Timpanogos Cave National Monument

With fall foliage season in Utah having just about reached its peak, winter shouldn't be far behind. And that means cave tours at Timpanogos Cave National Monument will soon end for the year.

Utah's collection of national parks, monuments, and historic sites helped generate $6.5 billion in tourism spending for the state in 2010, an increase of nearly 5 percent, according to state calculations.

The caves and visitor center at Timpanogos Cave National Monument in Utah close each winter and usually reopen for the season in early May. If you're planning a visit this year, be aware that schedule will change for 2011 to allow for completion of several projects to improve visitor and employee safety.

A day after a National Park Service employee died in a fall at Timpanogos Cave National Monument agency officials decided to halt cave tours through the weekend while they investigated the accident.

Part of the trail that provides access to the cave at Timpanogos Cave National Monument is subject to dangerous rockfalls. Park officials propose replacing switchbacks near the cave exit with stairs to reduce the hazard, and they're accepting public comments on the idea.

Believe it or not, Timpanogos Cave National Monument and Mammoth Cave National Park have something in common. Both owe their discovery, in part, to hunters. At least that's the local lore.