Southern California Grotto
is proud to present
Western Regional
in
Tecopa, California
October 23-25 2026
::
Western Regional is an annual gathering of western grottos in the United States. Cavers come together to explore new caves, generate and maintain friendships, and meet to help the organization grow.
Join us and experience Death Valley underground!
Event Overview
Held Friday through Sunday, the event is structured around a series of adventures, presentations, and an annual meeting on Saturday evening. This years’ event showcases a bizarre variety of cave types, fabulous abandoned mines, and geothermal hot springs. The Tecopa area is steeped in Death Valley history and the National Park isn’t far by vehicle if you’d like to extend your trip.
Amenities
| Tent Camping Spots | Provided |
| Car Camping | Provided |
| RV Hookups | Available |
| Trips | Friday PM through Sunday AM |
| Hot Springs | Yep |
| Giant mines | Yep |
| Bizarre Caves | Yep |
Weekend Events
- Region Fundraiser Auction
- Presentations
- Business meeting
- Cave and Mine Adventures
Tecopa History
Tecopa started life as a stop along the old Spanish trail centered around a set of natural mineral hot springs. The site has recorded use by Europeans as early as the late 1700s and evidence of native use much earlier. By the 1850s the town had grown into an important waypoint on the southern branch of the California trail before having its own silver strike in the 1870s.
The town supported several major silver, lead, and later, talc mines for over a century leaving behind some of the largest, most impressive and varied mine works accessible anywhere in the western United states.
Stuff to do in and around Tecopa
