cave of tours

The name "Cave of the Winds" is a bit deceiving. In the 1800's there was a rock overhang --or a cave like structure-- that allowed people to stand under the Falls. The Cave collapsed in the early 1900's but the name stuck.

• Attractions and Tours

Cave of the Winds

• Maid of the Mist
• Hiking Trails
• Illuminations
• Top of the Falls Menu
• Beverage Menu
• Observation Tower
• Schoellkopf Power Plant Ruins Site
• Free Park Programming
• Special Events in Niagara Falls USA
• Beyond The View Walking Tour

The Cave of the Winds will be closed on February 22, 2024 . We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

PLEASE NOTE: Cave of the Winds tickets must be purchased at the Cave of the Winds Plaza on Goat Island.

As the Cave of the Winds is a timed ticketed attraction, plan to make it your first stop of the day to make your reservation!

PRO TIP: Bring a waterproof bag to stash your shoes in while getting soaked at the Cave! We can give you sandals to wear so your shoes stay dry!

The Cave of the Winds is open year-round!

Open daily. See schedule below.

As we work to ensure that we are doing our part to care for the Earth, we have phased out distribution of the famous Cave of the Winds sandals. Please bring footwear that can get wet.

10 Goat Island Loop Road

Hours of Operation

*Last ticket sold. Schedule subject to change.

• Thanksgiving (November 28): Closed
• Christmas Day (December 25): Closed
• New Year's Day (January 1): Closed

À La Carte Admission Rates

Now through October 20, 2024

Beginning October 21, 2024

Group Rates

• Friday-Sunday: $17
• Monday-Thursday: $15

Group Rate Ticket Policies for Groups without Park Direct Billing Privileges

• A group is defined as 20 or more people
• One person must pay for the entire group with the entire group present at the time of purchase using one form of payment
• The group must all purchase tickets for the same attraction and tour time to qualify for discount
• Tour companies who wish to set up direct billing with us should contact our operations office at [email protected]
• Group rates may not be offered during special events

Educational/Tour

Group policies, photo gallery: world changed here pavilion.

Check out photos from our exciting new indoor multimedia experience, the World Changed Here Pavilion.

Update 6/26 -Niagara Cave is fully open for tours despite the recent rain!

Niagara Cave

Guided cave tours in harmony, minnesota, your underground adventure awaits, we invite you to visit our family-owned-and-operated cave to witness nature’s power and beauty underground..

• RATED ONE OF THE TOP 10 CAVES IN THE USA!

Guided Cave Tour

Travel far beneath the surface through stream-sculpted passages to experience the wonders of Niagara Cave. Within lies an underground waterfall, 450 million-year-old fossils, and formations both delicate and massive. Your underground adventure awaits!

• Hour Glass 1 hour
• User All Ages

Lantern Tour

Niagara Cave is celebrating 100 years since discovery! We invite you to join us on a walk through the cave by lantern light. For the first section of the cave (approximately 15 minutes), see the underground stream and waterfall with the lights on; then, the remaining passageways on the hour-long, mile walk through the cave, will be lit by only your lanterns.

• User Ages 7+
• New! Glowing Cave Experience

Black Light Tours

Take the classic mile-long hike through Niagara Cave and experience a section of the cave (approximately 15 minutes) with the lights turned off. We provide black lights for this section of the hour-long tour where you will be surrounded by cave formations that are naturally fluorescent and phosphorescent which means they light up and glow under ultraviolet light! This unforgettable addition to the classic tour is available on select evenings.

Open 7 days a week from May 1st - October 27th. May temporarily close for extreme weather.

For the 2024 season, we are open 7-days-a-week from May 1st through October 27th. Please call 507-886-6606 with any questions!

RATED AMONG THE BEST CAVES IN THE U.S.!

Explore Minnesota's 'Bucket List' Destination!

We just loved the cave and our guide. Totally fascinating. The number of steps they highlight is not too bad, as they are spread out. Guide was informative and patient- allowing us enough time to take in this amazing place. Also loved the selection of stone artifacts and items in the gift shop.

There were a lot of interesting features in this cave (fossils, echo chamber, waterfall, spring, etc) ! It had a little bit of everything. I think my favorite was the purple phosphorus deposits and how it absorbed the UV light & glowed. It was fine for our 8 year old and I carried the 4 almost 5 year old down a couple of the staircases just so we were not going too slow but the 4 year old did a lot of it herself also.

We had such a fun time and would do it again. Our guide was very nice and patient with our four year old. He even offered him a flashlight which was the highlight for him. The stairs make for a nice little workout at the end.

Really interesting activity that I high recommend. Our tour guide was excellent. As mentioned, there are a number of stairs to climb, especially when leaving the cave at the end of the tour.

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff! Our tour guys definitely knew her stuff and very personable! The cave was great, great walking paths! If we go again, we'll make more of a day with mini golf and gem panning! Definitely a must see!!!

If you’re within driving distance, don’t miss it! Such a treasure! The guide was fun and very knowledgeable. Save some energy for the climb at the end.😉

Mammoth Cave National Park Tours

Mammoth Cave National Park

Explore up to ten miles of the incredible Mammoth Cave! With more than 400 miles (644 km) of mapped passageways, Mammoth Cave ranks as the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park was established in 1941, designated a World Heritage Site in 1981 and became the core area of an International Biosphere Reserve in 1990.  

Mammoth Cave National Park preserves the cave system and a part of the Green River valley and hill country of south central Kentucky. Early guide Stephen Bishop called the cave a "grand, gloomy and peculiar place" but its vast chambers and complex labyrinths have earned it the name Mammoth. The park offers a variety of cave tours daily (except Christmas Day). Mammoth Cave tours are available year-around, up to 6 months in advance.  

The park may not publish the complete schedule or variety of tours until 1 to 3 months prior to tour date. All tours begin and end at the Visitor Center. Tours range from easy to difficult and may last anywhere from one to six hours. Cave trails and walkways may have electric lights or may be rugged, pitch-dark paths that require visitors to carry a lantern.   

Take a little time to ensure the activity you choose is the best one for you. Each tour is fascinating in its own way and shows off the various sections of the cave. Tour highlights include the Rainbow Dome, the Snowball Room, Crystal Lake, and the Bottomless Pit. Please note the Self-Guided tour is usually only offered during the busier times of the year of summer and fall. The park also offers free programs on the surface that do not require reservations. 

Notifications and Alerts

The America the Beautiful Senior Pass and America the Beautiful Access Pass ♿ will give a discount for the pass holder card only. Discount is applied in-person after you make your reservations, and you must bring the physical card and ID to the ticket counter at the Visitor Center for the refund. All other passes do not apply to tour fees.

Need to Know

Mammoth Cave National Park is located in the central time zone and observes daylight savings time.

When traveling to the park for a cave tour, plan for adequate travel time to the visitor center. We suggest that you arrive around 30 minutes before the start of your scheduled tour. This will allow for time to find parking, pick up your tickets and time to use the restroom. All schedule tours leave on time.   

Firearms, pepper spray, mace, knives or weapons of any type are not permitted on cave tours or in the Visitor Center.

All schedule Tours leave on time. Customers with reservations that arrive after your tour reservation time and date will forfeit your tour fee. This includes if you miss being at your assigned shelter at your designated time and the tour leaves without you, you will forfeit your tour fee. If you see that you will not make your reservation time and date you may cancel before your tour time and date. There will be $1 per ticket charge regardless for the cancellation.

Child strollers and infant backpack carriers are prohibited in the cave for visitor safety reasons. Front carriers are permitted. Some tours have age restrictions. Please check age requirements prior to making your reservation. Youth under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older on all tours.

The park offers a variety of cave tours daily (except Christmas Day). Mammoth Cave tours are available year-around, up to 6 months in advance. The park may not publish the complete schedule or variety of tours until 3 months prior to tour date. The park schedules several tours daily, year-round (for example, the Historic Tour runs daily). Other tours are offered seasonally or less frequently. Please check the current cave tour schedule. You may call the park at 270-758-2180 for additional information.

Evacuation from the cave to a hospital for medical attention could take several hours; visitors with known heart or respiratory conditions, poor circulation, or difficulty walking and climbing stairs should carefully consider their limitations.

Flash photography is not permitted on cave tours. Camera tripods, monopods, and selfie sticks are also prohibited.

During the months of March, April, and May we experience heavy visitation from schools; there may be large groups of students on tours.

All visitors are required to walk on bio-security mats at conclusion of tour; this measure is to protect the spread of a WNS, a fungal disease threatening cave-hibernating bat populations in our national parks.

Booking Windows

Reservations:

Mammoth Cave tours are available year-around, up to 6 months in advance. The park may not publish the complete schedule or variety of tours until a few months prior to tour date. Cave tours frequently sell out and reservations are the only way to ensure a spot is available for you and/or your party. First Come First Served tickets only sell on the day of and do normally sell fast, so it is recommended coming early to purchase those tickets. First Come First Served tickets may not be offered everyday, so please call Mammoth Cave National Park to check.

Changes and Cancellations

REFUNDS: Refunds will be processed if you cancel before your tour time and date. There will be $1 per ticket charge regardless the reason for the cancellation. Customers who cancel any tour after the reservation time and date or no-shows will forfeit the tour fee. EXCEPTIONS : Introduction to Caving Tour and Wild Cave tour may be cancel at no cost until midnight 10 days prior to the tour date. Within 10 days prior to tour date, a cancellation fee of $6 will be applied to an Introduction to Caving Tour ticket and a $12 cancellation fee will be applied for a Wild Cave Tour ticket.  

*Customers with reservations that arrive after your tour departure time without cancelling your tour will forfeit your tour fee. These tickets cannot be exchanged for other tours after your scheduled tour time and date. Schedule tours leave on time, so if you are not here, you will miss your tour.*

DISCOUNTS: The Park only accepts American The Beautiful Senior Lifetime/Annual or ADA Access Pass and the discount will only be applied for the cardholder only. Please bring the card and identification to apply your discount. The Park does NOT accept any of the other discount passes.

Contact Information

Mailing address.

P.O Box 7 Mammoth Cave KY 42259

Phone Number

270-758-2180

Available Tours and Tickets

• Star Chamber Tour
• Historic Tour
• Introduction to Caving Tour
• Wild Cave Tour
• Domes and Dripstones Tour
• Great Onyx Lantern Tour
• Grand Avenue Tour
• Violet City Lantern Tour
• River Styx Tour
• Frozen Niagara Tour
• Mammoth Passage Tour
• Discovery Self-Guided
• Gothic Avenue Tour
• Cleaveland Avenue Tour
• Accessible Tour
• Extended Historic Tour

Photo Gallery

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Cave Of The Mounds

Daily Tours

Information of cave of the mounds daily tours in wisconsin, seasonal tour times.

School Ends through Labor Day

Traditional Guided Tours at 9:15 AM, 9:30 AM, and 3:30 PM, 3:45 PM 4 PM

Museum-Style Tours  from 10 AM until 2:30 PM

Last entry at 4 PM

After Labor Day through October 31st

All Traditional Guided Tours, except Saturdays from 10 AM until 3 PM

Weekdays:  Every 30 minutes starting at 9:30 AM

Weekends:  Every 15 minutes starting at 9:30 AM

November 1st through March 15th

All Traditional Guided Tours

Weekdays:  9:30 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM

Weekends:  Every 30 minutes starting at 9:30 AM

March 15th until School Ends

*Tour times are subject to change*

*Tours added on busier days*

Cave Admission Prices​

Regular Admission (Ages 13+) ….. $23.99

Child Admission (Ages 4 – 12) ….. $14.99

Tot Admission (Ages 3 and under) .. Free

Regular Admission (Ages 13+)

Child Admission (Ages 4 – 12) 

Tot Admission (Ages 3 and under) 

Ticket times are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis.

We highly recommend arriving early or purchasing tickets online at least 24 hours in advance as tours are limited each day.

Open Year ‘Round from  9 AM to 5 PM

First entry  at 10 AM –  Last entry  at 4 PM

Spring Weekday  tours are  every 30 minutes

Spring Weekend  tours depart  frequently

What is a Self-Paced Guided Tour?

Take a guided self-paced stroll through this geologic wonder on weekends. Tours depart regularly. Your walk will guide you past a stunning array of colorful crystal formations on paved lighted walkways. As you explore, NEW signage will explain the science and history, and our staff are stationed in the cave to make sure that you enjoy your experience.

Visitors enjoy the Cave’s constant 50-degree temperature which makes the cave feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Daily Tours in Wisconsin are available.

Whether you’re a curious tourist or a budding cave enthusiast, Cave of the Mounds has something for everyone to discover.

What is a Museum-Style Tour?

What is a Traditional Guided Tour?

Take a Traditional Guided stroll through this geologic wonder with a tour guide. Tours depart hourly during weekdays. Your walk will guide you past a stunning array of colorful crystal formations on paved lighted walkways. The tour guide will point out key features and answer questions as you have them. 

What is a Membership?

Help support the conservation of Cave of the Mounds National Natural Landmark by becoming a Keys to the Cave member. Membership is good for 1 year from the date of your first Cave visit. You can purchase membership for multiple members at once. All proceeds of memberships go towards protecting this geologic treasure. You can purchase your Annual Memberships in person the day of your visit.

Membership Benefits include:  Keys to the Cave card, granting you unlimited Cave Tour admissions at Cave of the Mounds for 1 year

Free subscription to our email newsletter

Other great email offers throughout the year!

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Cave of the Winds Mountain Park

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park, located in Colorado Springs, is a historic natural landmark filled with amazing formations just waiting to be discovered by you.

This is one of the region’s original attractions and is a great year-round choice for family fun and adventure.

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park offers two types of tours: Discovery and Lantern.

• The Discovery Tour is great for the entire family and lasts approximately 45 minutes.
• The Lantern Tour is available to guests ages 6 and over, and is a more adventurous tour lasting 90 minutes.

After touring the caves, experience William Canyon’s dramatic beauty with fun and interactive adventures including the Wind Walker Challenge Course,Terror-Dactyl, and Via Ferrata.

The Wind Walker Challenge Course

The Wind Walker Challenge Course is located on the rim of a 600-foot drop into Williams Canyon! Thrill-seekers of all ages can navigate a challenging maze of steel beams, swinging ropes and ladders, wearing a specially designed harness. Safe & fun for the whole family. Get ready to take to the skies on the Bat-a-Pult, an epic, 1200-foot round-trip aerial attraction high along the wild and beautiful Williams Canyon. Unlike traditional zip lines, our ride doesn't end at the bottom. Instead, our unique system pulls you back to the nest.

Terror-Dactyl

The first of its kind anywhere in the world, the ride sits on the edge of a 200-foot cliff in the Williams Canyon in Manitou Springs . Those brave enough to ride will be launched 200 feet into the canyon at nearly 100 miles per hour! Watch the ladies from the Today Show ride the ride in the video below! Check the website for details about reservations, pricing and the outdoor adventures that are also available.

Watch the Today Show as they ride the Terror-Dactyl at Cave of the Winds Mountain Park!

Via ferrata.

Italian for "Iron Road," Via Ferrata is based off of the WWI soldiers who traversed the front line of Austria, Hungary and Italy. This attraction offers visitors the chance to traverse high above the canyon on limestone cliffs. A two hour guided tour offers visitors an experience of a lifetime with specialized equipment and knowledgeable guides that allow both experienced and inexperienced climbers a chance to experience Colorado's rugged beauty.

Requirements: Participants must be 48″ tall and weigh between 90lbs & 260lbs and must be ages 12 and up. Guests 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult.

• Tickets: $99 per person

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park History

In 1880, brothers John and George Pickett scouted for new caves in Williams Canyon. They discovered a small cave near the limestone archway. They noticed that the flames on their lit candles flickered in the wind coming from somewhere within the cave. They crawled through a small opening and emerged into a large chamber that promised an amazing world of exploration.

That world was structurally opened by George Washington Snider, a stonecutter from Ohio. Soon after the cave’s initial discovery, Snider excavated passages and found Canopy Hall. He continued to excavate and soon was giving guided tours. Cave of the Winds Mountain Park in Colorado Springs has been in continuous operation since February 1881 – it is one of Colorado’s original visitor attractions!

Cave of the Winds Hours & Ticket Prices

Discovery tour.

Summer (Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day Weekend): Daily tours from 9 am – 9 pm. Tours leave every 20-30 minutes. Last tour leaves at 8:00 pm. Due to popularity, summer guests may experience a wait of approximately 30-45 minutes between ticket purchase and the start of an available tour.

Winter (September-May): Daily tours from 10 am-5 pm. Tours leave every 30-40 minutes. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.

• Ages 13 & Up: $26
• Children Ages 4-12: $17
• Children 3 Years & Younger are FREE
• Military pricing available

Lantern Tour

Summer (Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day Weekend): Daily tours from 9 am – 9 pm. Tours leave on the hour. Call (719) 685-5444 for more information.

Winter (September-May): Tours available daily starting at 11:00am.

• Ages 13 & Up: $34
• Children Ages 8-12: $24
• Children 7 & Under are Not Permitted

Wind Walker Challenge Course & Bat-A-Pult Information

Height Requirements: Must be 48″ tall to participate

• Tickets: $28 per person

TERROR-dactyl

Requirements: Must be 48" tall. Recommended weight between 100-250 lbs.

• Tickets: $40 per person

More information on all Cave of the Winds Mountain Park tours and activities can be found at www.caveofthewinds.com .

Looking for more attractions and activities in Colorado Springs? Check out our Things to Do page and don't forget to order your FREE Vacation Planner !

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Eleven miles northeast of Boerne, in the heart of the scenic, rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country, Cave Without a Name is a natural, living cavern.  Some say the most beautiful in Texas.

The Cave is filled with spectacular formations of Stalactites, Stalagmites, delicate Soda Straws, Cave Drapery, magnificent Flowstones, Rimstone Dams, and more.  Enjoy an approximate 60-minute guided tour of the six major rooms in comfort; 66 degrees year-round, easy walkways, brilliant lighting.  Visit the photo gallery for a sneak preview, then plan an unforgettable adventure you will remember forever... 

Reservations

Reservations are requested to ensure tour availability .  To make a reservation for individuals or groups,  call (830) 537-4212 during business hours or contact us  with your date, number in your party, and preferred time ( between Memorial Day through Labor Day 9 AM, 10, 11, 12 PM, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5; for the rest of the year  10 AM, 11, 12 PM, 1, 2, 3, or 4.)  Please arrive about 20 minutes before your tour time to purchase your tickets for your tour.  If you come without a reservation, we will put you on the next open tour, and you may have a wait time. Online reservations are not available on our website at this time.

Throne Room Music

With a combination of dynamic acoustics and nature's natural backdrop (too beautiful for words), both performers and guests declare concerts in the Cave Throne Room as most memorable. Check the  event calenda r for upcoming shows. View previous  musical performances in the cave .

Summers are cool in the cave!

Summers are really hot in Texas but a guided tour at Cave Without A Name is cool in so many ways. As you descend into the cave, the air grows cooler by the step. Some ninety feet under earth’s surface, you enjoy nature’s natural air conditioner. The year round temperature in the cave is 66 ° !

There is even a cool ice cream cone in the cave plus an array of other shapes to name and describe. Nature’s artistic designs are so plentiful at Cave Without A Name, one discovers something new with every visit.

Cool is one of the terms for views in the cave.  Others are fabulous, fantastic, magnificent, amazing, and on and on.

Visit soon and find your own superlative to describe the beauty of nature.

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Thing to Do

Guided Cave Tours

Jewel Cave National Monument

NPS Staff Photo

• jewel cave national monument
• black hills
• guided tours
• caves and karst

NPS Photo / Eric Dodd

Scenic Tour

This tour is moderately strenuous and lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes. The tour enters and leaves the cave by elevator in the visitor center. The tour route involves walking up and down 734 stair steps along a 1/2 mile paved trail with uneven ground and minor slopes. This tour provides an opportunity to visit chambers decorated with calcite crystals and other speleothems with electric lighting. Scenic Tours are limited to 30 people per tour. It is recommended to take children five and under on the Discovery Tour. Parents may not carry a child of any age on the Scenic Tour, except in a front carrier. Children must stay in the carrier at all times. All tour participants must be able to navigate the 734 stair steps along the tour route unassisted and keep pase with the group.

Discovery Tour

This 20-minute program is a brief introduction to Jewel Cave's natural and cultural histories within one large cave room. This cave visit enters and exits by elevator with an optional 15 stairs. The Discovery Tour is limited to 20 people. We recommend this talk for families with young children, and visitors with limited time or health concerns. This program takes place in the cave's Target Room, which is accessible by wheelchair.

Lantern Tour

The Historic Lantern Tour (summer only) is a 1930's style adventure. Visitors, carrying lanterns provided by the Monument, enter and exit the cave through the historic entrance. This tour is considered strenuous and lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes. The tour route is ~ 1/2 mile and includes steep, narrow steps (about 600). Visitors must be in good health and physical condition. The tour requires bending, stooping, duck walking, and navigation of steep wooden ladders. The Historic Lantern Tour is limited to 15 people per tour. Children ages seven and under will not be allowed to participate on the Lantern Tour. Parents may not carry a child of any age. All tour participants must be 8 years old or older , and all participants must be able to navigate the tour route unassisted. Tennis shoes or hiking boots are required for this tour.

Wild Caving Tour

This 3 to 4-hour strenuous tour is designed for visitors who want the thrill of experiencing the cave in its natural state. Participants scramble over cave "breakdown," chimney between walls, climb semi-vertical rocks (rope-assisted), and belly crawl through tight passages along a 2/3 mile route. Participants must be in good health and physical condition. Participants are required to fit through a passage 8 1/2 inches high by 24 inches wide.

Participants must provide and wear specific caving clothes and boots. Tours may be cancelled due to a lack of required participants; proper caving equipment;or unforeseen incidents. Tour size is limited to a minimum of 2 visitors and a maximum of 5 visitors. This tour is only offered in the summer. Reservations are required for this tour. Call the visitor center at (605) 673-8300 and speak to park staff for more information.

Last updated: June 15, 2024

10 Best Mammoth Cave Tours Worth Your Time

This post is all about the best Mammoth Cave tours in Mammoth Cave National Park! You’ll find an overview of the different tours, travel tips, effort level listings, and estimated times based on our personal experiences hiking Mammoth Cave National Park.

In the beginning of autumn, I went on my first Mammoth Cave tour. I sat – legs pressed tight against a bench, feet clacking the ground – under the wide awning of Shelter A, waiting for a ranger to herd me (and a hundred or so other tourists) into the belly of the longest cave in the world. We walked and walked and walked some more. We climbed up and down thin, platformed stairs. We paused and gasped as the cave curved and snarled and dropped and twisted. Mammoth Cave’s pathways are serpentine; its walls are textured. And I was enamored by it all.

I returned to Mammoth Cave National Park often after, each time with the intention of taking one guided trip (sometimes two, much to the misery of my calves) through the cave itself. On those ranger-led tours, I chatted with travelers and staff, die-hard cave lovers and new-to-the-cave-scene visitors. Tour-by-tour, I fell deeper and deeper in love with Kentucky’s karst landscape.

Now, having been on almost all the Mammoth Cave tours (with the exception of their crawling tours), I feel ready to share my favorites.

Here are Passport To Eden’s top picks for the best cave tours at Mammoth Cave National Park!

Editor’s Note: Mammoth Cave tours are seasonal and not necessarily offered year-round. Sometimes tours close for construction (one of my favorite mammoth cave tours was closed in 2023 for this very reason. The goal was to make paths to be more accessible in the future). The best place to check what tours are available right now is the National Park website ( I’ll link it here ). I also tried to include a list of phobia warnings based on my own personal experiences on each of the cave tours. If you experience any cave-triggered phobias, I highly recommend talking with one of the rangers at Mammoth Cave National Park (you can reach them at 270-758-2180) before booking a tour. They can help you decide which tour (if any) might suit you best!

Table of Contents

Historic Tour

Mammoth Cave has long been a place for the curious. Even before it became integrated into the National Park system in 1941, tours were being led down and through its hidden alleys and layered passageways. The Historic Tour is the oldest, continually operated tour at Mammoth Cave . It’s also the most popular .

Go for the atmosphere: the gaping, moss-laden Historic Entrance; the vaulted, limestone ceilings; the remnants of 19th century century saltpetre vats . Go for the route too. You’ll stroll through wide and thin areas of Mammoth Cave. You’ll pass a coffin-shaped rock that looks like it’s been plucked from the pages of an old vampire novel. You’ll duck and twist and shimmy through Fat Man’s Misery (though I’d personally call this portion of the cave Anybody’s Misery). And by the end of your tour, you’ll be left with no doubts as to how Mammoth Cave got its name.

General Info

ESTIMATED TIME: 2 Hours (Allot 2.5 hours) STAIRS: 540 EFFORT: Moderately Strenuous COST: $20.00 Per Adult PHOBIA WARNINGS: Claustrophobia, Nyctophobia, Agoraphobia

Frozen Niagara Tour

Quick, short, and low-in-effort , The Frozen Niagara tour is hands-down the easiest tour offered at Mammoth Cave National Park. Don’t be fooled by the sketchy looking entryway: this is one of the most beautiful sections of Mammoth Cave . Within a small, dark, fourth-of-a-mile stretch, you’ll see wrangled beards of limestone, spirals of stalactites, and ice-like distortions of flowstone. Your tour guide will brief you on the geology of Mammoth Cave , the story behind the Frozen Niagara entrance, and some of the keystone species you might see at Mammoth Cave National Park (this part of the cavern is usually crawling with cave crickets).

ESTIMATED TIME: 1.25 Hours (Allot 1.5 hours) STAIRS: 12 With Optional 98 Stairs To The Drapery Room EFFORT: Easy COST: $18.00 Per Adult PHOBIA WARNINGS: Arachnophobia, Nyctophobia, Agoraphobia

Cleaveland Avenue Tour

The Cleaveland Avenue Tour is one of the most underrated Mammoth Cave tours. If you’re visiting Mammoth Cave for the first time and want to get a feel for the length of Mammoth Cave without the stress of a large group size, this is the tour I’d recommend the most! Be warned: there are lots of steps up front and towards the end. But the path in-between is nice and gentle and compact . It’s a hike that’s strenuous in bursts, more tiring than difficult . And the reward is floral gypsum , white petals of calcium sulfate that choke cracks and crevices. You’ll amble and ramble and snap photos. And as you stroll through Cleaveland Avenue, your tour guide will introduce you to Mammoth Cave’s geology, topology, and history .

ESTIMATED TIME: 2 Hours STAIRS: 400 EFFORT: Moderate COST: $22.00 Per Adult PHOBIA WARNINGS: Nyctophobia, Claustrophobia, Agoraphobia

Grand Avenue Tour

The Grand Avenue Tour is intense. It’s stair after stair, incline after incline. You’ll trek through sparkling passageways and squeeze into slot canyons and amble past rich tapestries of flowstone. You’ll experience Mammoth Cave to the fullest – its highs and lows, its dimness and darkness, its emptiness and too-muchness. Grand Avenue’s variation alone it makes it one of the best mammoth cave tours, but it’s also one of the most difficult . The pace tends to be slow and unhurried ( there are even restroom breaks) to accommodate, but the length will absolutely test your legs. This tour is long. You’ll spend half-a-day in a cool, dark, seemingly endless underground . At times, the landscape will feel (and look) hellish. But if you love caves and enjoy Stairmaster challenges, you’ll feel right at home in this tour.

ESTIMATED TIME: 4 Hours (Allot 4.5) STAIRS: 1313 EFFORT: Strenuous COST: $35.00 Per Adult PHOBIA WARNINGS: Claustrophobia, Acrophobia, Arachnophobia, Nyctophobia, Agoraphobia

Violet City Lantern Tour

Whilst at Mammoth Cave National Park, I tried asking as many park rangers as I could find what their favorite tour was. The overwhelming response? The Violet City Lantern Tour . This is one the most dramatic Mammoth Cave tours. Here’s what I love about it: Violet City swoops you back in time to an era of early exploration , an era where your eyes depended on the soft, intimate glow of lantern-light . So as you hold up your lantern to Mammoth Cave’s water-cut nooks and crannies, you’ll tap into the past. But you’ll also focus on the little details – the here-and-now, the what-was and what-could-be.

ESTIMATED TIME: 3 Hours STAIRS: 160 EFFORT: Moderate COST: $25.00 Per Adult PHOBIA WARNINGS: Claustrophobia, Acrophobia, Nyctophobia, Agoraphobia

Gothic Avenue Tour

One of my favorite Mammoth Cave tours was the Gothic Avenue Tour (which to me felt a lot like The Historic Tour without the severe claustrophobia moments). The Gothic Avenue tour is dark and moody . It’s theatrical in its form and shape. Spheres of light are cast onto historic graffiti burned into Mammoth Cave’s walls. Monuments (old Jenga-ed stacks of rocks) are strewn along the edge of the trails. You’ll see broody stalactites and stalagmites droop down below blackened shadows. You’ll crescent moon around a dramatic ring of formations (known as The Bridal Altar), which devilishly drips down to hard, compact ground. The atmosphere of Gothic Avenue is gloomy and eerie. Go in October if you can (this is the perfect tour to take during spooky season).

ESTIMATED TIME: 2 Hours STAIRS: 160 EFFORT: Easy COST: $19.00 Per adult PHOBIA WARNINGS: Nyctophobia, Agoraphobia

River Styx Tour

I was told by a park ranger that the River Styx Tour is often touted as one of the most underwhelming tours at Mammoth Cave. “It’s because people expect to go down to the water,” he said. And while you do see water on the River Styx tour , you see it from above . You catch a small glimpse of it (just a glimpse). Know that this is less of a river tour, and mostly a mashup of many other Mammoth Cave tours . The River Styx trek (which is slick and muddy and wet in some areas) covers the entire Historic Route (truth be told, I was not looking forward to walking through Fat Man’s Misery again). It also injects some elements of the Violet City Lantern Tour and the Mammoth Passage Tour.

ESTIMATED TIME: 2.5 Hours (Allot 3) STAIRS: 600 EFFORT: Moderately strenuous COST: $22.00 Per adult PHOBIA WARNINGS: Claustrophobia, Nyctophobia, Acrophobia, Agoraphobia

Domes & Dripstones Tour

Like Frozen Niagara, Domes & Dripstones walks you through some of the prettiest sections of Mammoth Cave. It’s a lot more strenuous than Frozen Niagara though (according to the ranger who led our tour, this is the hike he’s seen the most people end up in need of medical evacuation – eeeep ). And after negotiating the steps past the entrance, I could see why. On the Domes & Dripstones tour, you knock out 280 stairs in the initial descent . The steps get smaller and smaller as you go farther and farther down. At the choke points, my feet were barely covered by the stairs. But wow, oh wow, once the stairs taper off, you’ll see one of the most beautiful sides to Mammoth Cave. This portion of Mammoth Cave isn’t dry and clean-cut. It’s moist and layered and filled with formations .

Side Note: I definitely felt like I gained the most knowledge from this tour. There were two ranger-led “Ask Me Anything” moments where our group got an opportunity to sit down on a handful of benches (arranged classroom-style right in the cave) and shoot questions. Y’all, I learned so much from the open-ended style of these portions, so if you’re looking to grasp more of the history and geology of Mammoth Cave, I highly recommend this tour!

ESTIMATED TIME: 2 Hours (Allot 2.5) STAIRS: 500 EFFORT: Strenuous COST: $21.00 Per Adult PHOBIA WARNINGS: Claustrophobia, Nyctophobia, Acrophobia, Agoraphobia

Self-Guided Tour

For a quick in-then-out jaunt into Mammoth Cave, opt for the self-guided tour . You still need a ticket (first come, first served), but once you’ve strode down past the Historic Entrance, you can walk around and read the placards at your own pace . This is a popular option for those planning a last-minute stopover at Mammoth Cave.

The self-guided tour showcases a large , wide open, level snapshot of Mammoth Cave, making it more accessible to people who might experience claustrophobia, acrophobia, and agoraphobia. There is a guided version of this tour too ( The Mammoth Passage Tour ), but if you get a chance, try booking one of the other Mammoth Cave tours on this list instead (for a more in-depth Mammoth Cave experience)!

ESTIMATED TIME: 20-30 Minutes STAIRS: 130 COST: $8.00 Per Adult EFFORT: Easy

Wild Cave Tour

While I do not intend on going on any of the crawling tours at Mammoth Cave (I looked at one of the holes you have to squeeze whilst on another tour and no, just no), I do still want to mention one crawling tour in this guide. Here’s why: everyone I spoke to who has done the Wild Cave Tour in the past has absolutely loved it. Apparently, you crawl on your hands and knees and push your body through small gaps in the ground. You don’t just get to see Mammoth Cave, you get to feel it. The Wild Cave tour offers a tactile way to experience Mammoth Cave. It’s supposed to be fun and challenging and adventurous .

ESTIMATED TIME: 4 Hours EFFORT: Very Strenuous PHOBIA WARNINGS: Claustrophobia, Nyctophobia, ACROPHOBIA, Agoraphobia COST: $46.00 Per adult

Did you find this guide to the best Mammoth Cave tours helpful? Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments below! As always, I love hearing from you.

Pack With Me (WHAT I BROUGHT TO MAMMOTH CAVE)

• 🥾 Merrell Moab 2 : these shoes got me through every tour in Mammoth Cave
• 💧 Hydroflask : I brought this stainless steel water bottle (keep in mind, only clear water bottles are allowed on Mammoth Cave tours, but I didn’t feel like buying a new one and no one commented on my bottle being opaque ☺️).
• 🥜 Sahale : since no food was allowed in the cave, I kept this nut mix in my car and snacked on it after each tour (Sahale’s pomegranate vanilla cashews have my heart and soul 😋)
• 🧣 Light Sweater : Mammoth Cave tends to be a bit cold (in the mid 50s) so I opted for a light, long-sleeved, breathable sweater
• 📷 Sony Alpha a6400 : this is the mirrorless camera I personally used to take photos and film videos (I love that it has a flip-out screen)
• 🎒 Sling Backpack : this comfy little crossbody canvas rucksack was (and still is) my go-to day hiking bag

Editor-In-Chief

Anshula grew up with a love of stories and places. Thirty-five states and 100 bookstores later, she's made her hobbit home in Middle Tennessee. Her Tookish side still takes over and leaves her chasing window seats, literary destinations, adventure books, sunrise coffee, and indie bookshops. She's appeared as a travel source on HuffPost, Reader's Digest, and MSN.

You describe places in a way that inspires me to travel and see the world. Thank you very much for that! Greetings from Canada.

Your firsthand info and perspective of each cave tour was very helpful, thanks!

Thank you so much for these reviews and assessments the physical demands of them. So very helpful!!!

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From Hiking, Biking and Cave Tours: Top 11 Things to do Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky

M ammoth Cave National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve in Central Kentucky, It is longest known cave in the world and features over 400 miles of charted passageways. It offers many cave tours and visitors can get a taste of the cave with a 30-minute self-guided tour. Mammoth Cave offers tours, including an off-trail tour. From horseback riding to canoeing, visitors will find many activities above the ground.   Here are the top things to do at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. 

Mammoth Cave National Park At a Glance 

Top 11 things to do at mammoth cave national park, why visit mammoth caves.

This park is more than a cave. It protects 53,000 acres above the caves, and the Green River divides the park. With rolling green hills, visitors can take a ferry to reach the north side of the river. This area offers backcountry hiking, horseback riding, and a campground. 

The most visited area is around the Mammoth Cave National Park visitor center. Cave tours are the top thing to do and are located on the south side of the Green River. A visit to Mammoth Caves makes an excellent road trip stop, which is how I visited.

Top Things to Do in Nashville Tennessee 

Mammoth cave visitor center.

Close to the historic entrance, the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center houses the cave tour ticket counter and is the departure point for all cave tours. Visitors will also find an interpretive area, a gift shop, and restrooms.

Located at 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. during the summer and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the rest of the year.

Mammoth Cave Tours 

The most popular tours are self-guided tours, though special interest tours covering geology and off-trail tours are also available. Reservations are highly recommended, and the latest details are at NPS.gov .

Discovery Tour  

A taste of the cave at your own pace. Enter through the Historic Entrance, and only offered during the summer season.

It takes about 30 minutes, depending on your pace. It travels .75 miles (1.2 km). Adult admission is $12, and youth tickets are $9. 

Historic Tour

Get more history of the cave on this tour.

This tour take 2 hours and climbs over 500 steps, including Mammoth Dome. Adult admission is $24 and youth tickets are $18.

Mammoth Cave Accessible Tour 

Using the elevator, this tour visits the Snowball Room and Cleveland Avenue. There are no steps or stairs on this tour, so it is ideal for those with mobility issues. The tour lasts 2 hours and travels .5 miles (.8 km). Adult admission is $27, and youth tickets are $21.

Introduction to Caving Tour

Crawl on your belly, wild cave tour. Learn how to explore the underground from an experienced ranger. Size and shoe requirements. This tour is 3+ hours and considered strenuous. Adult admission is $49, and youth tickets are $42. 

Texas Cave Guide 

Hiking in mammoth cave national park.

There are 7.2 miles of hiking trails around the visitor center. Most trails are short, such as the Echo River Springs Loop Trail, which is 1 mile (1.6 km).

The South Park offers 11 miles of forested trails, including the Mammoth Cave Railroad Hike and Bike Trail, a 9-mile multi-use trail.

Biking in Mammoth Cave National Park 

The Mammoth Caves Lodge offers bike rentals by the hour. It offers both adults and kids sizes and prices start at $8.

Off-road bike trails

Mammoth Cave Railroad Hike and Bike Trail —In the 1880s, the Mammoth Cave Railroad brought visitors to the park and it was used until the 1930s. The railroad route was converted into a 9-mile (14.4 km) multi-use trail.

Big Hollow Trail —A 9.1-mile (14.5 km) trail divided into two loops.

Road Biking 

Biking is permitted on vehicular roads in Mammoth Cave National Park. Mammoth Cave is part of the U.S. Bike Route System (USBRS) connecting urban and rural areas. 

The USBR 76, the TransAmerica Bike Trail, runs from coast to coast and offers a scenic spur into Mammoth Cave. 

The Cave Country Bike Route, USBR 23, is also runs in the park from the Tennessee border. 

Canoeing and Kayaking in Mammoth Cave National Park 

Consider spending some time on the rivers of Mammoth Cave National Park. The Green River and the Nolin River flow through the park. 

Find an authorized outfitter for rental boats and float trips. The float trips are Class I trips, suitable for families. Trips range from a few hours to all day. Rates are based on the boat and operate from April until October, depending on the weather. 

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Horseback riding in mammoth caves national park.

Guided horseback riding is available inside the park. Mammoth Caves National Park offers over 85 miles (136.7 km) of horseback riding trails. Rides start at $35 an hour, with one-hour, one-and-a-half hour and two-hour guided trips available. 

Riders must be 6 years old and weigh less than 250 pounds (113 kg). Reservations required. 

Double J Stables is located at 542 Lincoln School Road, next to the park, with access to the trailhead. It is open daily from March 1st until Labor Day and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only from Labor Day until November 1st. 

You can bring your horses to Mammoth Cave National Park. Equestrian camping is available at the Maple Springs Group Campground with restrictions. 

Wildlife Viewing 

Mammoth Cave National Park is home to 70 endangered animals. Find species like the Pygmy Shrew, white-tail deer and bats are found in the cave itself. 

Visitors frequently spot chipmunks, squirrels, and raccoons in the park. Bobcats, weasels and beavers are also seen, though these species are most active at night. 

Night Sky Viewing 

Enjoy the dark skies at Mammoth Cave National Park. Check at the Visitor Center to see if a Ranger Night Sky program is scheduled during your visit.  Evening programs are offered on Saturday and Sunday nights during the year and more frequently during the summer. 

Kids at Mammoth Cave

The Junior Ranger Program is the go-to program for families to learn about a National Park Service site. Buy a booklet from the park bookstore for $2.00, which takes about two hours to complete. My kids love the badges the Rangers present them after completing their booklet.

Junior Ranger Guide 

Where to eat at mammoth cave .

Located next to the Visitor Center, find a couple of options. 

The Lantern Cafe and Ice Cream Parlour

It is open for breakfast and lunch, offering grab-and-go options, like Greek yogurt parfaits, and quick-service options, like breakfast sandwiches. Burgers, fountain drinks, and coffee drinks are also available. Hand-dipped ice cream and baked goods are also available. 

The Green River Grill

With a dinner menu featuring local favorites, enjoy regional and locally sourced ingredients. 

Picnicking in Mammoth Cave

Find several developed picnic areas in the park. 

Mammoth Cave Picnic Area —The largest, located next to the Visitor Center and includes two picnic shelters available for rent.

Echo River Spring Trailhead Area

Maple Springs Day Use Area

Houchin Ferry Picnic Area

Dennison Ferry Day Use Area

Sloans Crossing Pond Picnic Area

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Planning Guide 

Where to stay in mammoth cave , the lodge at mammoth cave .

With modern rooms and historic cottages, find a selection of lodging inside the park.

Sunset Terrace —Connected rooms in a separate building featuring two queen beds along with a mini-refrigerator, coffee maker and a TV and Wifi. This room features air conditioning. 

Heritage Trail Rooms— Located inside the Lodge, these rooms are ADA accessible and feature an air-conditioned mini-refrigerator, coffee maker, TV and Wi-Fi.

Historic Cottages —Free-standing cottages with one bed suitable for one or two guests. These rooms feature a mini-refrigerator, coffee maker and air conditioning. No TV or Wifi available. 

Woodland Cottages —The most rustic option since each doesn’t offer heat, a/c, TV or Wifi. Though, find a mini-refrigerator and a coffeemaker. Find cottages from one, two, three and four-bedroom options. 

Camping in Mammoth Cave 

Mammoth cave campground.

• Open from March 1 to November 30
• Reservations recommended
• 111 sites 
• Dump station
• Potable water with flush toilets and hot showers 

Houchin Ferry Campground

• Reservations required 
• 12 sites, tent-only sites
• Potable water with portable toilets 

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History of mammoth cave .

Created on July 1, 1941, Mammoth Cave National Park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site on October 27, 1981, and an International Biosphere Reserve on September 26, 1990, signifying its global importance. 

The People of Mammoth Cave 

Caves offer shelter, so evidence of human exploration dates back 12,000 years.

Native American History

Around 1200 BCE, mineral mining began in Mammoth Caves, primarily gypsum. During this period, archaeologists found artifacts like torches, petroglyphs and pictographs.  

When additional artifacts are found, the seven modern nations of the Southeast Woodlands are consulted. They are the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee, the Shawnee People, the Eastern Shawnee of Oklahoma, the Absentee Shawnee and the Chickasaw Nation. 

African American History

Mining continued into the 18th century in which ingredients for gunpowder were harvested from Mammoth Cave. After the Civil War, several men explored the cave further and became local guides as interest in the cave grew. 

Stephen Bishop and brothers Mat Bransford and Nick Bransford developed routes through Mammoth Cave. The brothers’ descendants led tours until the cave became a national park. 

The Civilian Conservation Corps

Part of President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Program, the Civilian Conservation Corps worked on conservation projects across the U.S. Young men between 18 and 25 worked on projects in the national parks, like trail building, infrastructure and planting trees. Each made $30 a month, and $25 was spent home to their families. The men of the CCC lived in tents, received uniforms, three meals a day and skills training. 

Four CCC camps developed the park at Mammoth Cave, including Camp #1, where Bransford descendants worked with other men from across the country. During the CCC tenure, they built many of the buildings still in use today, planted 1 million trees and constructed and improved 24 miles of trails inside the cave, like the Frozen Niagara entrance. 

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Getting to mammoth caves national park .

It is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The park is fee-free, though cave tours require admission. Mammoth Cave National Park is about 100 miles south of Louisville, Kentucky, and 10 miles from Cave City. 

The Green River Ferry operates within the park to reach the north side of Mammoth Caves National Park. Hours are Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, it can be close to flooding and water levels. 

The post From Hiking, Biking and Cave Tours: Top 11 Things to do Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky appeared first on Carful of Kids .

Date: Sunday, July 21, 2024

Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Location: Maribel Caves County Park

Map It!: 15401 County Rd R, Maribel, WI 54227

County Board Meeting

This 75 acre county park features a rugged Niagara Dolomite bluff and the scenic West Twin River. It was established in 1963. But more unique is the 1984 discovery, and subsequent development by cavers, of MARIBEL NEW HOPE CAVE. Out of 400 caves in Wisconsin, only five are show caves currently being shown to the public. This electrically lighted cave is one of them. It is open the third Sunday of every month from May through October. The hours are from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. The fully guided, underground walking tours are led by Wisconsin Speleological Society volunteers. The cave features stalactites, flowstone, a nine-foot-high rock pillar, and winding passageways formed thousands of years ago by a flowing underground stream. Donations are appreciated. Visit us online for more information.

• Grand Rapids/Muskegon
• Saginaw/Bay City
• All Michigan

Explore a rare, 25,000-year-old cave near Lake Michigan

• Updated: Jun. 22, 2024, 2:06 p.m. |
• Published: Jun. 22, 2024, 9:05 a.m.

• Aya Miller | [email protected]

BUCHANAN, MI -- Most people explore nature in Michigan on its beaches or in its woods.

But at a place called Bear Cave in Southwest Michigan, you can explore Great Lakes history underground.

Buchanan is home to one Michigan’s only public cave systems. Bear Cave is a naturally forming cavern on the St. Joseph River, a watershed of Lake Michigan. The cave is about 15 miles from the lakeshore at 4085 Bear Cave Road in Buchanan.

The cave is on private property as part of the Thousand Trails Bear Cave RV Resort. But the resort allows public tours for $3.

The cave walls are 18-feet thick and made of tufa limestone. The cave was formed more than 25,000 years ago via glacial drifts on Lake Michigan, according to the resort.

A tour of the Bear Cave in Buchanan, Michigan on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com

It’s a “natural cave” with a few rooms, said Katie Long, assistant administrator at the resort. It’s not a massive cavern system like Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave.

Going down the stairs, visitors will see a boulder from the Kansan ice age deposited thousands of years ago, resort officials said. The tour of the cave is self guided along a well-lit circular path. In some areas, signs indicate fossils embedded in the walls and “cave pearls,” which are small spherical formations unique to limestone caves.

There are pools of water on the cave’s path, but the resort has installed stones and a platform to help visitors avoid the small, muddy pools. Because the cave is level with the river, it’s at risk of flooding at certain points of the season, said Adam Morris, manager of the resort.

“We do have a natural deposit that seeps out through the cave over the winter months,” Morris said. “It gets so wet down there.”

In some spots on the cave wall and ceiling, water droplets grip to the walls due to high humidity.

In the past, the cave has been used to hide bank robbers and enslaved individuals during the Underground Railroad, according to stories passed along.

Bandits robbed an Ohio bank in 1895 and hid in the cave. The story led to the cave being used as a filming location for the 1903 silent film “The Great Train Robbery.”

One of the cavern’s rooms, filled with a clear pool of water and marked with a “No swimming” sign, leads to a larger room where enslaved individuals were hidden during the Underground Railroad. Now, the room is home to the largest population of Eastern Pipistrelle Bats in Lower Michigan, according to the resort.

The cave is most popular on weekends, the resort said.

As far as a history of bears in the cave — as its namesake suggests — Morris said it’s possible bears used it as a hibernation area in the past.

The only bears you’ll see now are plushies you can purchase at the resort gift shop.

Looking for more to do along Michigan’s Great Lakes? Check out MLive’s Lakeshore Travel series .

Michigan lakeshore travel stories

• Climb 94 steps to the top of Michigan’s oldest lighthouse for a stunning view
• Michigan’s Adventure closes for second day after storm knocks out power
• No injuries at Silver Lake State Park after storm uproots trees onto campsites
• Michigan Adventure closes due to power outage
• Lake Michigan park offers free admission to celebrate playground, bathroom renovations

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These Stunning Caribbean Caves Were Just Named One of the World’s Top Attractions by Tripadvisor

The Cayman Crystal Caves formed millions of years ago.

Marc Guitard/Getty Images

The Cayman Islands have long lured visitors to its luxurious beaches and tropical forests. But in recent years, travelers have started going underground — literally — to the Cayman Crystal Caves , which was just named one of the top attractions in the world in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards , announced this week.

Located on the Grand Cayman Island’s Northside, the attraction opened in 2016, with 1.5-hour guided tours leading visitors through a tropical forest and three caves. Formed millions of years ago, the caves were once underwater, as proven by fossilized shells and other signs of sea life. The slow work of Mother Nature, carving out the caves drip-by-drip with rainwater on the limestone has created stunning crystal-like stalagmites and stalagtites, giving the caverns an otherworldly feel.

The tour goes through an open-ceiling cave, a root one, and perhaps the most stunning, a lake cave, illuminated with lights . There’s also a chance to spot balsam trees, air plants, and even parrots and bats in the surrounding forests. For an even more unique adventure, there's also the Dusk to Dark Evening Bat Tour , where bats fly directly over your head and away into the sunset. 

While the caves had long been there, it wasn’t until the late businessman Christian Sorensen came to the area in the 1990s to survey the caves that the idea of opening them up to the public began. After all, his father Ole Sorensen had developed Barbados’ Harrison’s Cave, and the younger Sorensen thought he might be able to recreate its success in the Cayman Islands.

According to local reports, he spent 1997 to 2011 buying land and building infrastructure for the Cayman Crystal Caves. He finally began work on the exhibit in 2012 and opened it to the public in March 2016.

Now amassing more than 2,700 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor, the Cayman Crystal Caves are the only Caribbean site to make the top 25 list, earning the No. 5 spot, after far more well-known attractions: New York City's Empire State Building in first , Paris' Eiffel Tower in second, Amsterdam's Anne Frank House in third, and Barcelona's Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in fourth. 

“This attraction was the highlight of our vacation,” one recent visitor wrote on Tripadvisor, also commenting on the tour guide’s knowledge mixed with a sense of humor. “The three caves were breathtaking and I would highly recommend this attraction if you're spending time on the island!”

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