| Cave exploring has become a favorite | | | | including proving the ability to wriggle |
| adventure activity for many Americans. | | | | through an 18" X 24" passageway. Needless to |
| Whether you're taking a short, self-guided or | | | | say, people with a fear of heights or |
| guided tour of a commercial cave, or engaging | | | | claustrophobia definitely won't be |
| in advanced spelunking of non-commercial | | | | comfortable on this tour. Reservations are |
| caves, there's just something magical about | | | | required for the Spelunking tour. |
| entering a cave. The feel of the cave air, | | | | |
| the smells, the quite, the utter darkness | | | | Kartchner Caverns State Park - Benson, |
| when the lamps are turned off. | | | | Arizona |
| | | | |
| In caving you will discover the beauty of | | | | Located in the southern part of Arizona, |
| nature and marvel at rock formations and | | | | Kartchner Caverns was discovered in 1974 by |
| crystals that took thousands, and even | | | | cavers and purchased as an Arizona State Park |
| millions, of years to shape and develop. | | | | in 1988. What's cool about Kartchner is that |
| Caves come in different shapes and sizes. | | | | it's a "living cave," in that the formations |
| There are caves that are horizontal, dry, | | | | inside are still growing. It also contains |
| hot, humid and sandy, while others are | | | | 13,000 feet of passages, boasts one of the |
| vertical, cold, flooded and muddy. There are | | | | world's longest soda straw stalactites - 21 |
| even caves that are located under rivers and | | | | feet 2 inches, and is in near-pristine |
| seas. | | | | condition. Typical of most caves, Kartchner |
| | | | Caverns has its share of bats. In fact, |
| Another great thing about visiting a cave is | | | | during the summer the Cave's Big Room becomes |
| that you are able to step back in time a bit, | | | | a nursery roost with over 1,000 female bats. |
| as many caves have served as dwellings for | | | | |
| early humans, offering shelter from the | | | | Meramec Caverns - Stanton, Missouri |
| outside elements. Another interesting thing | | | | |
| about caves - when you've toured one, you're | | | | Like your caves on the commercial side? Then |
| going to want to tour another. Luckily there | | | | you'll love Meramec Caverns, which has a gift |
| are numerous caves to explore in America that | | | | shop inside the entrance of the cave. In |
| can keep you busy year after year. Let's | | | | fact, Meramec Caverns is the largest |
| take a look at several which offer guided and | | | | commercial cave in Missouri, which is known |
| self-guided tours perfect for the whole | | | | as the "Cave State" due to it containing over |
| family: | | | | 6,000 surveyed caves. In addition to its |
| | | | natural history, Meramec Caverns has some |
| Mammoth Cave National Park - Kentucky | | | | interesting recent history, as legend has it |
| | | | that the cave was used as a part of the |
| Since 1816, visitors have toured Mammoth | | | | "Underground Railroad" to aid escaping |
| Cave, one of the world's longest and most | | | | slaves. Legend also has it that Jesse James |
| famous cave systems. The name Mammoth was | | | | and his gang hid out in the caves after |
| coined not from the prehistoric wooly | | | | committing train and bank robberies. |
| mammoth, but because the cave system is so | | | | |
| huge - more than 365 miles of it has been | | | | Meramec Caverns also has the distinction of |
| explored so far. | | | | having a ballroom inside the caves which |
| | | | hosts many private and public events, such as |
| Cave tour prices range from $4 to $45 and | | | | an Easter Sunrise Service. The ballroom is |
| include tours for all levels of experience, | | | | an interesting combination of chairs, sound |
| from a 30-minute, self-guided discovery tour | | | | system, lighting and, yes, limestone and |
| to a 6-1/2 hour "Wild Cave Tour" for more | | | | stalagmites. |
| advanced cavers which involves free-climbing | | | | |
| cave walls and crawling through areas as low | | | | Other Missouri Caves and Caverns |
| as 9 inches high. Temperature inside the | | | | |
| cave usually stays around 54° Fahrenheit | | | | As long as you're visiting Meramec Caverns, |
| year-round. | | | | why not check out some of the other caves in |
| | | | Missouri? Some notable ones include: |
| Jewel Cave National Monument - South Dakota | | | | |
| | | | Fantastic Caverns - Springfield, Missouri |
| Located just east of the Wyoming border, | | | | |
| Jewel Cave is considered one of the best | | | | Fantastic Caverns is considered "America's |
| caves in the National Park system, and number | | | | Ride-Through Cave" and is great for seniors, |
| three on the list of longest caves in the | | | | physically-challenged individuals and people |
| world! Much of the cave remains unexplored | | | | with small children because you don't walk |
| today. But tours inside the cave offer | | | | though the cave, but, rather you take a |
| breathtaking walks and intense caving | | | | jeep-drawn tram through the cave. |
| adventure. Aside from stalactites and | | | | |
| stalagmites, several varieties of bats reside | | | | Marvel Cave - Branson, Missouri |
| inside the cave especially during winter. | | | | |
| | | | Again, if you like your caves on the |
| Jewel Cave offers three different tour | | | | commercial side, then Marvel Cave is for you. |
| packages, each requiring a different level of | | | | Marvel Cave is another "living cave" with |
| experience. The easiest tour is the Basic | | | | formations that are still growing, and is now |
| Tour, which most people should be able to | | | | part of Silver Dollar City, an amusement park |
| manage. Of course, you have to remember this | | | | with over 30 rides and attractions, the cave |
| is a cave, so there will be some steps to | | | | being one of them. |
| climb. On the Basic Tour there are 723 steps | | | | |
| to manage, but you don't have to climb them | | | | Mark Twain Cave - Hannibal, Missouri |
| all at once, they are interspersed throughout | | | | |
| the 1/2 mile tour. The next tour in | | | | The Mark Twain Cave was discovered in 1819 |
| difficulty is the Historic Tour which enters | | | | and is Missouri's oldest show cave, providing |
| and leaves the cave through an historic | | | | tours to the public for over 114 years. The |
| entrance and views the cave from an unpaved | | | | cave is named after "Mark Twain," the pen |
| trail. You will carry lanterns on this tour, | | | | name of Samuel Clemens, who explored the cave |
| which is considered strenuous. Children | | | | quite frequently and wrote about its wonders. |
| under 6 are not allowed on the Historic Tour. | | | | Again, legend has it that Jesse James and |
| For the experienced cavers, Jewel Caves | | | | his gang hid out in the caves. |
| offers a Spelunking Tour, a 4 to 5-hour tour | | | | |
| which snakes through 2/3 of a mile of the | | | | If you're looking for something interesting |
| Cave. You are provided a headlamp by the | | | | and unusual to do with your family on your |
| park service, but you must provide all your | | | | next vacation, do consider visiting one of |
| other equipment. In addition, you must be | | | | the many fascinating caves that America has |
| over 16 and pass a number of tests before | | | | to offer. You may discover a passion you |
| being allowed on the Spelunking Tour, | | | | never knew existed. |