Burn Ban - Level 1
Fires allowed in all designated fire pits and grills. Propane and gas grills allowed.
Crawford State Park Heritage Site
425 Gardner Cave Road, Metaline Falls, WA 99152
Crawford State Park is a 40-acre forested day use park home to Gardner Cave, one of Washington's longest limestone caves, offering access to an intriguing underground landscape. Reservations are required for tours. See information below.
Rules
- Fires Allowed in Designated Areas
Leashed pets are welcome in the day-use area. However, they are not allowed inside the cave.
Cave tour reservations are required
Cave tours are conducted by reservation only. The cave has strict capacity limits; please do not bring unregistered guests. Make a reservation online through the Riverside State Park Foundation. Be aware that cave tours are often fully booked several weeks in advance.
To help ensure that your tour of Gardner Cave is safe and enjoyable, please keep in mind:
- Wear a light jacket or sweater. The cave temperature is 39 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wear closed-toe shoes.
- Flash photography is allowed.
- Per a 2019 WAC revision, animals, including pets and emotional support companions, are not permitted in the cave. Trained service animals are permitted upon satisfactory clarification of training as per State and Federal regulations.
- Overnight parking or camping is not allowed.
Activities
Bird Watching
Hiking, Walking, Rolling and Running
Amenities
Drinking Water
Restrooms
Picnic Shelters
Picnic Tables
Parking
Interpretive Opportunities
Hiking Trails
Park features
Forest
Seasonal Wildflowers
Wildlife Viewing
Rules
- Fires Allowed in Designated Areas
Leashed pets are welcome in the day-use area. However, they are not allowed inside the cave.
Cave tour reservations are required
Cave tours are conducted by reservation only. The cave has strict capacity limits; please do not bring unregistered guests. Make a reservation online through the Riverside State Park Foundation. Be aware that cave tours are often fully booked several weeks in advance.
To help ensure that your tour of Gardner Cave is safe and enjoyable, please keep in mind:
- Wear a light jacket or sweater. The cave temperature is 39 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wear closed-toe shoes.
- Flash photography is allowed.
- Per a 2019 WAC revision, animals, including pets and emotional support companions, are not permitted in the cave. Trained service animals are permitted upon satisfactory clarification of training as per State and Federal regulations.
- Overnight parking or camping is not allowed.
Map & visitor guide
48.99487305, -117.3695755
Tucked away in the northeast corner of Washington, Crawford State Park is an unassuming day-use park – on the surface. A tour of Gardner Cave, however, reveals an underworld of deep geological interest. Hailed as a "natural wonder" by a 1911 federal land survey, Gardner Cave is not only one of Washington's longest caves, it also offers access and one of the most intriguing underground landscapes in the western U.S. The cave is over 500 million years old and measures approximately 2,072 feet long and 295 feet deep. Its floors, ceilings and walls are rich with stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones, and rimstone pools. These features, which your interpretive guide will teach you to recognize, are illuminated by electric lighting.
Visitors are recommended to wear jackets and sturdy, closed-toe shoes. There is a steep, 200 yard walk from the parking lot to the cave entrance and several flights of stairs in the cave.
Crawford State Park is open seasonally from May 15 through September 15. Free cave tours take place Thursday through Monday at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. Family tours, recommended for guests under 5, are available daily at noon. Reservations are required.
Day use
While the Gardner Cave tour is the main feature of the park, there is one sheltered picnic table and seven unsheltered picnic tables for visitors to enjoy. There are two small barbecue stands available to use as well. There is a short walking trail (approximately one half mile) that leads to the Canadian border just north of the park.
For questions outside of the park's operating season, please call the Riverside State Park office at (509) 465-5064.
Winter Schedule
Learn about seasonal closures and operational changes during the off-season on the Winter Schedule page.
Park History
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