Resolution

To all the valued Boyden Cavern guest. We would like to thank every one of you who wrote letters and made phone calls to the United States Forest Service in support of getting Boyden Cavern open to the public once again. There seems to be significant momentum in that direction now and we believe that Boyden will resume operations sometime Spring of 2019; no definitive date as of yet. Please check back regularly at the Boydencavern.com web site (currently under construction) but should be up very soon for all future updates.

Please be aware that Boyden Cavern is under new management and that this will be the LAST post for this Blog.

Thank you,
Steve Fairchild

Current Activities and Updates

 

We are very sorry to inform the wonderful visitors of Giant Sequoia National Monument that there are no updates as to when Boyden Cavern may re-open. We have been working with the Forest to finalize permits. With that completed we are now working with the Forest engineer to get the Lead Abatement contractor approved and scheduled ASAP. However, as we approach Fall and the eventual seasonal closure of highway 180 it is uncertain if we will be able to begin any actual repairs, therefore we would start Spring of 2018.  

 Although the engineering approval process seems to be excessively long, in all fairness to the engineers and fine folks working to get this bridge project completed, we are not without some issues from Mother Nature.  Recently a fairly large rock slide down the embankment above the bridge, contacted the bridge and actually created a Bend or Bow in the I Beams. We are now waiting on the official word  regarding the usability of these giant steel I- Beams, see pictures.

Look toward the center of the photo and just above the I Beam Bolts, there is our rock. 

Updates are coming in very slow

7/31/2017

As of now the Forest Service has finally approved the long process of re-writing the necessary permits to allow us the concessionaire to have some sort of Fee-offset. Currently the Rough fire which burned two years ago and damaged a small foot bridge which lead to the cavern entrance is still under Forest Service engineering review. At this time it is unknown how long this review may take. However we are optimistic and hope to actually begin the rebuild process in the next few weeks. 

Fairchild

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Still Not Open!

To all our valued Forest visitors who have come to enjoy the wonderful beauty of the outdoors. Boyden Cavern located in the geographic Kings Canyon at the base of a truly amazing marble roof pendant, is still not open to the public due to the Rough fire two seasons ago. We are working with the Forest Service to rebuild the little pedestrian bridge which was partially burned by the fire. However the time line of re-opening is still unclear, we mistakenly thought that the approval process and rebuild would have been completed before the 2017 summer season began. We are hopeful that the approval process will be accelerated and that the public will once again be able to visit Boyden Cavern and share in this incredibly delightful and beautiful cavern soon. If you have concerns about the closure of the cavern please direct your interest to the Sequoia National Forest, call and share your opinion.

Sequoia National Forest
Supervisors Office
P. 559.784.1500
TDD. 559.781.6650
Hume Lake
Ranger District
P. 559.338.2251

July 19, 2016

Currently the United States Forest Service is determining the details of rebuilding the small foot bridge which leads up to the cavern. Unfortunately the foot bridge burned in last years forest fire. We do not have any details about when the bridge will be rebuilt. Our best guess is Boyden will continue to be closed for the remainder of the 2016 summer season. To all our valued cavern visitors who have shown concern and support regarding this closure, thank you and please keep an eye on our blog so that when there are any updates you will be the first to know.

Minor Update 

 Please read beyond this entry for most up to date Information

Here is a link to the Porterville Reporter which talks a little about road and trail conditions into Kings Canyon. Rough Fire Road and Trails

Time to replace our Generators, any ideas on propane Gensets?

Kings gates and Boyden Cavern. Although looking good here fire burned along the marble roof pendant down to the Kings river

  Thank you all our valued guests:

We have been unable to appropriately update everyone on the status of Boyden Cavern until now and for that.....we are sorry.

WE did NOT lose the gift shop...... Many of you were very concerned for us and our loss, thank you for showing such kindness.

Unfortunately the news is marginal and will be some time before we know the "Rest of the Story". After the Rough fire last fall, Sequoia National Forest Ranger District closed off he entire area and only allowed short site visits to our area. Without enough time to access the damage to the surrounding Boyden infrastructure we believed that replacement of some of the trail, cleaning of the little Gift shop and rebuilding our generator building along with replacing the two propane 20Kw generators (see pics below), was about the extent of our damage. With bridge decking in hand, cement and a crew we would have been operational early May.

The unforeseen... Spring is here and highway 180 into the canyon is in great shape, thanks to a wonderful Cal-trans crew who takes a lot of pride in their work maintaining the highway. After a revisit by the United States Forest Service and it's engineer there seems to be concerned that the fire damaged the superstructure of one the bridges leading up to the cavern. Now we are waiting for word back from their people as to what needs to be inspected again and whether we will need a full-on team to rebuild the little walking bridge.

The future is all about getting our bridge back into some sort of safe form, this variable is the unknown and we will have to wait for official word from the Government. Our hopes are to be open by the end of May and before Memorial weekend. However please keep an eye on our Blog for the most up to date information.

Cavern and Gift shop are currently closed, there is NO public access to Boyden at this time. Unfortunately we are not taking reservations because we have no idea when we will resume operations.

This is the site of our power generation, we had two 20Kw Generators that operated on propane.

Unfortunately the building with the Gen Set also housed a lot of tools and equipment including welders, steel for trail and handrails, cement etc....

 Trees burned and then fell, the roots system supported parts of this trail section and when it went over the trail came up with-it.

One of the bridges that burned, this one may be ok After we re-deck it.