Best Caverns To Explore Across The United States

These are the top spots for those looking to explore the nation's best caverns.

Photo by Hoyt Roberson on Unsplash /

Want to go spelunking? There are numerous fun caverns to explore throughout the United States.

Going through the underground tunnels of a cave offers a different sense of excitement than your normal hike through the woods. They have their own wildlife, fossils, natural rock formations and more just waiting to be seen.

Here are the best options to consider if this sounds like an intriguing trip:

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

The consensus number one option for exploring the underground, Carlsbad has everything one could possibly want in an adventure.

It's most popular attraction, both literally and figuratively, is The Big Room. It's the largest cave chamber in North America and can take over an hour and a half to experience all it has to offer. Within it, there is also a 140-foot deep 'bottomless pit' to experience.

The Bat Flight Program allows visitors to watch as thousands of bats fly from the cavern. It's free to view at an amphitheater outside near the guest center.

Outside of those two, there are still plenty of things to experience for both solo-travelers and families.

Kartchner Caverns State Park, Arziona

Not as big as Carlsbad, though still very large, it offers a bit different of a collection of natural formations to view.

The claim to fame here is the Rotunda/Throne Room. It is home to the "Kubla Khan," which is the largest column formation in the country.

Kartchner is also home to a 'big room' it's own, but is only open from October to April due to the large number of bats that call it home.

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

There are over 400 miles of passageways in the Mammoth Cave, living up to it's apt name. It's the longest cave system in the world.

Mammoth is a historic stop as it s one of the oldest tourist attractions in the country, dating back to 1941. It has human activity dating back to at least 5,000 years, though.

It's Domes and Dripstones tour brings you to two of the most interesting formations that it has to offer. The Frozen Niagara section has plenty of dripstone to view. The Grand Central Station part of the tour is named after the famous New York City stopped because of it's similar views.

Outside of the cave, visitors also get a chance to explore old buildings, go horseback riding, visit the green river and more.