Route for the day. ~20 mile clockwise loop from the Bear Gulch Visitor Center. (Red Star). The south spur is the leg to North Chalone Peak and the north spur is the detour down the nothern wilderness trail.

Noone else in the parking lot this morning, no rangers at the gate, and none at the visitors center. (Wouldn't run into anyone until much later in the day)

Moses Spring trailhead the the Bear Gulch visitor center. Not raining at the moment and unexpectedly warm this morning.

Approaching the tunnel along the Moses Springs trail.

Entrance to the Bear Gulch caves. The park just recently opened the caves in the winter and this was my first visit where the caves were open. There was a much greater than usual amount of water flowing down from the reservior.

Pulled my headlamp out as I headed into the cave. This ~10ft section was flooded, but I was able to balance on the side of the walkway to traverse it. The white stuff on the bottom is foam from the water. (Anyone knows what causes this?). The white stuff on the top is just the reflection from the flash.

The path through the cave was very well developed with stairs, bridges, and railings. The creek cascaded down through the caves off to the left of the stairs.

Water pours through the gate blocking access to the upper portion of the caves. The upper portion of the cave is closed to allow a nesting ground for hibernating bats. (See here). There was a tunnel leading back to the surface to rejoin with the trail.

Looking back down into the tunnel after emerging from the cave.