Darby Wind Caves

Another spectacular hike along the west side of the Tetons is the Darby Wind Caves hike.  This is a moderate day hike that takes you up the South Fork of Darby Canyon through beautiful evergreens and meadows.  Since accessing this area is mainly from Idaho, it is easy to assume that the hike falls in Idaho, yet it is actually in Wyoming.  Depending on the season and/or time of year, there can be a lot of water flowing out of the canyon, including Wind Cave itself.  The main cave has a large opening measuring approximately 120 feet tall by 25 feet wide, which appears as a slit in the canyon wall that can be seen long before reaching it.  In 1951 a tragedy occurred when four young women and an adult leader were killed by lightning as they were seeking shelter near the cave from a summer thunderstorm.  A monument in their honor lies just below the entrance to the cave, and a story about the incident can be found at the following link: http://proud2blds.blogspot.com/p/darby-canyon-girls-camp-lightening.html

To reach the Darby Wind Caves trailhead from Driggs, Idaho, go south of the traffic light along Main Street (SR 33).  At approximately 3.0 miles (0.7 miles south of the Spud Drive-In Theater entrance), make a left turn (east) onto 3000 South.  This road can also be reached by following SR 33 north of Victor, Idaho (where SR 31 meets) for approximately 5.3 miles and turning right (east) onto 3000 South.  Follow 3000 South east to the state line (about 3.25 miles) and turn right (south) where the road tees off.  From here the route follows the state line briefly and then veers eastward into Wyoming.  At approximately 2.0 miles from where the road tees, fork to the left (northward) for another 2.6 miles to reach the trailhead at the end of the road.  Most of the route from SR 33 is a maintained dirt road.

Posing next to the Jedediah
Smith Wilderness Area sign

View across Darby Canyon South
Fork to the Wind Cave entrance

Beginning at the east end of the parking area, the trail crosses the stream and continues generally east in a gradual climb for the first half-mile or so.  After entering the Jedediah Smith Wilderness Area, the trail begins to curve southward into the South Fork of Darby Canyon.  Several large boulders near the stream in this area provide a good resting place along with great backdrops for photography.  The trail then continues into a switchback to a clearing that overlooks the resting place and lower parts of the canyon.  At close to 2.0 miles from the trailhead along a terraced slope, the entrance to Wind Cave comes into view as a slit in the canyon wall across to the southwest.  This view can be misleading in that it appears much altitude would have to be lost in order to cross the canyon to the cave on the other side.  Further along the route, however, the trail crosses the South Fork without any significant elevation loss and continues directly towards the cave entrance.  About a quarter-mile before the entrance a trail branches to the left (southeast) in an open area, which leads to an ice cave higher up.  An impressive waterfall flows just below Wind Cave and its base can be reached part way up the steep switchbacks leading to the cave.  The first part of the cave at approximately 8,850 feet elevation can be entered without technical equipment provided the runoff is low and you bring a flashlight.  Distance from the trailhead to Wind Cave is approximately 2.9 miles one-way with an elevation gain of about 1,820 feet.  The ice cave is about three-quarters of a mile from the trail junction and requires some final scrambling to reach the less-obvious cave.  It is recommended that only experienced spelunkers with the proper equipment enter the ice cave as well as travel further back in the Wind Cave.

Posing near a small waterfall where
the trail crosses the South Fork

Stream flows out of the narrow
opening of Wind Cave