Mile 33 - Redwall Cavern

Located at a great bend in the river, a massive cavern has been carved into a towering limestone wall. In times of flood, pre Glen Canyon Dam, the cavern often become completely filled with silty river water. After the floodwater receded the cavern was left filled with fresh beach sand. During post-dam times of today, the cavern remains mostly free from water. Major Powell and his men camped here in August of 1869, in Powell’s journals he commented that 50,000 people could seat themselves comfortably in the cavern all at the same time. Powell was prone to exaggeration, and his comments on Redwall Cavern were no exception to this. Nonetheless, the cavern is as immense as it is spectacular. River runners often relax here on sunny as well as rainy days, as the cavern is always covered from the elements. Visitors also frequently play frisbee, volleyball, football, as well as participate in other athletic endeavors such as yoga under the roof of the cavern. Additionally, fossils of cephalopods, brachiopods, crinoids, and corals contained in the surrounding limestone spark the interest of citizen scientists. Due to the popularity of the cavern, camping overnight is off-limits.