cave tours tucson

The Four Best Caves in Tucson, Arizona

By: Author Amar Hussain

Posted on Last updated: January 24, 2023

Have you ever wondered what beneath the surface of the earth looks like? Be sure to grab your hiking boots and check out these awesome caves in Tucson, Arizona, and surrounding areas!

For those looking for more adventure, get with experts and try spelunking. This type of cave tour involves crawling, climbing, and squeezing through tight spaces of caves for a more exhilarating experience!

Below we will discuss the best caves to visit in Tucson, Arizona, and the surrounding area.

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Kartchner Caverns

Colossal cave, coronado cave, peppersauce cave.

This 200,000-year-old cave was only recently discovered – in 1974 by cavers. The founders of the cave initiated conservation efforts, and the State Park was open to the public by 1999.

This might be the most recently discovered cave you will ever visit. If you’re looking for a cave tour with beautiful sights and colors, this cave is for you! Kartchner Caverns is home to a variety of cave formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, cave popcorn, columns, drapery, and more!

It homes a famous 58-foot column called ‘Kublai Khan’ in one of its cave rooms. This cavern state park is also known for its incredibly thin soda straw cave formations. The park also offers hiking trails, camping, cabins, and a hummingbird garden.

The four cave tours they offer are:

• Throne Tour: This tour lasts approximately one and a half hours. This tour features the cave discoverers’ original journey, the famous Kublai Khan, and beautiful cave formations.
• Big Room Tour: This tour lasts approximately one hour and 45 minutes. This tour is only available October-April, and you will learn about the cave’s past, present, and future. This tour features colorful rock formations and teaches visitors about the wildlife of the cave.
• Helmet and Headlamp Tour: This tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes. This tour shows visitors a glimpse of the founders’ discovery by only using the light of headlamps! This tour is also only available October-April.
• Photo Tours: This tour lasts 2 hours and allows visitors to take photos of the cave. Photo tours are available every third Saturday of the month.

Colossal Cave State Park will be sure to give you western vibes while bringing some adventure into play with their cave tours! This park spans over 2,400 acres in the desert, and its cave displays beautiful crystal formations. Be sure to plan to have enough time to spend at this park because they offer more than just cave tours!

Other activities this park offers include horseback riding, a petting zoo, camping, and more.

The three cave tours they offer are:

• Classic Cave Tour: This tour lasts around 40 minutes and is great for the whole family. This tour takes you about six stories deep underground and showcases helicities, flowstone, box work, and more. The classic cave tour is offered daily on the hour.
• Ladder Tour: This tour lasts an hour and a half and is for those looking for some serious excitement. You will climb ladders, squeeze through tight spaces, and walk across rock bridges in this tour. An adult must accompany children under 18, and children under 12 are not permitted.
• Wild Cave Tour: Feeling even more adventurous than the ladder tour? This one is for you. This tour lasts three and a half hours and is very intense. In this tour, you will crawl and explore the deepest corners of the cave. Children under the age of 16 are not permitted.

Part of the Coronado National Forest , Coronado Cave is nestled at the bottom of Montezuma Peak. Visitors are allowed to explore this cave on their own or take a guided cave tour.

Tip: Make sure to bring a headlamp or flashlight if touring the cave on your own.

This cave is about 600 feet long and spans to about 70 feet wide in most places. It offers beautiful views of cave rock formations.

This cave is only accessible by hike. The Cave Trail is over a half-mile long and climbs 400 feet – it’s an adventure alone getting to the cave entrance. Getting into the cave will require a bit of climbing down a slope of boulders, but it’s an easy hike once inside the cave itself.

The trail begins from a pull-off spot along the road on the floor of Montezuma Canyon. The trailhead is approximately a quarter-mile west of the visitor center.

If you prefer to visit the cave with a tour guide, tours are available in January, February, April, and May. The area also offers hiking, a picnic area, and wildlife viewing.

Also located in the Coronado National Forest, this cave is for those who don’t mind exploring it on their own as they don’t offer guided tours. The cave is only accessible by hike. Peppersauce Cave has been open to the public since the 1940s.

Exploring this cave will feel extra special since it’s such a hidden gem. It’s known for its underground lake, rockslide, and having ropes and ladders to help visitors explore!

Cave caretakers ask that visitors please be respectful to the cave and refrain from littering or leaving things behind. They implemented a cave conservation program in 2017 to keep the cave clean and accessible to the public!

These four caves in Tucson and surrounding areas will make for an awesome visit on your trip to the southwest. Explore the underground beauties of colorful stones and unique rock formations for an adventure you won’t forget!

Tip: Always wear comfortable shoes when visiting caves. It’s also important to carry light sources and water, especially if exploring a cave without a guide!

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Amar was born and raised in England and embarked on an 11-country round-the-world gap year after graduation and then became well and truly hooked. The first gap year inspired a second, which ended up being a 23-country down-the-world trip from Canada to Antarctica. Since then, Amar has spent the last 14 years traveling the 7 continents.

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Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Colossal Cave Mountain Park 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail, Vail, AZ 85641 520-647-7275 colossalcave.com

This half-mile long guided walk takes about 40 minutes to complete. It’s the perfect family-friendly introduction to the Cave. You’ll learn about the Cave’s history, its legends (like train robbers and ghosts), and its unique geology. As you descend approximately six stories deep (363 stair steps) you’ll see some amazing cave formations including stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, box work, and helictites that were sculpted by millions of years of geological activity. And keep an eye out for the wildlife too!

Admission Fees

 Adults: $23 Children (5-12 yrs): $13 Active Military Adult with ID: $21

NOTE: No Children under 5 allowed on tour. Pets are not allowed on any cavern tour. Please do not leave pets in vehicles while taking a tour.

THE STABLES

Trail Rides 30 minutes: $40.00 1 hour: $50.00 1.5 hours – $70.00 2 hours – $85.00 Sunset Rides – $65 Lunch Rides – $95 Wagon Rides – $7.50 per person with $75.00 minimum

The wagon is available for weddings and special events. Riding Lessons Available!

Park Hours: 8am – 4pm OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

Cave Hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm Friday-Sunday 9am-4pm Tour Hours May Vary

For more information, please contact the Park at (520) 647-PARK(7275), or email to [email protected]

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Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Price & Hours

• Facilities 3.0
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Take a hint from the desert animals and head underground during the heat of the day. The Colossal Cave was discovered in 1879 by Solomon Lick, a local rancher. Today, the cave, which is now equipped with stairs and lights, is a tourist attraction that's featured on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors interested in touring the cave have two options: the Classic Cave Tour and the Ladder Tour.

The 40-minute Classic Cave Tour requires participants to descend six stories (via approximately 360 stairs) for a half-mile guided walk that features stories of the cave's history and lore (including tales of ghosts and robbers) and geological wonders like stalactites and stalagmites. Those in search of an adventure may want to book the 90-minute Ladder Tour, which requires participants to navigate narrow passages and walk across rock bridges to access areas of the cave that have been restricted to most visitors since the 1950s. Beyond the cave, the park features more than 2,400 acres that can be explored via hiking and biking trails, and it's brimming with wildlife. For a real Western feel, visitors can take a trail ride (for an extra fee) from the stables located in the La Posta Quemada Ranch.  

Recent visitors recommended taking a cave tour to enjoy a respite from the Arizona heat. Reviewers praised the energy and knowledge of the tour guides, and said this is a great activity if you're traveling with kids.

Located about 30 miles southeast of downtown Tucson in Vail, Arizona, Colossal Cave Mountain Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cave tours are offered from 10 a.m. to 2 or 3 p.m. daily. The Classic Cave Tour is available hourly and costs $22 for adults and $12 for kids ages 5 to 12. Note that children 4 and younger are not allowed in the cave. The Ladder Tour, which is open to participants ages 12 and older, requires reservations and costs $50 per person. Ladder Tours operate at 1:30 p.m. daily, with additional morning tours available on the weekends. For more information, visit the park's official website .

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#1 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Although it's called a "museum," this facility, which is home to animals, a botanical garden, an aquarium and an art gallery – is more of a zoo. In fact, 85% of what you'll experience is outdoors and requires walking (dress accordingly). Across the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's 98 acres, you'll find 230 animal species – including hummingbirds, coyotes and string rays – along with 1,200 local plant species. Next to the entrance plaza, visitors pass the Warden Aquarium and Reptile, Amphibian & Invertebrate Hall before heading out to explore the rest of the exhibits via walking paths. Strolling along the museum's 2 miles of hiking trails, visitors get acquainted with the desert landscape via animal exhibits that mingle with native plants. And if you feel hungry after your leisurely hike, you can enjoy a meal at one of the museum's three eateries, all of which have great views of the surrounding desert.

Recent visitors enjoyed their time at the museum and highly recommended future travelers set aside a few hours to explore the attraction's grounds and educational exhibits. Just make sure you come prepared: bring a refillable water bottle for the numerous fill stations, wear appropriate walking shoes, sun protection and sunscreen (though, if you forget your sunscreen, there are dispensers in the on-site bathrooms). Reviewers also advised stopping by in the morning or near closing as that's when the animals are most active. Aside from the flora and fauna, visitors also praised the knowledgeable docents.

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Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Top ways to experience Colossal Cave Mountain Park and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Rafael Sanchez, tour guide, shines a light on a stalactite named Fang during a classic cave tour in Colossal Cave, 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail. Colossal Cave Mountain Park offers different cave tours including a classic cave tour, the ladder tour and a “lights out” tour.

• Rebecca Sasnett, Arizona Daily Star
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Bartender Mike Walsh rings up a tab at the Tough Luck Club, under Reilly Craft Pizza at 101 E. Pennington.

• Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Auguste Rodin’s Adam stands on the lowest level of the Tucson Museum of Art.

The wine cellar and dining room at El Charro, used for overflow and large parties, features stone cellar walls at 311 N. Court Ave.

Discovered in 1974, Kartchner Caverns is home to one of the world’s longest soda straw stalactites, the world’s most extensive formation of brushite moonmilk and the tallest and most massive column (58 feet) in Arizona.

• Arizona State Parks and Trails

The Queen Mine tour in Old Bisbee takes you, by train and by foot, on an hour journey into the historic copper mine. 

• Queen Mine Tours

Pockets of Tucson history, culture, food and drink can be found below our feet if you know where to look. 

From basement bars to cave tours: A guide to Tucson underground

From the get a taste of tucson with these 2021 stories by star reporter gerald gay series.

Gerald M. Gay

• Jul 13, 2021
• Jul 13, 2021 Updated Dec 13, 2022
• 6 min to read

If you scratch just below the surface in Tucson, more often than not the only thing you’ll find are fingernails full of caliche.

Besides the desert’s ground squirrels, kangaroo rats and rattlesnakes, this city is a mostly above-ground town.

But pockets of history, culture, food and drink can be found below our feet if you know where to look.

Feed your minds and your stomachs while trying some of these underground activities.

Tough Luck Club

101 E. Pennington St., 882- 5550; fa ce book.com/ToughLuckClub

One of the finest craft cocktail bars in Tucson is in what was once the morgue for a long-gone funeral home.

Tough Luck Club opened in 2014 in the basement of Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink, a restaurant that has inhabited the old Reilly Funeral Home building at 101 E. Pennington, for the last nine years.

If you are new to Tucson, Tough Luck Club is a bit of a hidden gem. While active on social media, its only public entrance is a flight of stairs leading from Reilly’s back-area beer garden.

Its menu features a mix of traditional cocktails, their takes on the Old Fashioned, Moscow Mule and other bar staples, alongside more adventurous libations with interesting names, such as Saint Amand’s Favor, a drink that incorporates génépy, raspberry eau de vie, lemon juice, vanilla syrup and an aromatic bitter; and Across the Golden Border, named after a song by Tucson band The Resonars, that Tough Luck beverage director Karl Goranowski describes as a “tropical escape to Rocky Point behind the bar here in Tucson.”

Goranowski, who returned to Reilly for its recent reopening after five years spent in San Francisco, said Tough Luck Club’s greatest attribute is its accessibility.

Sure, it has high-end cocktails with out-there ingredients, but it also serves a mean strawberry daiquiri and has a regular $5 beer and a shot special.

“It is pretty inviting,” Goranowski said. “It is an excellent cocktail bar, but it has also become a pseudo-dive bar and pseudo-party spot. There is a little something for everyone.”

Goranowski said the muted lighting and overall atmosphere, along with the fact that basement bars just don’t exist in Tucson, makes it a welcoming place to escape the heat.

“You can really get lost in here,” he said. “Even in the middle of a hot summer afternoon, it is cool and dark. You can spend a few hours down here and not even realize it.”

Tough Luck Club is open 5 p.m.-midnight Wednesdays-Thursdays and on Sundays, and 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays.

Tucson Museum of Art

140 N. Main Ave., 624-2333; tucs onmuseumofart.org

When the Tucson Museum of Art first opened its doors in 1975, the Tucson Citizen referred to its design — a large open space built down into the ground, accessible by sloping walkways that spiral to the lower levels along art-covered walls — as the “well.”

Designed by William Wilde & Associates, Paul Piazza, the museum’s director at the time, said the layout allowed patrons to examine works in a different way.

“You’ll be able to look down at a sculpture, up at a painting,” he told the Citizen. “The architect’s concept, the board’s concept, is that people should be able to view art from different levels.”

Today, the lower level is home to most of the museum’s permanent galleries, said spokeswoman Anne Thwaits. Those works come from the TMA’s collection of more than 10,000 pieces of art.

The galleries represent a wide swath of genres and mediums, from European modern to interpretations of the American West.

It’s not every day you can say you’ve looked at a Maynard Dixon painting at a subterranean level.

The museum is open with timed sessions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays. Admission is $12 with discounts available. Reservations are encouraged.

After you are through with the arts and culture, hoof it over to El Charro ‘s downtown location, 311 N. Court Ave., within walking distance of the museum, and enjoy a chimichanga or the restaurant’s popular carne seca platter, within its stone-walled wine cellar.

The underground surroundings are generally used for when things get busy upstairs or for private parties, so call ahead for availability, 622-1922.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park

16721 E. Old Spanish Trail, 647-7275; colo ssalcave.com

If cave walls could talk, we imagine the walls at Colossal Cave would have more than enough to say.

The cave has seen its share of history, starting with the Hohokam people using it as shelter as far back as 900 A.D., according to the Colossal Cave Mountain Park website.

It has served as a hideout for outlaws, a resource for bat guano and a project for the Civilian Conservation Corps. For decades, its primary purpose has been that of a tourist attraction.

Depending on the time of year, up to 1,500 people a day enter the cave to see the stalactites, stalagmites and other rock formations.

Several tours are currently being offered. The classic tour takes you on a 40-minute, half-mile loop inside of the cave, while the ladder tour, meant for more adventurous patrons, delves off the beaten path, says park director Tony Gonzales.

“You can’t be scared and you can’t be claustrophobic,” Gonzales said of the ladder tour. “There are ladders, scaffolding, places where you have to squeeze in. You have gloves on, knee pads, helmets, a head lamp, because there is no lighting back there.”

Colossal Cave also offers a “Lights Out” lantern tour that lets you explore the cave system like early explorers once did, in the dark.

Its Wild Tour, which takes its most daring visitors deep inside the cave through tight spaces and unmarked pathways, is on hold until the fall.

Gonzales came onboard with Colossal Cave Mountain Park in late 2019, shortly after management was taken over by Ortega National Parks, a company that runs facilities at different parks from Hawaii to Maine.

Colossal Cave stayed open through most of the COVID pandemic, with all of the usual restrictions in place. At this point, many of those restrictions have been lifted.

“For a while, it was a lot of locals, but a lot of people are starting to come out now,” Gonzales said. “They are from back East, the Midwest. They are coming from everywhere.”

The classic tours are $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 5-12. Children under 5 are not permitted. The ladder tours, which are only available to ages 12 and older are $40. “Lights Out” tours are $25. Gonzales said reservations at colossalcave.com are highly recommended.

Keep the cave theme going with a trip 50 minutes east of Tucson to Kartchner Caverns State Park, off Arizona 90 on the way to Sierra Vista.

Discovered in 1974, the caverns are home to one of the world’s longest soda straw stalactites, the world’s most extensive formation of brushite moonmilk and the tallest and most massive column (58 feet) in Arizona, according to the Kartchner Caves website, azstateparks.com/kartchner

The site strongly encourages making reservations ahead of time. There are several tours to choose from, including a Rotunda tour, a Big Room tour and a helmet and headlamp tour. Admission is $23 for adults per tour and $13 for children, ages 7-13 year olds. Children 6 and younger are only allowed on the Rotunda tour. Admission for them is $5.

Photos are not permitted inside Kartchner Caverns unless you take the photo tour, which will run you $125. A separate admission to the park itself is $7 per vehicle.

Farther afield

With all of the artsy, boozy fun that can be had in Bisbee these days, it is easy to forget that this destination nestled in the Mule Mountains of Cochise County began its life as a mining town.

If the giant open pit just south of Old Bisbee doesn’t jog your memory, perhaps a tour of the Queen Mine will. Queen Mine Historic Mining Tours take place several times a day and admission is $14 for adults and $6.50 for ages 6-12. Children younger than 6 are not allowed underground.

The tour takes you, by train and by foot, on an hour journey into the mine, where a tour guide talks about Bisbee’s mining history, the equipment used and the geography of the mine itself.

The mine has been operating tours with limited capacity since last June, but has recently increased its numbers. Up to 32 people are now allowed to go on the tour at one time.

“This summer has been busier than past summers, even pre-pandemic,” said mine tour manager Doug Graeme. “Things have been popping.”

More information about the Queen Mine Tour can be found at queenminetour.com

A 360-degree view of the command center at the Titan Missile Museum, 1580 W. Duval Mine Road, in Green Valley. The museum is a decommissioned site open for tours.

Hop on Interstate 19 toward the US-Mexico border and head about 40 minutes south to Green Valley for a trip to the Titan Missile Museum, 1580 W. Duval Mine Road, the only remaining Titan II site open to the public, according to the museum website, titanmissilemuseum.org

Take a 45-minute tour of the underground facility and learn all about the Cold War missile complex, sit in on a launch simulation and take a gander at the missile itself.

The Titan Missile Museum is open 9:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays-Mondays. Admission is $13.50 with discounts available.

A tortoise at an eastside home was grateful for cool water during this heat wave. After drinking, the tortoise eventually dipped more of its head and a foot into the water. Video by Nick Murray.

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More in Get a taste of Tucson with these 2021 stories by Star reporter Gerald Gay (3 of 10)

Teatro Carmen to see new life as downtown Tucson performance venue

• Underground
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In this Series

Get a taste of tucson with these 2021 stories by star reporter gerald gay, updated dec 26, 2022 article, a tucson record label is releasing some of janis joplin's earliest recordings, updated dec 13, 2022 article, family hopes old west movie set near tucson is too tough to die.

Kartchner Caverns State Park

Explore Southern Arizona’s underground spectacle just south of Benson off Highway 90.

This massive limestone cavern was discovered in 1974 but kept a secret until all protections were in place for Arizona State Parks to open the living cave to the public in 1999. The ADA-accessible park and trail system inside the caverns ensure all who want to see this spectacular place can. Start at the Discovery Center, where a video presentation chronicles the discovery of the cave and the passion project that took 25 years to complete.

Go Underground

Guided tours of Kartchner Caverns reveal an incredible underground world. Visitors pass through airlocks and misting systems to protect the delicate ecosystem from the arid environment up top. The Rotunda/Throne Tour follows the original trail a half mile through the caverns and features Kubla Khan, the tallest column formation known in Arizona at 58 feet. The tour also passes the miraculous “soda straw” stalactite, which is more than 21 feet long and growing. Other ways to experience the caverns include The Big Room Tour, Helmet & Headlamp Tour and Photo Tour — the only time visitors are allowed to bring anything other than themselves into the caverns.

Above-Ground Hikes

Near the Discovery Center, the Ocotillo Trail and Foothills Loop combine for a three-mile hike through the surrounding Coronado National Forest. Hikers trek through dry desert washes and gentle hills above the cave studded with vibrant desert plants. The Guindani Trail offers more strenuous hiking on a rugged four-mile trek. From the highest points of the Whetstone Mountains, hikers can see the sky island mountain ranges that rise along the Southern Arizona horizon.

Gateway to Southern Arizona

Sixty camping and RV sites near the Discovery Center invite visitors to stay the night in a “dark sky park” that preserves the area’s clear skies and starry nights. Hotels in nearby Benson and Tucson also make the perfect home base to visit many of Southern Arizona’s signature attractions. Visitors discover ties to Arizona’s heritage at Tombstone and Bisbee , legendary sites that hold onto their Wild West roots. The closest metro area to Kartchner Caverns State Park is Sierra Vista , a gateway to outdoor adventures including Ramsey Canyon Preserve and segments of the Arizona National Scenic Trail that wind through the Huachuca Mountains all the way down to the Mexico border.

For More Information

Kartchner Caverns State Park 2980 S. Hwy 90 Benson, AZ 85602 (520) 586-4100

Visit Destination Website

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Colossal Cave Ladder Tour Review

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I highly recommend paying a little extra for a guided colossal cave ladder tour. This will allow you to get more in depth and up close to the cave.

Colossal Cave History

Colossal Cave is one of the largest dry caves in north America, and the third largest cave in the world. The cave was formed during the Mississippian Period,   over 320 million years ago! Colossal Cave used to be underwater but eventually it dried to become what it is today. It is made up of limestone and has many stalactites (limestone hanging from the ceiling) and stalagmites (limestone coming up from the ground) throughout.

Colossal Cave is approximately 6 stories deep and has 3.5 miles of mapped passageways.

It is now considered a dry or dormant cave. This means that although the cave is still alive, it does not continue to grow. Because of this, it is one of the few caves where you can take pictures inside of it.

Colossal Cave was discovered in 1879 but became legendary when train robbers used it as a hideout after pulling a job.

Colossal Cave is located on a working ranch and also offers horseback riding, camping, hiking and bird watching.

How Far is Colossal Cave from Tucson

Colossal Cave Mountain Park is about 15 minutes Southeast of Tucson in Vail, Arizona. If you are coming down IH 10, you will see a sign specifying which exit to take. It’s an easy route after that and there is a large entrance sign letting you know you’ve arrived.

If you are military and you are coming from Ft Huachuca, it is about an hour drive along IH 10. If you make it into Tucson, then you have gone too far.

Colossal Cave Hours & Parking

Colossal Cave Mountain park is open seven days a week, from 8 am – 4 pm. They only close two times a year, for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Parking is free to all guest. There is a large parking lot available, although you will still need to walk a bit to get to the gift shop and the meeting place for the tours. It’s not long and it is very pretty, giving you great views of the park and the mountains!

How much is it to get into Colossal Cave?

The entry fee to do a Classic Cave Tour is $12 for kids ages 5-12 and $22 for children 13+ and adults. Active military with ID get a discounted ticket price of $20.

However, if you want to do the Colossal Cave Ladder Tour , which I highly recommend, that is going to cost you $50 per person. No special pricing for active military that I am aware of.

The Classic Cave Tour lasts about 45-55 minutes and is good for anyone 5 years or older.

In order to do the Colossal Cave Ladder Tour, you will need to buy your ticket online and set up a reservation. This tour is 1.5 hours long and is recommended for anyone 12 years and older. Children under the age of 18 will need to be accompanied by an adult, so make sure you budget for that additional ticket.

You also need to be physically fit as you will be going up and down ladders, squeezing into tight spaces, crawling on your knees, and at times, jumping over open areas.

What Should I Wear to Colossal Cave?

If you are just doing the Classic Cave Tour, you can wear whatever you are comfortable in just make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes, preferably closed toes. No special equipment is necessary. They will provide you with a lantern.

As for the Colossal Cave Ladder Tour, you will need to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and clothes that cover most of your body. Long pants and a t-shirt are recommended. If you get cold easily, I would recommend a long sleeve shirt.

Closed-toed shoes and gloves are also required for the Colossal Cave Ladder Tour. Gloves will not be provided so make sure you bring your own, or they have some available for sale at their gift shop. I like these gloves. For shoes, it’s safer if you bring sturdy shoes with good traction like these . I wore Keds, because that’s what I always wear, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I slipped or was scared of slipping while on the tour.

Before the Colossal Cave Ladder Tour begins, you will be briefed on some safety measures and given a helmet and headlamp. This would be a good time to mention any medical conditions you may have.

The temperature inside Colossal Cave is always a cool 70°F so make sure you take that into consideration when picking out what you are going to wear regardless of if you are doing the Classic Tour or the Ladder Tour.

Are There Bats in Colossal Cave?

Yes, there is a high likelihood that you will see bats during your visit to Colossal Cave since many live there.

There is also a chance you will encounter other wildlife as this is a large park. That’s why it’s so important to wear closed-toed shoes.

We encountered this little fella before we began our Colossal Cave Ladder tour. Luckily someone else spotted it and said something because I was completely oblivious. And while they are harmless when left alone, it’s best to just stay away completely.

Okay, now that you know everything you need to know about the Colossal Cave, let’s talk more in detail about the Colossal Cave Ladder Tour!

The tour begins by everyone meeting at the gift shop. Groups are small and I really like this because it gives you more time to stop and look around and to ask your tour guide questions.

From there, we went into a room to leave our belongings and get our helmets and headlamps. These are provided as part of your Colossal Cave Ladder Tour. Here our tour guide also explained to us what we were going to be doing, what we would be seeing, and explained safety measures.

You start the Ladder Tour similar to the Classic Tour, by walking down the pathway and seeing the popular. Then you get to a point where you get to go under the roped walkway and this is where you begin the official Colossal Cave Ladder Tour.

I don’t want to spoil this experience by telling you everything, so I want to keep this brief. I think part of the fun of these experiences is being surprised by what comes next.

But I will tell you that like its name, you will be using ladders to go up and down different areas of the cave. Some of these ladders are small and short, while others are longer. Only one person is allowed to be on the stairs at a time, for safety.

There is also a built in buddy system, where you communicate what you will be doing to the person behind you. Such as where to grab hold with your hands and where to place your foot when getting through tight areas.

Our tour guide was great, pointing out unique things in the cave and explaining us the history of how they were formed. I learned a lot more about limestone than I ever thought I would.

Along with being up close to the cave, the tour was also interactive. Our tour guide allowed us to touch the limestone, and even make music with pieces that had become hollow. She also encouraged us to take pictures and pointed out cool picture areas.

If you are wondering how low or high we go in the cave, I’ll let you know now that we do not go down to the sixth level. A lot of this has to do with safety. The employees of Colossal Cave Mountain Park, walk the path often and make sure that it is safe for anyone visiting. They also walk the Ladder Tour to make sure the routes are safe. I don’t believe there are any set paths open to the public to go all the way down.

Honestly, I thought the 90 minute tour went by really fast. Once you cross into the deeper parts of the cave that are not part of the Classic Tour, you start getting into it and focusing more on your surroundings. This helps the time pass by a lot quicker.

I honestly wasn’t ready to go home. I wanted to explore more of the cave! Getting down on my knees, crawling and squeezing through small spaces and going over cracks in the cave made me feel like a real explorer!

I never used to be the outdoorsy, wake up early on a Saturday morning to go climb into a cave type of girl. But since living in Arizona, and realizing all the beautiful nature that is out there, I don’t mind it.

The Colossal Cave Ladder Tour is a great beginner tour for anyone wanting to explore without it being too extranius. Our group was made up of mainly older people and honestly I think some of them did better at climbing up and down the ladders than me!

I also did not come out as dirty as I thought I would, but I still wouldn’t wear my Sunday best for this tour.

All in all, for anyone looking for something fun and unique to do in Tucson, Arizona, I highly recommend making the short drive down to Vail and doing the Colossal Cave Ladder Tour. Or, if you don’t have time, at least do the Classic Cave Tour and see the third largest cave in the world for yourself!

After you are done with your Colossal Cave Ladder Tour, make sure you go get some food at Boca Tacos , you’ve earned it!

Be sure to check out these posts:

Mayra Herrera is the founder of Small Town Runaway. She has worked as a travel blogger since 2017, writing about different locations she has lived in or visited. On STR she talks about personal experience and gives honest reviews. Mayra's unique experiences and in-depth knowledge make her an invaluable resource for fellow travel enthusiasts.

Creation Of Colossal Cave

From a geologists perspective, the Colossal Cave system is a newcomer to our planet. It creation began about 300 million years ago.

At that time, most of southwest America was under a large ocean. Over millions of years, the water receded. One of the materials from that process was limestone.

Moving forward to about 80 million years ago, eruptions pushed up the earth’s surface. That is how mountains formed around what is now Tucson.

The Rincon Mountain became the home for Colossal Cave. But not over night. After millions of years of water erosion, the cave reached a “dry” state.

That means formations in the Cave are completely dry, or “dead”. Formations do not grow — get bigger. Why??

The cave formed by water depositing limestone, but this source has disappeared.

In 1876, a man named Sidney H. Ramsey owned the Mountain Springs Station. The station was a stage stop approximately 22 miles east of Tucson.

A few years later, the station became a ranch. Around 1879, Solomon Lick a former Union soldier and a partner took over the ranch.

Later that year, Lick discovered Colossal Cave and its extensive cave system. Over 3.5 miles of passageways have been mapped. But this is less than 10% of the cave’s 39 miles of tunnels.

Colossal Cave is important to the areas history. Artifacts found in Colossal Cave confirmed it was used by the Hohokam Indians between 900 AD to 1450 AD.

La Posta Quemada Ranch got its name in 1875. The working ranch was the site of a Southern Pacific Line stagecoach station. The station burned  down in 1875.

From that day, the ranch was know as Posta Quemada which means “burnt station”.

Two Caves Not One

There are two caves in Colossal Cave Park. Colossal Cave is open to visitors. Arkenstone Cave is a “live cave” and not open to the public. The “live cave” designation means the cave continues to grow formations. Only research scientist have access to the Arkenstone cave.

Its estimated that Colossal Cave has about 39 miles of cave tunnels. But only 2 miles of tunnels explored and mapped. The 2 miles of tunnels open to visitor tours drop over 6 stories into the Cave.

Colossal Cave contains with stalagmites, stalactites and large columns. Formed by ground water seeping through the limestone ceilings of the cave to create them. As water flowed over millions of years mineral deposits in the water bond together.

When the water evaporates, mineral deposits bond to create the stalactites and stalagmites. Columns are formed by the union of a stalagmite and a stalactite.

Temperatures inside the Colossal Cave average 70 degrees (F) throughout the year. Even in the summer when outside temperatures are in the low 100’s.

Touring Colossal Cave

Visitors can explore Colossal Cave by taking anyone of six tours .

The “Short” Tour

This tour is for visitors that want to say “I was there”,  without spending a lot of time. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and covers about ½ mile. Tour guides describe the history of the cave, its geology and legends.

Although short, the tour takes you up and down the 6 ½ stories of the cave. So bring comfortable walking shoes.

Daytime Ladder Tour

This 1 1/2 tour takes visitors down the paths “less traveled” in the cave. The tour is strenuous and limited to those 12 years and older. But you will see sections of the Cave rarely seen by the public.

On this tour a helmet with headlamp and full fingered gloves are a required. The 1 ½ hour tours will have you

• Climb Ladders
• Scramble across bridges
• Squeeze through narrow passageways.
• See and learn about the array of formations in the cave.

Helmets and headlamp come with the tour, but gloves are not. You can bring your own gloves or buy some on site.

Nighttime Ladder Tour with Optional Dinner

As with the daytime ladder tour, this tour is strenuous! Participants will need to be fit, agile and able to move in tight spaces.

But participants will see the beauty of the Colossal Cave up close and personal. Helmets with headlamp come with the tour, but full finger gloves are not. Bring your own or buy them on site.

Dinner is at the Terrace At The Cave restaurant. Nothing fancy. The menu includes burgers, wraps, hot dogs, sandwiches and pizza.

Wild Cave Tour

The Wild Cave Tour is for the true explores. Guides follow the paths early explorers and outlaws walked. These unmarked paths meander ¼ mile in to the earth. This is caving at its best.

Two options are available.

• Intermediate – participants must be 14 years or older
• Advanced – For those 16 years and older

Tours are strenuous and participants will be climbing obstacles and squeezing through tight places. Tour size is limited to 6 people and lasts 3+ hours for the Intermediate tour and 4+ hours for the Advanced tour.

Helmets with headlamp and gloves are mandatory. Knee and elbow pads recommended. Guess what? They aren’t included either. Visit Home Depot or REA before signing up for this one!

Candlelight Tour

This tour attracts people with a hint of romance along with an adventurous spirit. Participants experience Colossal Cave as the first explores of Colossal Cave may have seen it in 1879. But with a lot more flair. Edges of pathways are lit with candles. And participant carry a candle as well.

The flickering images on the walls of the cave add a mystic and surreal feel. Shadows shimmer off the cave formations to create images of the past.

Participants must be 12 years or older and tours scheduled at least two weeks advanced.

Group Tours & School Tours

Got a lot of friends that want to do something different? Maybe a birthday outing? How about a group tour of Colossal Cave. 20 or more participants can schedule their own private tour. You can come with a smaller groups, but combined with other groups.

Scheduling requires 2 weeks advance notice.

Colossal Cave is a unique and a fascinating place to visit. Tours are available from easy walks to down and dirty caving. Pick the one that suites your fitness and agility. And remember, bring your own gloves and pads.

Please call (520) 647-7275 to make reservations and for current rates. Visit the Colossal Cave Park website for more INFORMATION .

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Picnic Anyone?

We have a cool shaded retreat for your picnic in the Park. It’s a wooded area in a narrow, steep-walled riparian canyon that was originally developed in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of their larger Park building initiative. Located below Colossal Cave, there are spots to accommodate large or small groups alike. The El Bosquecito and La Selvilla areas can entertain up to 72 and 96 people respectively. All have tables and most have grills. Restrooms and water are also available at both La Selvilla and El Bosquecito.

Didn’t bring your lunch? No problem. The Terrace Café has delicious grab-n-go Tucson specialties and other favorites so pick your spot, relax and listen for the birds to serenade your lunch.

If you’d like to spend more than just the day, why not camp here under the magnificent Sonoran skies? Campsites are tucked among the magnificent saguaro cacti and mesquite trees in Posta Quemada canyon, an area developed in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. These grounds consist of two large areas, El Bosquecito and La Selvilla, plus a number of smaller areas totaling 30 individual sites.

Camping Rates

• Tent Camping: $10 per tent/night • RV, Car and Horse Trailer Camping: $15 per vehicle/night

Check-in and pay at the Cave Shop before entering the camping area.

Important Camping Information

Camping is first-come, first-served. This is primitive camping. No electricity or RV hook-ups available. Water and restrooms are located in El Bosquecito and La Selvilla.

For the safety and security of the Park the front gates are locked at night. Please refer to the Park hours below before making your trip plans. For emergencies, there is a 911 phone located in the campgrounds near the “Y” intersection where the road branches to El Bosquecito and La Selvilla picnic areas.

Quiet hours are from 10pm to 6am. No generators, music, or loud noises during this time.

Fires are allowed in barbecues and established fire rings only, if we are in a fire-safe condition. Signs will be posted if fires are prohibited. Cutting trees or branches in the Park is strictly prohibited. Please bring your own firewood or charcoal.

Pets are always welcome, but they must be leashed or confined at all times. Please keep the Park clean and pickup after your animals.