loop road. If your loop site is on the left side of the main road then this arrangement is the opposite.
Other than this little glitch, every site has plenty of shade from pine trees and the campground is incredibly quiet. This is not a “party” camper’s paradise. This is a nature campground. Campsites are packed in tightly which is probably the only draw back to this campground. Pets are allowed, however they must be leashed at all times and they are not allowed on all the trails into the Canyon. In addition, pets cannot be left unattended. So what to do if you have a pet and want to go hiking on a trail that does not allow Fido? Conveniently, a full service pet kennel is located inside the park which will watch your pet while you go off to get lost in the Canyon…Speaking of which, over 250 people need to be rescued in the Canyon each year. So, know your limitations, and ensure you are properly prepared before you go trekking off into the bowels of the earth! Otherwise you might be one of the rescued…and to add insult to injury. The Forest Service will bill for all costs incurred as a result of your stupidity and lack of preparedness. So, don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Mather campground is conveniently located so you can walk to many of the areas in Grand Canyon Village Grand Canyon Village
Now let’s talk about the wildlife. After setting up camp we drove to the main visitor center on the South Rim. From the parking lot we walked to the rim viewing area where we were introduced to our first animal friend. A squirrel, who we affectionately named Forest . Forest was the FRIENDLIEST squirrel I have ever met! In fact, he was so friendly he let Michelle pet him. He looked through Jacobs sweatshirt pocket, and then viciously attacked some elderly man who wouldn’t feed him! Okay. He did not attack the man, but he did jump up on his leg in an attempt to look inside the guy’s camera bag. Scared the bejesus out of the poor old guy…I couldn’t stop laughing! I know…I am insensitive. But it was FUNNY! Anyway, Forest lost interest in us after he realized that for all his cuteness and domesticated pleasantries we were not going to feed him. Obviously he wanted and give and take relationship and we just were not giving him what he wanted.
We returned to our campsite only to be visited by some very tiny feathered friends. They were small black and white sparrow looking birds. And they were also not shy. They started by landing on my toe and then once they felt secure, were landing on legs, knees, laps, and butts! They were not annoying, but were certainly entertaining! They other birds present in large number were not so cute, nor so friendly. The Black Ravens (I don’t know if Ravens come in any other color, but the color distinction adds to their sinister-ness) were abundant in apocalyptic, end-of-the-world, Alfred Hitchcock “Birds” style! These suckers would fly 15 feet over your head and you would feel the wind from their flapping wings and the audible whoosh was disturbing. I have seen some big Ravens, but these should have FCC numbers sprayed on them with landing lights! I kept waiting for Satan to step out of the woods to announce the end of the world! Yikes!
All I can say about the Ravens…DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING that even somewhat resembles edibles to be left unattended for ANY length of time! Or small animals and children. I think they probably would take those too! Unfortunately my children were all too large…friggin’ kids!
In the evening, we were visited by a herd of Elk. One very large bull who was trying to stir up a little romance with one of the ladies. Doing his best Barry White impersonation and flaunting his really large antlers! Needless to say everyone in the camp blocked him in his effort as we all went running towards them with cameras flashing! He was not pleased. So he begrudgingly sulked off into the forest mumbling under his breath something to the effect that he knew where all of us were sleeping. Silly Elk. We also were able to get so close to other female elk and a baby that I probably could have petted them. Seriously. And I would have tried if it were not for the fact that I am not that stupid. Crazy. Yes. Not stupid…unless you refer to our hike into the Canyon….
The Hike: Cave of the Domes is reached by hiking the Grandview Trail located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon . Grandview Trail is a very well known trail and information can be obtained through books, pamphlets, maps, and Park Rangers. The trail is rated as being strenuous/very difficult. Some of the reasons for this rating are due to its inclination/declination, narrow stretches, loose rock and pebbles, and other geographical and physical features. From the parking lot to Horseshoe Mesa is approximately 3.5 miles. Which does not sound like a lot, however once on the trail it is quickly realized why it will take approximately 3-4 hours to make the decent. It took us approximately 4 hours. When I say “we” I am referring to myself and my wife, Michelle, and our 4 children: Gabby, 16 years old; Katie, 14 years old; Emily, 10 years old; and Jacob, 10 years old.
We began our trek at approximately 7:30 am. The trail was very steep and made for slow going. While well maintained it is still a wilderness trail and prone to natural erosion. In addition, add to that natural process the number of hikers walking on it between maintenance and, well…it requires caution. One of the log and rock steps had a hole in the corner nearest the edge. This hole was large enough to swallow a foot, so do not take in the view while walking!
Off the main trail several off-shoot trails appear. At one junction we took a wrong turn and ended up on a spectacular promontory with an incredible view of the Canyon. Unfortunately, we had to turn back and walk to the main trail. My advice? Stay to the right. Any trail breaking off into the canyon to your left is NOT the main trail! All main trails and off-shoots are clearly marked…except for the one that takes you to the cave. But I will get to that later.
It is imperative that you take breaks on the way down so you don’t exhaust yourself. My rule of thumb is 3:1. For every 3 minutes of hiking, you take one minute of rest. So if you hike for 30 minutes, you stop and rest for 10 minutes. Be sure to hydrate yourself and snack. Hydration is the most important. Even on the day we took our trip, the temperatures were mild starting in the mid to high 60’s. Even in the shaded areas of the trail at this temperature we were working up a good sweat. Each of us had a 2 liter camelpack; in addition we brought a 1 quart canteen, and a 1 gallon jug of water. On the down trip, I consumed ½ a liter per mile. Needless to say, we did not bring enough water!
As we neared Horseshoe Mesa and were making our second to last decent to the campground, Michelle nearly put her hand on a baby rattle snake that was trying to sun itself in the shade. Had it actually been in the sun, I am sure it would probably have bit her adding an interesting, if not dangerous, twist to our trek. Thankfully, he was cold and sluggish, and she was quick enough to realize that the “stone” had a head that moved ever so slightly! This near miss was lucky! So be careful. The rattle snake did not alert us to his presence, which is an adaptation rattle snakes have recently adopted to make them harder for people to hunt. Consequently, it also makes it harder for people to avoid unwanted encounters.
The first major feature that we arrived at was the Last Chance Mine. The mine sits on the southern edge of Horseshoe Mesa and is clearly observed by the mine tailings and several shafts that are visible. Signs have been placed around this area that state, “Danger. Radioactive Area.” I am not sure if this is true, or if the signs were put in place to discourage people from venturing into the mine shafts. The tailings indicate that copper was the primary ore mined for, as well as the history of the mine itself. I personally don’t believe the radioactive tag. But, it is always better to be safe than glowing in the dark!
There are several mine shafts that have been purposely collapsed. I only discovered 2 that remained open. One is the main shaft, which is above the others on a hill that you walk down to reach the Mesa Mesa
If you don’t think you need, or want, to trek to the spring continue north on the main trail. You will reach an old miners shack made of stone. You can’t miss it. If you do, you are lost! At this location there is a second sign that points the way to chemical toilets. Yes. That’s right. Out houses. We did not walk to them, because they are not close to the trail, but if you prefer to use the facilities rather than squat under a bush, then this is your only opportunity. This is also where the Horseshoe Mesa campground is located. The terrain is desert and red-stone. Very little shade and what trees are here are not very tall. In addition, if you are thinking of camping overnight here, you need to obtain a permit from the National Park Service prior to your trip. If you want to really explore this area of the Canyon I highly recommend camping here. But it is a wild camp so novices probably should not tackle this unless with experienced camping partners.
North of the miners shack you will notice a tall red rock rising up from the mesa you are on. This rock outcropping is almost “U” shaped with the bottom of the “U” facing you. This is actually the “Horseshoe” part of Horseshoe Mesa. From the miners shack, continue north. You will come to another sign pointing the way to Cottonwood Springs. The trail to this spring breaks to your left. This is not a year-round spring and can not be counted on to provide you with water. The best advice on this one is to consult a Park Ranger on this spring prior to your trek. They should be able to inform you as to whether or not it is currently flowing.
Continue north on the main trail. This trail will lead you around the west side of Horseshoe Mesa. You will climb a slight hill and come to a pile of what resembles cinder rock. It is actually piles of red rock pebbles. This is where we stopped for lunch. From these piles, you walk an additional ¼ of a mile to the top of another slight rise. Barely visible on this rise, breaking off to the left, is a short-cut to the trail leading to the cave. It appears that the main trail turns at a point further on and intersects with the cave trail, but we did not take that longer route to confirm this. Either way, if you follow any of the many barely visible trails to the mesa edge on the west, you should run into the cave trail leading down the west side cliff to the cave. You will cross a small wash and as you climb to the top on the north side you will see a very distinct trail leading to the west. Follow this trail. The cave trail changes from red stone, to white. It is also accentuated by a very steep, but short, decent. As you walk up a slight incline you should observe several trees on the cliff face and here the cave entrance is also visible.
The first entrance is a teaser. It is blocked off and only offers shade and protection from the elements. Around the next corner, approximately 30 feet, the true entrance to the cave awaits! We arrived at the cave at approximately 11:45 am.
We explored the cave until approximately 1:15 pm at which point we began our long journey back to our truck. It was the trip back that we realized how far we had actually hiked and how difficult the trail truly is. If you are attempting to do this trip in one day like we did, I STRONGLY encourage you to detour to Page Springs to fill up on water.
Our trek back up the steep canyon wall was highlighted by a lack of water, exhaustion, heat exhaustion, and a test of our physical and mental endurance. I am not someone who is out of shape, neither is Michelle, and I am accustomed to pushing my physical limits, however this trail turned out to be more than what I had given it credit for. That being said, the usual rule of thumb for return trips that go “up” are usually twice as long to complete as the initial “down” trip. We made it back up in 5 hours! Only one hour longer than our downward trek! We had to stop innumerable times to rest and the typical 3:1 ratio became a 1:1 ratio. We also hiked the last hour in complete darkness, so it was lucky we had our caving head lamps to illuminate our way. We made it back to our truck by 7:07 pm. Almost 12 hours of hiking! My legs hurt so bad that it took me several days to recoup! Of course my kids were recovered by the next day…friggin’ kids!
All in all, this was a remarkable journey with unbelievable views and experiences. If I were to do this again I would definitely camp on the Mesa
The Cave:
Cave of the Domes is a dry cave. Meaning there is no water within it. To enter the cave you need to crawl on all fours. The entrance is approximately 4 feet wide, but only about 3 feet high. The temperature in the cave was slightly cooler than the outside temperature with little air flow. The ground is covered in a very fine “talc-like” dust which quickly fills the air if you stir it up. Just dropping to my knees and crawling several feet to explore a secondary room immediately filled the air with dust and began to choke me. As you move further in the cave the dust becomes less of an issue but does make for some slippery rocks! So be careful.
Once through the entrance you are immediately in a large room with a high ceiling. This ceiling will show you why this is called the Cave of the Domes! Walk straight ahead about 20 feet and you will see an ammo can sitting on top of a rock ledge in near the back of the entrance room. Inside the ammo can is a journal and pencils so you can log yourself in and make any comments you like. Prior to this visitors would write on the walls of the cave with pencil. If you look around the walls of the main entrance you will observe the signatures and writings from these past visitors. However, these are not recent visitors. Some of the names are notable, but it is the dates that are the most interesting! Writings are dated as old as 1897 and include famous adventures of the era! Please don’t add yourself to this graffiti. Not only are they historical, they are also a reminder of a time when caves were not viewed as a natural treasure to be preserved, only something to be conquered!
From here you should notice a string leading from the ammo can back inside the cave. This string will lead you to the end of the main passage. There are many little off-shoots and small rooms that break from the main passage; however they all are dead ends. The larger passage that goes up parallels the lower main passage and has several areas where the floor has opened up directly into the lower passage.
Staying with the lower passage you will climb down a 10 foot rock pile. The string leads the way! If you are new to caving and think you may be claustrophobic or leery about entering restrictions, this cave is perfect for attacking those anxieties! There are only a couple restrictions to crawl through, all of which are doorways or windows, and open into large rooms. The main passage is very large and allows you to stand and walk upright through most of it. The terrain is easily navigated; just watch your foot placement due to the dusty, slippery cave floor.
We did notice small spiders and beetles inside the cave, but nothing else. Although in one of the off-shoot passages as you crawl through a 20 foot restriction, you will see evidence of small rodents and other animals using it for a borrow or den.
The cave has quite a bit of natural formations such as soda straws, cave bacon, popcorn, stalagmites, and stalagmites. If you look close enough you may actually find stalagmites that are still being formed! We did! Unfortunately, there is evidence that people have broken some of these formations, most likely to take as souvenirs. This should never be done! Leave the cave as you found it! Not only is it against the law to remove or damage cave formations, it destroys something that took thousands of years to create! Not to mention, stealing the discovery from the next visitor to come along.
As you follow the main passage you will come to a junction. A large secondary passage breaks off to the right. The ceilings in this area are incredible! This is also a great place to turn off your lights, remain still in the darkness, and listen to the cave!
Following the main passage you will eventually approach a sloped wall. The main passage continues above this wall. We did not navigate past this point. The wall is very slippery and at a challenging angle. To the left of this on the adjoining wall, a small passage is also present. I was able to climb to this one. This passage drops about 8 feet and then breaks into two separate tunnels. One breaks slightly to the left of the main passage, and the other heads back under the wall I climbed up to reach the passage. We did not come prepared to attack such obstacles so we turned around and headed to the entrance. If I ever return I will ensure I explore both of these areas!
Once outside the cave the exhaustion will hit you! Suddenly you will notice how hard you are breathing and the sweat on your skin! Inside while caught in the “moment” of the caves mystique and grandeur you are oblivious to the amount of energy expended to explore. Once outside, however, this will hit you full force! Take a few minutes to rest and recoup before heading back to civilization! You are going to need it!
