Judy & Lutz Perschon     |     home back to  2005 News Archives Billings Trip - Lewis and Clark Caverns We walk upward about 1 mile up from the information center  to the entrance of the caverns.  Vertical rise only about 300 ft, Say good bye to daylight for a while. And down we go to view endless "rooms" of stalagmites and stalactites.  Do you remember which is which? Sometimes it's a tight squeeze. Stalagmites come from the bottom up.  Look that guy has some on his head, oops that's his hair. More of the same though this is one of those things where pictures don't do justice The tour guide 'Emma' gives us an explanation of every formation.  There are palaces, princesses, queens, snow white and the 7 dwarfs, soap operas, and a frog that they say it's good luck to blow a kiss when you leave. Not for people who are claustrophobic Stalactites are the ones that hang from the top.  Both are formed by agonizingly slow from the minerals in dripping water. Although the picture doesn't show it well there is a pool of crystal clear water down below.  When you look into it, you think you are seeing the reflection of the formations above, when in fact the water is so still and clear you are looking though it to the formations on the bottom. Finally 600 steps and 300 feet lower we emerge again.  Well worth the admission price if you're ever down that way.