37 Best Caverns in the US
Hell is metaphorically described as a horrific location underground. And while we know this isn’t true, areas underground are dark and eerie enough to seem hellish (but much colder!). The photo above is of Mirror Pond in Luray Caverns which resembles some artists’ depictions of a mythical hell.
Crystal Cave
If you’ve ever been inside a cavern, you know that they are full of natural wonders. Water seeping into voids and depositing minerals under Earth’s surface creates unique geologic structures that are otherworldly.
Florida Caverns
Speleothems (cave formations) include:
- Stalagmites – deposits rising from the cave floor
- Stalactites – deposits hanging from the cave ceiling
- Columns – stalagmites and stalactites that have connected
- Draperies and curtains – thin sheet-like formations
- Crystals – various crystal-shaped formations
Meramec Caverns
Speleotherms typically have creative and descriptive names. Some of the cave formations are named for the food-related items they resemble including bacon, fried eggs, popcorn, curly fries, cave milk, and soda straws.
Stalactites including some soda straws in Greenwood Caverns
Mammoth Cave, true to its name, is the longest cave in the world at over 400 miles long. The US has several other cave systems that rank among the top ten in the world. Jewel Cave, Wind Cave, and Lechuguilla Cave at Carlsbad Caverns National Park are 3, 6, and 7 respectively. Lechuguilla is a fragile cave that is not open to the public, but Carlsbad Caverns has many that are and they are known for their large rooms.
A big room at Carlsbad Caverns
Below is a list of the best caverns in the US. All are open to the public and can be visited without technical spelunking gear. While many are on government property in various state and national parks, some are privately owned and offer other entertaining things to do and see on their sites (extra fun for kids). Most offer simple walking tours, but one cavern is seen from a boat and another is a “fantastic” tram ride.
Alabaster Caverns
List of the Best Caverns in America
- Rickwood Caverns State Park, Alabama
- DeSoto Caverns, Alabama
- Blanchard Springs Caverns, Arkansas
- Grand Canyon Caverns, Arizona
- Kartchner Caverns State Park, Arizona
- Colossal Cave Mountain Park, Arizona
- Mitchell Caverns State Park, California
- Moaning Cavern Adventure Park, California
- Crystal Cave at Sequoia National Park, California
- Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Colorado
- Florida Caverns State Park, Florida
- Illinois Caverns State Natural Area, Illinois
- Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
- Diamond Caverns, Kentucky
- Fantastic Caverns (drive-thru), Missouri
- Meramec Caverns, Missouri
- Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, Montana
- Lehman Caves, Nevada
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
- Niagara Cave, Minnesota
- Ohio Caverns, Ohio
- Zane Caverns Park, Ohio
- Alabaster Caverns State Park, Oklahoma
- Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon
- Penn’s Cave (boat-thru), Pennsylvania
- Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota
- Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota
- Craighead Caverns, Tennessee
- Mystic Caverns, Tennessee
- Longhorn Cavern State Park, Texas
- Caverns of Sonora, Texas
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park, Texas
- Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas
- Shenandoah Caverns, Virginia
- Grand Caverns Regional Park, Virginia
- Luray Caverns, Virginia
- Melrose Caverns, Virginia
- Endless Caverns, Virginia
Rickwood Caverns