Even when the temperature outdoors is 90 degrees, the Shoshone Ice Caves remain a cold 28-33 degrees Fahrenheit.

For that reason, "courtesy coats" hang on hooks outside the gift shop for visitors to borrow as they enter the singular attraction.

Visitors are first met at the entrance by a dinosaur statue ridden by a hairy caveman. From there, the caves include a rocky trail and several hundred yards of wooden walkways that are a few inches above the ice.

The caves, located 16 miles north of Shoshone on US Hwy. 93, are actually lava tubes that are 1,000 feet long and vary between 8 and 30 feet in height.

Air currents flowing through the tubes result in the ice, since the currents cause subterranean water to freeze.

During tours, rained guides explain the geologic, volcanic, and historical background in these large lava ice caves. A museum contains Indian artifacts, gems, and minerals of local and world interest.

The caves’ sole attraction is the ice, and Shoshone is open from May to September.

For more information
Address:
1561 N. Hwy. 75, Shoshone, ID
Directions:
Hwy. 75, 17 mi. N of Shoshone.
Hours:
May-Sep. Daily 8 am - 8 pm. (Call to verify)
Phone:
208-886-2058
Price:
Adults $7.50, Seniors $6.50, Children 4-12 $4, Children 3 and under free; group rates