Colorado Cave Survey
Fly and Marble Cave Administration


Site Map:



General Information

Fly and Marble caves, north of Canon City, have been visited by Colorado cavers for over one hundred years, and figure prominently in the early history of organized caving in Colorado. Although relatively small, these caves have provided an introduction to caving for neophytes while remaining interesting for vetern speleologists. These privately-owned caves were are now open for caver visitation through a management agreement with the Colorado Cave Survey. Cavers interested in visiting these caves must schedule their trips in advance in writing with one of three designated Colorado Cave Survey access volunteers. A minimum of three days notice is required for trips into these historic caves.

When a trip is scheduled with the owners by one of the access coordinators, the requesting trip leader will receive an e-mail confirmation, along with the current lock combination for gates on the property and any special access information. Please do not share this e-mail confirmation notice or lock combination with anyone. Gate combinations will be regularly changed by the owners and by the Colorado Cave Survey, so each trip must be scheduled with the access volunteers. Since the owners live on the property between the caves, they will notice any visitors. Unauthorized and/or unscheduled visitors will be reported to the Fremont County Sheriff's Department, who will issue trespassing citations and tow any vehicles parked along the road.

If you should cancel your trip for any reason, please notify an access volunteer so that the owners may be alerted of the change in plans.

At the request of the landowner, both Fly and Marble Caves have been gated and access limited to qualified cavers. Visitors to the caves are required to complete and submit to an access coordinator a signed and dated liability waiver, available on this website. Provided that waivers are completed prior to entry into the caves, the trip leader may collect these waivers on the day of the visit and submit them in bulk to the waiver coordinator either by mail or in person.

Additional information regarding access to these caves will be posted on this website as needed. Be sure to regularly check this page for updated access information prior to scheduling a trip.

Return to top

Fly & Marble Cave Access Contacts

Trips to Fly and Marble Caves should be scheduled by e-mail inquiry to one of the following access volunteers (please, no telephone calls):

Return to top

Trip Regulations and Caver Requirements

The following rules have been mutually agreed upon by the Colorado Cave Survey and by Larry Blackwell, the owner of the Fly and Marble Caves property. Please respect these rules; violators will be denied access to the caves and property, and may face criminal trepass charges.
  1. An access coordinator or the property owner has the authority to deny anyone access to the property and the caves at any time and for any reason.
  2. All trip leaders must be approved by the Colorado Cave Survey or their appointed agent.
  3. A Fly and Marble Cave access coordinator for the Colorado Cave Survey shall be notified of any intended trip at least 3 days prior to the trip. The coordinator will notify the property owners and acknowledge by e-mail that the trip has been scheduled.
  4. Notice shall be given to the owner by email at least 48 hours before a proposed trip, and may be assumed to be approved by the owner unless the owner indicates otherwise.
  5. Trips cannot begin before 9:00 AM and must be off the property by 6:00PM, unless special permission has been granted by the owners.
  6. Visitors to the caves shall complete liability waivers, fully and completely prior to entering the caves; minors must have a parent or legal guardian sign and date the waiver. Signed waivers must be returned to the Colorado Cave Survey prior to the trip.
  7. Cavers entering Fly cave or Marble cave must be at least 5 years old.
  8. Visitors must park their vehicles in the designated parking area. Currently, there is an unpaved parking area in the field inside the property fence. Do not drive your vehicles to the cave entrances, randomly across the property or anywhere other than the designated parking area.
  9. Trips are restricted to no more than seven persons per trip leader and no fewer than three persons overall.
  10. Multiple trips may be permitted into the caves during a single day.
  11. The trip leader is responsible for making certain that all gates are securely locked after passing through. This includes the parking lot gate and any cave gate. Any gate or lock damage must be reported to one of the access coordinators following the trip.
  12. Trip leaders are responsible for ensuring that every person on the trip is properly equipped. This includes, as a minimum, a secure helmet with chin strap, three independent sources of light and secure footwear. Additional equipment may be deemed necessary at the discretion of the trip leader.
  13. The trip leader is responsible for the safety of everyone on the trip. The trip must be geared toward the weakest member of the team, even if it means changing the objectives. The trip leader has the right and the duty to call off a trip at any point if he/she feels it is not safe to continue.
  14. Trips must sign into registers placed within the caves, noting time of entry and exit. Please indicate your destination and activity within the cave in the register.
  15. Trip participants will not damage any cave features or formations. This includes, but is not limited to, touching, breaking, muddying, or modifying the cave environment to the detriment of the geological feature. This includes any natural feature of potential visual, speleological, mineralogical, paleontological, biological, geological or other scientific interest.
  16. Digging in passageways is permitted with notification and approval of the cave owners.
  17. Trip participants will minimize their impact on the cave and the cave environment. This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Obeying taped trails, signs and markers.
    • Keeping dirt and other materials off cave walls and formations.
    • Removal of all solid and liquid human waste.
    • Reducing the amount of foreign material such as lint and crumbs brought into the cave. Studies have shown that nylon-type clothing produces less
    • lint and carries less dirt from other caves.
    • Keeping packs compact and small.
    • Using non-marking boots or aquasocks, if the trail crosses flowstone.
    • Not spreading out or off the trail during rest stops.
    • Not making significant changes in passages that could change airflow
    • patterns without some way of mitigating those changes in a short time.
    • Trip paricipants will not leave any permanent marks in the cave except those deemed necessary by the Colorado Cave Survey, such as permanent survey stations.
  18. Trip participants will not remove any natural, biological, or historical materials from the caves. Exceptions may be made in the case of special scientific work that is authorized in advance by the owners and the Colorado Cave Survey.
  19. Participants will not use drugs or alcoholic beverages before or during any trip or while on the property.
  20. There will be no use of chewing tobacco or smoking of any material in the caves or where smoke can enter the cave environment.
  21. No firearms or campfires are permitted on the property.
  22. No animals or pets of any kind will be allowed in the caves.
  23. Unless previously authorized, the trip and participants must exit the property by 6 p.m. Visits before or after normal visiting hours must be arranged in advance with the coordinators.
  24. The trip leader and participants agree the owners and the Colorado Cave Survey is in no way responsible for injuries, illness, damages, death or losses for visitors to the property.
  25. This property access agreement may be suspended or revoked at any time by the owners or by the Colorado Cave Survey.
Return to top

Fly & Marble Cave Liability Waiver

Download the Liability Waiver (pdf)

Return to top

Gating Project

Gating of the Fly and Marble cave entrances has been completed. These gates, designed and installed under the coordination of Dr. Fred Luizer, provide physical security for these caves while allowing un-hindered access for bats and other cave biota. For additional technical information on these gates, please contact Dr. Luizer; for information on access to the caves - well, you are on the right site.

Return to top

Restoration Project

As the caves are gated and secured, it is anticipated that restoration of the caves, including, but not limited to, grafitti removal and trash cleanup will begin. A coordinator for this project is sought by the Colorado Cave Survey.

Return to top

Fly & Marble Cave Science Links

Fly and Marble Caves have been the subject of a number of scientific investigations; as information is accumulated, appropriate links will be included here. Please note that this research is in no way affiliated with the Colorado Cave Survey.

Return to top
Return to the Colorado Cave Survey Homepage

Last update: 22 June 2008