Why do we love caves?
They are dark, cold, clammy, mildewy, and filled with flying creatures we are not wanting to snuggle up to. So why do we love to explore these underground paradises? For some, it is just the otherworldly feeling or the mystical magic that created these large underground pockets. Hopefully, you find your next adventure here in the Ultimate Guide for the Best Caves in the United States.
I have always enjoyed my trips through these caves and have not pinpointed why. As a child, my family would travel around and camp near some of these, and we would seem to migrate in their direction before the trip was over.
Marvel cave was one of my favorite caves I have toured, but I still need to check quite a few more off my list before I make a final decision. so, come along, and let’s explore together.
What is a cave?
A cave is naturally made or formed from water eating away at the softer stone (such as limestone) until all that is left is the harder rock (such as granite). This deterioration leaves everything from long narrow passageways to ballroom size chambers and beautiful rock formations.
What are those pointy things in a cave?
Stalactites hang from the ceiling of a cave while stalagmites grow from the cave floor. Most stalactites have pointed tips. A stalagmite is an upward-growing mound of mineral deposits that have precipitated from water dripping onto the floor of a cave.
Are there caves everywhere?
No, you will not find caves on every corner like a McDonald’s restaurant. Optimal cave production is in wet locations where the rock under your feet is softer (like limestone). Compared to some places, like Colorado, which is drier and has a solid foundation (like granite) below the soil.
20 Best Caves in the United States
- Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
- Kartchner Caverns, Arizona
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
- Blanchard Springs Caverns, Arkansas
- Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota
- Meramec Caverns, Missouri
- Ruby Falls, Tennessee
- Fantastic Caverns, Missouri
- Antelope Canyon, Arizona
- Black Chasm Cavern, California
- Luray Caverns, Virginia
- Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas
- Moaning Cavern, California
- Ohio Caverns, Ohio
- Ape Cave, Washington
- Niagara Cave, Minnesota
- Cosmic Caverns, Arkansas
- Marvel Cave, Missouri
- Jewel Cave, South Dakota
- Devil’s Den Spring, Florida
If you enjoy this list, you may also like to take a look @ 17 Best State Parks in the USA
1. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Park Entrance is Free
Cave Fees range from $4 to $66 depending on the tour and guide’s needs
They have multiple tours and it is best to call or check their website @ Mammoth Cave Park Services
Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world’s longest-known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, earning it the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.
When it comes to caves in the United States, Mammoth cave is one of the most popular destinations.
With nearly 53,000 acres the park is divided by the Green River into two halves with distinct personalities. The south side of the park is where you’ll find the visitor’s center, cave tours, and the easiest trails.
The wilder north side, accessible only by ferry crossing, hosts more than 60 miles of backcountry trails. Activities like hiking, camping, biking, and horseback riding can be enjoyed throughout.
Location
P.O. Box 7, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259-0007
Contact
Phone: 270-758-2180
2. Kartchner Caverns, Arizona
Vehicle Park Fee $7
Cave Tour $4 to $30
Kartchner Caverns State Park is a state park in Arizona, United States, featuring a show cave with 2.4 miles of passages. The park is located 9 miles south of the town of Benson and west of the north-flowing San Pedro River.
In November 1974, Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts were exploring the limestone hills at the eastern base of the Whetstone Mountains. They were looking “for a cave no one had ever found” and found it.
The two kept the cave a secret until February 1978 when they told the property owners, James and Lois Kartchner, about their awesome discovery. Since unprotected caves can be seriously damaged by unregulated use, they knew the cave had to be protected.
Tenen and Tufts spent several years looking into the possibility of developing the cave themselves. Some members of the Kartchner family lived in Tucson and were very impressed with the development and operation of Catalina State Park by Arizona State Parks.
They decided to approach State Parks to see if the agency was interested in acquiring this outstanding resource.
Location
2980 Arizona 90, Benson, AZ 85602
Contact
Phone: 520-586-4100
3. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
$15 Cave Fee for ages 16 and older
15 and under Free
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is in the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico. It features more than 100 caves. The Natural Entrance is a path into the namesake Carlsbad Cavern. Stalactites cling to the roof of the Big Room, a huge underground chamber in the cavern.
Walnut Canyon Desert Loop is a drive with desert views. Rattlesnake Springs, a desert wetland, attracts reptiles and hundreds of bird species. This is another one of the well-known caves in the United States that you need to visit.
Carlsbad Cavern includes a large limestone chamber, named simply the Big Room, which is almost 4,000 feet (1,220 m) long, 625 feet (191 m) wide, and 255 feet (78 m) high at its highest point. The Big Room is the largest chamber in North America and the thirty-first largest in the world.
Location
3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM 88220
Contact
Phone: 575-785-2232
4. Blanchard Springs Caverns, Arkansas
Cave Fees are $0 to $12 depending on the age
Wild Cave Tour $85
Blanchard Springs Caverns is a cave system located in the Ozark–St. Francis National Forest in Stone County in northern Arkansas, 2 miles off Highway 14 a short distance north of Mountain View. When it comes to caves in the United States, Arkansas has many to choose from.
Stroll through large, beautifully lighted rooms with handrails and paved trails for comfortable walking. Climb over rocks, crawl through and slide down red clay mud in an undeveloped section of the Caverns. Tour the “Water Works” exhibit hall and view the movie “The Amazing World Below” which introduces you to the underground world.
Location
704 Blanchard Springs Road, Fifty-Six, AR 72533
Contact
Phone: 870-757-2211
5. Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota
$6 to $12 Cave Fee depending on age
Wind Cave National Park is in the southwestern corner of South Dakota. It’s known for the vast, underground Wind Cave, with chambers like the Post Office and the Elks Room.
Many of the cave’s walls are rich in honeycomb-shaped calcite formations known as boxwork. The park’s prairie and pine forests are home to bison, elk, and pronghorn antelopes.
Trails include Rankin Ridge, with views of the Black Hills.
The first cave to be designated a National Park, Wind Cave National Park features the world’s largest concentration of rare boxwork formations along with 33,970 acres of forest and prairie on the surface that act as a natural sanctuary for wildlife.
Location
26611 US Highway 385, Hot Springs, SD 57747
Contact
Phone: 605-745-4600
6. Meramec Caverns, Missouri
Cave tour fees run between $14 to $26 depending on the age
Meramec Park offers plenty to do such as camping, rafting, hiking, swimming, and ziplining.
Being local to the area, I have visited this cave many times in my life, I still enjoy it as much as the first time. Missouri and Arkansas caves produce some of the best features due to the steady water flow throughout the caverns.
Beneath the fertile rolling hills of the Meramec Valley, lies a complex of mineral formations and colors as rare and unique as they are beautiful. These jewels of nature which took thousands of years to grow are preserved in the spectacular sights of Meramec Caverns.
Guided tours by trained rangers are conducted along well-lighted walkways. Learn how an ancient limestone “Wine Table” and an entire 7-story mansion were formed… all underground. On tour, you will see both the rarest and largest cave formations in the world. Caves in the United States go to when traveling in Missouri.
If you enjoy this list, you may also like to take a look @ 17 Best State Parks in the USA
Meramec Caverns is the collective name for a 4.6-mile cavern system in the Ozarks, near Stanton, Missouri. The caverns were formed from the erosion of large limestone deposits over millions of years. Pre-Columbian Native American artifacts have been found in the caverns.
Location
1135 Highway W, Sullivan, MO 63080
Contact
Phone: 573-468-CAVE
Best Caves in Missouri: Guide to the Amazing Underground
7. Ruby Falls, Tennessee
Cave tour fees range from $0 – $39.95 depending on age and tour
They even offer a romantic night for couples for $89.95
Ruby Falls is a series of underground cascading waterfalls totaling 145 feet in Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the United States.
Journey deep inside historic Lookout Mountain to see the tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public in the United States! Descend 260 feet by glass-front elevator to explore ancient formations along the cavern trail to see the thundering falls.
Breathtaking Ruby Falls was accidentally discovered by Leo Lambert in 1928 on an unexpected journey deep within Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN.
Leo named the falls after his wife, Ruby, and opened the iconic Chattanooga attraction to the public in 1929.
Today, Ruby Falls welcomes guests to Lookout Mountain from around the world to enjoy underground cave adventures, spectacular views of the Cumberland Plateau, and soaring zip lines.
Location
1720 South Scenic Hwy, Chattanooga, TN 37409
Contact
Phone: 423-821-2544
8. Fantastic Caverns, Missouri (only drive-thru tour)
Jeep tour rates are $0 to $30 depending on age
Groups of 20 can get a special rate of $7 to $18.50
These Caverns is a show cave located in Springfield, Missouri. Fantastic Caverns is the only “Caves in the United States” to offer a completely ride-through tour, which lasts 55 minutes and is held in a Jeep-drawn tram. The trams drive along the path left behind by an ancient underground river.
Fantastic Caverns, America’s Ride-Thru Cave, lies beneath the rolling Ozarks hills just north of Springfield, Missouri. Approximately five miles off Historic Route 66 and about an hour north of Branson, Missouri, this North American cavern offers a completely ride-through cave experience.
Propane-powered Jeep-drawn trams tour the path left behind by an ancient underground river. During the 55-minute all-riding cave tour, trams drive along a one-mile tour route providing guests an up-close look at beautiful cave formations, like giant columns stretching from floor to ceiling, delicate soda straws glistening with minerals and tiny cave pearls hidden in crystal-clear water.
No walking is necessary and trams are equipped with pull-out ramps to accommodate wheelchairs, making the tour convenient for everyone, especially older visitors, parents with small children, and individuals with physical limitations.
Fantastic Caverns
This Cavern is an all-weather natural cave attraction open year-round, with the temperature inside hovering at around 60 degrees F (15 degrees C) all the time.
When you’re ready to experience the Caverns, simply show up, get your tickets, and we’ll board your party on the next available ride-thru expedition.
Location
4872 N Farm Rd 125, Springfield, MO 65803
Contact
Phone: 417-833-2010
9. Antelope Canyon, Arizona
Fully guided tours run from $90 to $180
Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in the American Southwest, on Navajo land east of Page, Arizona. It includes two separate, scenic slot canyon sections, referred to as Upper Antelope Canyon, and Lower Antelope Canyon. This is not the norm when talking about the best caves in the United States, but well worth a visit.
Antelope Canyon is a sacred site of the Navajo people, whose land it lays on near Page, Arizona. It was protected as a Navajo Tribal Park in 1997 to preserve its sanctity and protect its natural beauty. This means two things: 1) visitors must be accompanied by an authorized tour guide to enter its walls, and 2) travelers must pay for and possess a parking permit to explore the Canyon. Access is forbidden under all other circumstances, and special care must be taken within its walls.
Location
22 South Lake Powell BLVD Page, AZ 86040
Contact
Phone: 855-574-9102
10. Black Chasm Cavern, California
Cave tour fees are $7.15 to $14.25
Black Chasm Cavern is a cave in the hamlet of the town of Volcano in Amador County, California.
This Cavern was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1986 by the National Park Service, due in part to its incredible display of rare helictite formations. It has been open for public tours since 1998.
Cave speleothems are generally formed by dripping or splashing water, but helictites are formed through hydrostatic pressure. Basically, water is pushed through porous walls leaving crystallized minerals on the other side. As the mineral deposits build up they tend to stack horizontally resulting in the incredible spun glass effect that can be seen in the Landmark Room on the walking tour.
Part of the tour takes visitors across a bridge giving small glimpses of the naturally blue lake below.
Guides talk about the early history of the cave and its unique geology. This is a fairly easy tour although there are quite a few stairs involved, it’s definitely worth seeing how beautiful the Sierra Nevada is on the underside!
Location
15701 Pioneer Volcano Rd. Volcano, CA 95689
Contact
Phone: 888-488-1960
11. Luray Caverns, Virginia
Cave Fees $16 to $32
Rope adventure park $11
Luray Caverns, originally called Luray Cave, is a cave just west of Luray, Virginia, United States, which has drawn many visitors since its discovery in 1878. The cavern system is generously adorned with speleothems such as columns, mud flows, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and mirrored pools.
Discover Eastern America’s largest and most popular caverns. 4,000,000 centuries in the making, this “must-see” U.S. Natural Landmark is noted for its profuse variety of formations and unsurpassed natural color.
One-hour tours from well-lighted, paved walkways lead visitors through cathedral-sized rooms with ceilings 10 stories high.
Enormous chambers are filled with towering stone columns, shimmering draperies, and crystal-clear pools. Also in this subterranean wonderland, “hear rocks sing” as you experience the haunting sounds of the world’s largest musical instrument, The Great Stalacpipe Organ.
Completely unique are the beautiful tones created by this one-of-a-kind instrument, which makes the music of concert quality from the surrounding stalactite formations covering more than three acres.
Location
101 Cave Hill Rd, Luray, VA 22835
Contact
Phone: (540) 743-6551
12. Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas
Cave Fees are $20 to $30 depending on dates and ages
The Natural Bridge Caverns are the largest known commercial caverns in the U.S. state of Texas. The name is derived from the 60 ft natural limestone slab bridge that spans the amphitheater setting of the cavern’s entrance. The span was left suspended when a sinkhole collapsed below it.
In March of 1960, Orion Knox Jr., Preston Knodell, Al Brandt, and Joe Cantu, four college students from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, obtained permission to explore the area that is now Natural Bridge Caverns.
The students were convinced that large underground passages existed under the amazing 60-foot limestone bridge. On their fourth expedition, Orion felt a cool draft from a rubble-filled crawlway. Such air currents often indicate the presence of additional rooms or passages.
The explorers made their way carefully climbing and crawling through two miles of vast cavern passage. After making this amazing discovery, they returned to the surface to tell the landowners.
The discoverers knew immediately what an astonishing find they had made and the land owners decided to develop the first 1/2 mile, the most spectacular part of the caverns, for the enjoyment of guests from around the world. That first 1/2 mile is now the Discovery Tour.
Natural Bridge Caverns Discovery Tour was developed with two main goals in mind: preservation of the caverns’ environment and the comfort of its guests. The result is one of the world’s premier show caverns, and one of the most popular attractions in Texas.
Location
26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266
Contact
Phone: (210) 651-6101
13. Moaning Cavern, California
Cave Fees are $0 to $22 depending on age and tour
Moaning Caverns is a solutional cave located in Calaveras County, California, near Vallecito, California in the heart of the state’s Gold Country. It is developed in marble from the Calaveras Formation.
Moaning Caverns was discovered in the 1840s by gold miners but there is evidence of arrowheads and other pointed tools that appear to have been quarried in the area, date back thousands of years, and tell us that the first humans on the continent may have lived near Moaning Caverns.
Artifacts and bones found in the cave date back hundreds of years and give us some insight into these ancient people. A necklace, displayed at our visitor center, was found in a clay layer and is estimated to be over 8,000 years old!
Our name comes from the moaning sounds that echoed out of the cave. Miners may have heard that sound when they came to this area in large numbers during the late 1840s.
Location
5350 Moaning Cave Rd, Vallecito, CA 95251
Contact
Phone: (209) 736-2708
14. Ohio Caverns, Ohio
Cave Tours are $10 to $30 depending on the date and tour selected
Ohio Caverns is a show cave located 30 miles from Dayton, Ohio near West Liberty, in Salem Township, Champaign County, Ohio in the United States. A popular tourist destination and member of the National Caving Association, it is the largest of all the cave systems in Ohio and contains many crystal formations.
Tours take guests through two different parts of the cavern. The Historic Tour begins at the site of discovery and includes the area that was originally explored from 1897 to 1925.
The Natural Wonder Tour takes guests on a 1-mile walk through parts discovered after 1925. It includes the largest stalactite in Ohio, The Crystal King, along with many other marvelous formations and colors.
The Winter Tour is the only tour offered from October 1st through April 30th. It is a hybrid tour, showing guests highlights from both the Natural Wonder and Historic tours.
Location
2210 OH-245 E, West Liberty, OH 43357
Contact
Phone: (937) 465-4017
15. Ape Cave, Washington
$2 Cave entrance fee – opened seasonally
Ape Cave is the third longest lava tube (2.5 miles long) in North America and the cave temperature is 42 degrees F/5.6 degrees C year-round.
So, make sure to bring two sources of light per person (a cell phone light is not bright enough), sturdy shoes, and warm clothing, even in warm weather. In summer, Ape Headquarters has a small base station that offers lantern rentals, information, and merchandise.
Ape Cave was discovered in 1947 by a logger named Lawrence Johnson. However, the cave was not explored until the early 1950s when a scout troop, led by Harry Reese, lowered a team of scouts down a 17-foot overhang to the cave floor.
Leaving footprints where no one ever had, these explorers were able to travel through a pristine lava tube full of fragile formations. Ape Cave was named by the Scout Troop in honor of their sponsor, the St. Helens Apes.
This local group was made up primarily of foresters. The sponsor’s name, St. Helens Apes, may have come from an old term used for foresters in the area, “brush apes,” or from the legend of Bigfoot.
Location
Forest Road 8303, Washington 98616
Contact
Phone: (360) 449-7800
16. Niagara Cave, Minnesota
Cave Fees are $12 to $20 opened seasonally
Niagara Cave is a limestone cave located in Harmony, Minnesota. The cave is approximately 200 feet deep; features include an underground stream, a 60-foot waterfall, fossils, stalactites, and stalagmites. The cave is privately owned, with tours available seasonally.
Niagara Cave was discovered in 1924 and first opened for tours in 1934. Again, It is one of only two publicly accessible caves in Minnesota. In addition, Niagara Cave has had three families stewarding it since its discovery.
Location
29842 Co Hwy 30, Harmony, MN 55939
Contact
Phone: (507) 886-6606
17. Cosmic Caverns, Arkansas
Cave Tours are $10 to $20 depending on age
Wild Tours are also available for the adventurous ones
Cosmic Cavern is a limestone cave located in north Arkansas, near the town of Berryville, Arkansas. One brochure for the cave touts it as “Arkansas’ Most Beautifully Decorated Cave.” Also, it is the “warmest” cave in the Ozarks, having a high humidity holding at a constant 64 °F year-round.
Cosmic Cavern in Berryville, Arkansas is one of the state’s most beautiful natural attractions! When you are in Northwest Arkansas or the Berryville area and are looking for “things to do” or “attractions” Cosmic Cavern is a “must-see” destination. So, you can see why it attracts locals and guests from far away.
Easy to find, right between Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and Branson, Missouri. Cosmic Cavern is Arkansas’s largest privately owned show cave.
This Cavern was discovered in 1845 but wasn’t developed until 1927. Cosmic Cavern’s cave tour is approximately a 1hr and 15-minute walking tour in the warmest cave in the Ozarks, at a steady 64 degrees and 96% humidity.
Cosmic Caverns
So, the cave is a warm 64 degrees in the winter and cool 64 degrees in the summer. It is the perfect temperature no matter what season of the year you choose to visit!
The cave features a 9-foot soda straw, the longest known in the Ozarks, and 2 bottomless cave lakes.
The first lake, South Lake, has had trout in it for nearly 50 years. Some of the trout have gone blind and most have lost their color, but it is an amazing sight if you happen to see some.
One of the lakes was discovered in 1993 in the “Silent Splendor” section which made national news. This was Arkansas’ most delicate discovery. So, you can see why we may have been a little excited.
The bottom or end of these lakes has yet to be found. The newly discovered area, “Silent Splendor” is hailed as a must-see attraction in Arkansas.
Furthermore, It is so pristine and untouched that many of the beautiful formations are transparent.
Location
6386 AR-21, Berryville, AR 72616
Contact
Phone: (870) 749-2298
18. Marvel Cave, Missouri
Cave Tours are $5 to $10 depending on age (only during park hours)
A highlight of the Silver Dollar City theme park, this constantly evolving wet limestone cave under the Ozark Mountains, dating back to the 1500s, provides a one-hour tour of fascinating rooms and passageways. The cave’s entryway is the largest in the U.S. So, for me, this is a definite must-see adventure.
Marvel Cave is a National Natural Landmark located just west of Branson, Missouri, on top of Roark Mountain in Stone County. The cave was known by the Osage Indians in the early 16th century after a tribe member fell through the cave’s main entrance, a sinkhole.
There is evidence that in 1541 the Spanish explored the cave, but the first recorded expedition was in 1869, led by Henry T. Blow. The unofficial Stone County chapter of Bald Knobbers, a local group of vigilantes, was rumored to have taken people to the top of Roark Mountain, and thrown them in the sinkhole.
Marvel Cave was originally called Marble Cave, after explorers in 1882 saw what they thought was marble on the cave’s ceiling.
This started the Marble Cave Mining Company, although later it was realized that there was never any marble in the cave. The Marble Cave Mining Company ceased all operations after only four and a half years.
William Lynch purchased the cave in 1889, and soon after opened the cave to the public. In 1950, Hugo Herschend leased the cave for 99 years.
So, Bald Knobbers or not, come on down to Silver Dollar City and Marvel Cave.
Location
399 Indian Point Rd. Branson, MO
Contact
Phone: (417) 338-8220
19. Jewel Cave, South Dakota
Cave Fees are $3 to $16 depending on tour and age
Wild Tours available for $45
Jewel Cave National Monument contains Jewel Cave, currently the third longest cave in the world, with 200.3 miles of mapped passageways. It is located approximately 13 miles west of the town of Custer in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It became a national monument in 1908.
Beneath the Black Hills of South Dakota is the intriguing underground world of Jewel Cave. With over 202 miles of explored passageways, Jewel Cave ranks as one of the longest caves in the world. The cave was discovered at the turn of the century by brothers passing through Hell Canyon.
This underground environment can satiate even the most curious of humans. Brilliant color and fragile rocks reveal an amazing ecosystem not visible anywhere else.
The third longest cave in the world has much to offer to a wide range of those interested in its natural glory. The monument is also home to a variety of plants and animals and has a fascinating wildfire history. Obviously, this resource is truly a jewel in the National Park Service.
Location
11149 US-16 B-12, Custer, SD 57730
Contact
Phone: (605) 673-8300
20. Devil’s Den Spring, Florida (Dive or Snorkeling)
$15 a person
Casual swimmers are not allowed. You have to snorkel or dive. Snorkelers must be at least 6 years old.
Devil’s Den is formed by a karst window, in which the roof over a subterranean river has collapsed, exposing the water to the open surface, near Williston, Florida. It is privately owned and operated as a SCUBA diving training and recreational facility. The water in the underground river is at a constant 72 °F degree. So, before you go, get some training.
Bought in 1993 by our current owners, this natural wonder has been transformed from a simple scuba diving site to a world-class tourist attraction. Visit one of North America’s most prehistoric places, Devil’s Den Spring!
This underground spring inside a dry cave has been home to many extinct animal fossils dating back to the Pleistocene Age, which is on display at The University of Florida’s Museum of Natural History.
On cold winter mornings, you can see steam, like smoke, rising from the chimney opening. Thus, the early settlers gave the name Devil’s Den. With crystal clear water, year-round 72-degree water temperatures, ancient rock formations with stalactites, fossil beds dating back 33 million years, and much more, you’re guaranteed to leave with memories that will last a lifetime! So, you can see why this had to be on our list of best caves.
Location
5390 NE 180th Ave, Williston, FL 32696
Contact
Phone: (352) 528-3344
Fun Facts
- The deepest cave in the world is Verevkina, which is 7,257 feet at its deepest point (9,800 feet is the max that a cave could support the pressure before collapsing).
- Mammoth Cave is the longest cave in the world, coming in at 420 miles in length.
- The largest chamber discovered in a cave is 380.7 million cubic feet inside Miao Room Cavern in China
- Hang Sơn Đoòng, one of the largest caves in the world which is in Vietnam is so big that it has its own river, jungle, and climate.
- A skeleton from 7150 B.C. found in 1903 in an English cave (Gough’s Cave) was recently found to be a DNA match for a history teacher living nearby.
- The Giant Crystal Cave in Mexico, with crystals weighing up to 50 tonnes, had an average of 100% humidity and 58°C temperature. This meant that the coldest place in the cave was the lungs, so water would condense in it, and exposure for over 10 minutes would lead to death by drowning.
- In 1839, Dr. John Croghan bought Mammoth Cave in Central Kentucky and turned it into a tuberculosis hospital. It was a massive failure and Dr. Croghan died of Tuberculosis.
- In 1971, Soviet geologists tapped into a cavern of natural gas. The ground beneath the rig collapsed, leaving a hole 70 m across. To avoid a release of harmful gas, they lit it on fire, thinking it would burn off in a few days. 41 years later it is still ablaze. Locals call it “The Door to Hell.”
- There exists a cavern named Marvel Cave in Missouri that’s so large that in 1994 five hot-air balloons were flown simultaneously inside it.
If you enjoy this list, you may also like to take a look @ 17 Best State Parks in the USA
Coffee Lovers
Close your eyes for a moment and just think about this. It’s sunrise, and you roll out of your RV, morning air feeling brisk, fire from the night before taking its last breath as it’s trying to reignite. You find your favorite chair in the site, turn it to look out over the lake, and nestle in to relax. Birds chirping and fish jumping as the new day begins. This is what it’s all about!………. Now imagine a hot cup of coffee in your hand. Life just got so much better!
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