Introduction to Caving Tour - Crystal Cave

Mammoth Cave National Park Tours

Introduction to Caving Tour to Crystal Cave - April 19 to May 16 

This limited-time Introduction to Caving Tour offers a rugged cave experience and the opportunity to explore hard-to-reach areas of Mammoth Cave with a special emphasis on the unique story of cave explorer Floyd Collins. This tour takes place both on the surface and in the cave at sites including:  

• Sand Cave Trail: This ¼ mile boardwalk path leads through a forested area to an overlook of Sand Cave where Floyd Collins was trapped and ultimately died in 1925. 

• Floyd Collins Family Homesite & Crystal Cave: Step back in time to where Floyd’s story began. Walk through the Collins family home and original Crystal Cave ticket office before heading underground to travel century-old trails in a remote area of Mammoth Cave featuring unique formations and canyon-like passageways. 

• Mammoth Cave Baptist Church Cemetery: Visit the final resting spot of Floyd Collins, the “world’s greatest cave explorer”.   

Please note:  This tour is ideal for people who wish to engage in challenging physical obstacles in a unique environment, including parts of the cave which are difficult to access. Entering and exiting the cave requires walking on 40 slick, stone stairs with no handrail. The cave route is approximately 2-miles of an uneven steep and rocky trail with no natural lighting and no usable handrails. No crawling or climbing is required. Cave temperature averages 54ºF (12ºC). Expected time inside the cave is 1.5 hours. 

There will be no refund for showing up at the park with the wrong requirements. Please read the requirements stated below in the Need to Know section. 

Select a date to see a list of times

Need to Know

• Review before arrival

  • Tours depart from the visitor center at the time listed on the ticket. Ticket holders should arrive 30 minutes prior to tour time to prepare for departure.

  • No refunds for no shows or late arrivals. Check NPS website for road and ferry closures.

  • Visitors should review the "What to Expect on a Cave Tour" video on the park website here before arrival.

  • Official Printed Tickets must be picked up 30 minutes prior to tour time at the Visitor Center Ticket Counter

  • There will no refund for showing up at the park with the wrong requirements. Please read the requirements stated below.

• Requirements

  • Lace-up hiking boots that cover the ankle are required. Boots must have aggressive tread. No slick-soled footwear is permitted. No tennis shoes or boots with zippers allowed.

    ***You will not be allowed to participate in the tour if you are not wearing proper footwear – no exceptions.***

  • Requires at least 2 participants; if fewer than 2 participants arrive for the tour, the tour will be cancelled and refunded.

• Safety

  If you have a fear of heights or suffer from claustrophobia, this tour is not the best choice for you. Please read tour description and requirements carefully when making your selection. Visitors with health conditions or limited mobility should carefully consider their limitations. Evacuation from the cave to a hospital for medical attention could take several hours.

• Age Restrictions and Passes

  • Must be at least 10 years of age for this tour..

  • Youth under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older on all tours.

  • Interagency Senior pass and Interagency ADA Access pass discount ticket pricing applies only to the passholder.

• Time Zone

  Mammoth Cave National Park is located in the central time zone and observes daylight savings time.

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