Tears of the Turtle Cave
Tears of the Turtle Cave is located in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in western Montana and is currently the deepest known limestone cave in the United States since passing New Mexico's Lechuguilla Cave in 2014. Its setting is 23 mi east of Condon. A drive of 14 mi reaches Bob Marshall Wilderness.
A cave, 23 mi east of Condon
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Seeley Lake, 35 miles south. Where to stay ↓
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 15°, with about 137" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Best months: Jun, Jul and Aug
June, July and August are the mild months, with highs of 70–80°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
The weather by month
Each month’s highs and lows around Tears of the Turtle Cave are below.
Tears of the Turtle Cave
Tears of the Turtle Cave is located in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in western Montana and is currently the deepest known limestone cave in the United States since passing New Mexico's Lechuguilla Cave in 2014. As of August 2024, the cave is known to be 2,477 feet (755 m) deep and 1.88 miles (3,030 m) long. The cave consists mostly of narrow fissure passages passing over approximately 50 short rope drops. The cave has a temperature of 37 °F (3 °C), and it is muddy and poorly decorated.
- Type
- Cave
- Wikipedia readers
- 7.3K a year
A base for Tears of the Turtle Cave
The first towns with rooms are Condon (3) and Seeley Lake (5).
Condon
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
320 people · 34% vacation homes
23 mi west of Tears of the Turtle Cave
Compare 3 towns
| Town | From Tears of the Turtle Cave | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Condon 34% vacation homes | 23 mi west | 35 min | 3 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 320 | $410K |
| Seeley Lake 31% vacation homes | 35 mi south | 55 min | 5 3 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds | 1,496 | $361K |
| Swan Lake 55% vacation homes | 32 mi northwest | 50 min | 2 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 211 | $576K |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Worth adding to a visit
A wider trip can take in these, within 66 miles.
43 mi LakeFlathead Lake
114 mi Park & preserveBob Marshall Wilderness
65 mi LakeLake Missoula
64 mi MountainTriple Divide Peak
51 mi Park & preserveCSKT Bison Range228 mi Ski areaTeton Pass Ski Resort39 runs · 910 ft vertical57 mi Ski areaMontana Snowbowl64 runs · 2,538 ft vertical58 mi Ski areaBlacktail Mountain Ski Area23 runs · 1,421 ft verticalPhoto credits
Flathead Lake: The original uploader was Cactus.man at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bob Marshall Wilderness: United States Forest Service, Public domain · Lake Missoula: USGS, Public domain · Triple Divide Peak: Eggbones, CC BY-SA 4.0 · CSKT Bison Range: Paul Frederickson, CC BY 2.5
Visiting Tears of the Turtle Cave
What town is Tears of the Turtle Cave near?
Condon, MT, about 23 miles west.
When is the best time to visit Tears of the Turtle Cave?
June, July and August, with highs of 70–80°.
What is the closest airport to Tears of the Turtle Cave?
Missoula Montana (MSO), about 65 miles away. The nearest big hub is Spokane (GEG), about 200 miles.
Where should I stay near Tears of the Turtle Cave?
Condon (23 mi, 3 places to stay) and Seeley Lake (35 mi, 5 places to stay).
Local know-how from Condon
Start the conversation in Condon’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.