Event Details (U.S. National Park Service)

Fee:

Adult: $49 | Youth: $42

Location: LAT/LONG: 37.187022, -86.101071

This tour departs from the Mammoth Cave National Park Visitor Center.

Repeating Event

Days:

Every week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

Dates:

April 20, 2026 to May 15, 2026

Time:

1:30 PM

Duration:

3 hours and 30 minutes

Type of Event

Guided Tour

Please check-in at the ticket office inside the visitor center no later than 30 minutes prior to tour time.

Description

This spring, from April 19 to May 16, the Introduction to Caving Tour will offer a rare chance to explore Crystal Cave. This limited-time opportunity offers a rugged cave experience and the chance to explore hard-to-reach areas of Mammoth Cave not publicly toured for more than 60 years. The tour will have special emphasis on the unique story of cave explorer Floyd Collins whose family once operated Crystal Cave. Those interested in a more adventurous cave tour are invited to step back in time and retrace Floyd’s footsteps through the same passages where his lifelong passion for discovery left its mark.

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”.

Tour Specific Requirements:

Cave Environment: 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.
Footwear Requirement: Participants must provide their own lace-up hiking boots that cover the ankle and are equipped with slip-resistant tread. Athletic shoes or slick-soled footwear do not meet these requirements. You will not be allowed to participate in the tour if you are not wearing proper footwear — no exceptions. Please bring an extra pair of tennis shoes or sandals for use during boot cleaning at the end of the tour.
Age Limits: Participants must be at least 10 years old; individuals under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult age 18 years or older.
Additional Information: There are limited portable restroom facilities available on this 3.5 hour tour. Tour requires a minimum of two participants to operate. This tour requires a brief bus ride to and from the visitor center to the cave entrance.

Duration: 3.5 hours
Distance: 2 mile (3.2 km)
Total Stairs: 40+
Difficulty: Strenuous
Ages: Age 10 years and older.
Restrooms: Yes, portable toilets.
Tickets available for each tour time: 20