Crystal Cave Road is an approximately 6.5-mile highway which accesses the namesake cave in Sequoia National Park. Much of this corridor is comprised of a segment of the Colony Mill Road which was extended to the Giant Forest in 1903. The namesake Crystal Cave was discovered by U.S. Army members on a fishing trip in 1918. The cave was made accessible to the public when the Crystal Cave Road and Trail were constructed between 1939-1941. Crystal Cave Road was heavily damaged during the 2021 KNP Complex Fire. The highway would reopen in May 2025 after removal of 4,800 dead trees. Part 1; the history of the Colony Mill Road and Crystal Cave In 1886 the Kaweah Colony was established along the North Fork Kaweah River. The Kaweah Colony's economy was based on logging which led to the construction of the first 18 miles of what was known as the Colony Mill Road. The Colony Mill Road and Kaweah Colony sought to harvest timber from the Redwood S...
Because every road has a story.