"Earth's underground refrigerator": Inside the largest cave in Idaho🧊

Aug 18, 2023

One-hundred-degree temperatures have Idahoans traveling to lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water to cool down this summer. But there’s another type of landform that’s sure to give its visitors a break from the heat- ice caves.

The Shoshone Ice Caves, which are about a two-hour drive from Boise in the town of Shoshone, is a lava tube that’s about 1,700 feet long with ice blocks ranging from 8 to 30 feet deep.

Even in the heat of summer, visitors are encouraged to dress warm as the temperature inside the cave stays around 23 to 33 degrees year-round. That’s because the air currents that continuously flow through the lava tubes cause the water to freeze.

“One of the ice caves’ most unusual yet awesome features is it is a natural refrigerator,” the Shoshone Ice Caves website notes. “It works on an expansion and compression of its airflow, which is the same principle we use in modern refrigeration.”

The cave is open to visitors seasonally from May through September 30th, seven days a week from 10am – 6pm.

“With our tour guides at the helm, you will descend across its historic path and then take stairs down to a depth of 100 feet under lava into a world of volcanic wonders and ice,” its website notes. “It is well-lit with LED lighting so you can see all the amazing formations in the cave.”

Guided walking tours, which cost $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 4-12, happen on the hour, every hour. The 3/4 mile walk takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour long, and visitors are encouraged to wear hiking shoes and a jacket. For more information, click here.

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