Caves are one of those things you either love or hate. Serving as sanctuaries for ancient people and wildlife for millennia, they show a snippet of what life might have been like thousands of years ago. They’re also home to a huge variety of microorganisms that don’t exist anywhere else in the world.
On top of being little microbiome worlds of their own, the way caves were created is just as intriguing. Shaped by geological shifts over millions of years, cool subterranean temperatures, and underground water sources, they’re one of our planet’s most unique and unexplored landscapes.
There are around 45 thousand caves and caverns in the country, including the longest cave system on the planet. Whether caves give you goosebumps or make you want to grab a headlamp and explore, here are seven spectacular caves in the U.S.
7. Jewel Cave, South Dakota
In South Dakota’s Black Hills, the famous Jewel Cave boasts over 220 miles of mapped cave tunnels. It’s the third-longest cave in the world.
Although believed to be more than 60 million years old, Frank and Albert Michaud discovered it in 1900. The brothers initially believed it would be a successful crystal mine and explored the unknown cave using wooden ladders and candlelight.
Today, the only way to explore the cave is with a guide, who will lead you through chambers filled with the calcite crystals that give it its gemstone-inspired name.
6. Ruby Falls, Tennessee
Deep within the ground under Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, there is an underground waterfall called Ruby Falls. As far as caves go, this one has to be one of the most otherworldly. It almost feels like something out of an Avatar scene.
The waterfall, which drops from 145 feet, was discovered by Leo Lambert by accident in 1928 during an excavation project. He named it after his wife Ruby, a love story still captivating its visitors. Today, the waterfall is illuminated with colorful lights and is accessed by a glass-fronted elevator that descends into the heart of the mountain. The whole thing feels a bit like an amusement park, but it’s totally natural.
5. Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas
Everything is bigger in Texas, and the rule definitely applies to the Natural Bridge Caverns. Located just outside San Antonio, this cave is the largest commercial cave in the U.S. It’s named after the massive 60-foot natural limestone bridge close to its entrance. And speaking of all things big, the cave is also home to the world’s largest bat colony!
Stretching for two miles (that we know of), this cave was only discovered in 1960. Today, there are a bunch of tours that guide you through the hidden passages, teaching you about the stalactites and stalagmites.
4. Tuckaleechee Caverns, Tennessee
Tennessee’s Tuckaleechee Caverns date back between 20 and 30 million years. The Cherokee tribe used them as shelter in the 17th and 18th centuries, long before European settlers arrived in the country. They were only rediscovered in the mid-19th century.
The most famous section of the cave is the Big Room, which is so massive it could almost fit a football stadium inside. Another interesting part of the cave is the Silver Falls. Falling 210 feet, it’s considered one of the tallest subterranean waterfalls in the country.
3. Luray Caverns, Virginia
Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is famous for its natural beauty. But what many don’t know is that underneath the stunning landscape is a subterranean one – one where exquisite rock formations make up several cavern rooms.
The cave was discovered in 1878 and is most famous for its crystal-clear shallow lake. Although the lake is just a few inches deep, with the stalactites reflecting in the calm water, it almost looks like an optical illusion. Among other rooms, some are so huge that their ceilings reach ten stories high.
2. Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
Mammoth Cave really lives up to its name. It’s the world’s longest-known cave system, with over 426 miles of mapped-out passageways and corridors. Its complex labyrinth of pathways that have intrigued scientists since it was rediscovered in 1798. Of course, prehistoric humans explored the tunnels of this cave thousands of years before modern man found the entrance. The artifacts and petroglyphs they left behind offer a glimpse into their lives.
It’s basically an entire underground world, home to a variety of birds, crustaceans, fish, insects, plants and reptiles. Much of it is protected as part of the Mammoth Cave National Park, but being so big, some areas extend well beyond the park’s boundaries.
1. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Located in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, this cave system is the most famous in the country. It includes more than 119 known caves, all of which were created by a geological process involving dissolving sulfuric acid, limestone, and an ancient body of water. Over 250 million years ago, the cave was part of an underwater reef in an inland sea. I’ll leave it to the experts to explain the rest.
This is one of the few caverns you can explore alone, but I highly recommend going in with a ranger for a more educational experience. The caves are one of the most mysterious in the country, especially considering they were only discovered in the early 1900s. A guide will be able to take you into famous areas like the Hall of the White Giant and the Spider Cave.
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