Cave and karst resources are abundant within the Bighorn Basin. Thirty-two caves are known to exist within the Planning Area, 19 of which are considered significant for their biological, cultural, geological/mineralogical/paleontological, hydrological, recreational, and/or educational or scientific values according to the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act (FCRPA).

The cave and karst system along the west slope of the Big Horn Mountains, including the Medicine Lodge, Spanish Point, and Little Mountain areas, is important due to fragile mineral deposits or specimens (speleothems), the potential for diverse cave and karst aquatic organisms and biological communities, cultural resources, recreational opportunities, and its link to regional groundwater aquifers.

Sediments, and mineral deposits, including speleothems, in caves are a source of paleoclimate and other scientific information, providing important opportunities for education and scientific research. Due to their sensitive and nonrenewable nature, excessive recreational use, or recreational use not consistent with cave and karst resource values, can potentially, irreparably impact these systems. Adverse impacts to cave and karst resources also would impact the biological communities that depend on them.

The potentially hazardous, often unfamiliar nature of caves can put inexperienced recreationists at risk.

Recreational use of caves would be managed under a cave management plan to promote the importance of cave resources, to protect and maintain cave resources and the habitat in and around them, and to enhance user experiences by managing use compatibly with resource protection.