Walk Straight Through A Mountain On This Cavern Tour
By Katie Lawrence|Published August 24, 2021
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
Arizona is full of sprawling mountain ranges, but few of them feature a vast underground cavern system. The Rincon Mountains are a glaring exception, with an ancient underground labyrinth hiding just below the surface. It’s here, just 15 minutes southeast of Tucson, where you’ll find Colossal Cave Mountain Park, one of the largest dry caves in the U.S. You can explore the craggy rock landscape for yourself, with a variety of tours for all ages.
Hidden deep in the Rincon Mountains, Colossal Cave is an intricate cavern system forged by eons of water erosion.
Dating back a whopping 80 million years, Colossal Cave is one of the largest dry caves in America. It's open for public tours seven days a week, 363 days a year, so gather up the family and prepare for the day trip of a lifetime.
The park offers several different ways to explore the caverns, with the family-friendly Classic Cave Tour being the most popular by far.
A half-mile guided walk, the experience offers a glimpse into the cave's unique history, urban legends, and geological formations.
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You'll descend six stories below the earth's surface, marveling at all sorts of beautiful speleothems that were millions of years in the making. If you're lucky, you just might see a few bats, too!
The Classic Cave Tour departs every hour, on the hour, and takes about 40 minutes to complete. The cost is $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 5-12, and $16 for military and active first responders. Children under five are not allowed in the cave.
The tour is 1.5 hours long and restricted to those 12 and older; teens 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult. Hardhats and lights are provided, while full-fingered gloves are required but not provided (participants can either bring their own or purchase a pair from the park store.) Tickets cost $40 per person, and reservations are required.
Last, but certainly not least, the Wild Cave Tour is for the very bravest of souls among us.
Leading through dark corridors and narrow passageways to the deepest depths of the cave, this tour follows in the footsteps of the early 19th-century explorers who first discovered this underground labyrinth. Only those 16 and up can participate in the Wild Cave Tour, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The same gear situation as with the Ladder Tour applies, and tickets range from $85-$125 per person (reservations required).
The fun doesn't stop once you emerge from the underground.
Four scenic, multiuse trails wind through the park, showcasing the diverse flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. Guests can also enjoy guided horseback rides, gem mining, overnight camping, and several other activities for all ages.
All that exploring sure works up an appetite, so make a pit stop at the Terrace Café before heading home.
With an emphasis on fresh, local cuisine, plus sweeping panoramic views of the rugged landscape, it's the perfect place to enjoy a meal. There's also a gift shop where you'll find handmade Native American jewelry and crafts as well as fun souvenirs to remember your visit by.
Visit the park’s website or Facebook page to learn more and/or purchase tickets.
Have you ever been to Colossal Cave Mountain Park? If so, what tour did you take? Tell us all about your experience in the comments section below, then check out our previous article for more epic cavern tours you can only take in Arizona.
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