Let Your Curiosity Run Deep at Cumberland Caverns

Buried deep beneath Cardwell Mountain in McMinnville, Cumberland Caverns stretches more than 27 miles, making it the longest show cave in Tennessee and among the longest in the nation.  

When discovered by Aaron Higgenbotham in 1810, the massive cave seemed to stretch endlessly underground. Nearly 150 years after Higgenbotham Cave was unearthed, members of the National Speleological Society found a passageway connecting it to another nearby cave, and Cumberland Caverns was born. 

Underground Exploration

The privately owned Cumberland Caverns opened to the public in 1956 for guided tours 333 feet below the ground’s surface, and in 1973, the National Park Service recognized this geological wonderland as a National Natural Landmark.

Today, cave excursions range from walkable tours suitable for all ages to strenuous climbs designated for older teens and adults. Even if you’ve visited previously, Cumberland Caverns offers a new experience with recently updated tour options and an exciting cinematic showcase featured on select excursions.

No matter how you choose to explore, every trip features the majestic splendor found only underground.
 

Walking Tours

Choose from four options that take guests through key areas of the caverns. Cardwell Mountain History, the easiest and shortest hike, is open to all ages and shares the stories of past explorers. The 45-minute tour, which has some steep walks but no stairs, includes the incredible Volcano Room featuring a massive crystal chandelier suspended 60 feet above the cave floor.

The 90-minute guided Discovery tour features the immersive new video, plus a sound and light show in the Hall of the Mountain King. While suitable for all ages, the 1.5-mile hike does include more than 350 natural stone steps along the way. 
Lanterns & Legends recreates the low-light experience of early explorers and shares some spine-tingling tales that make this option best suited for ages 8 and up. Hidden Gems is an extended private VIP tour with bonus experiences.
 

Adventure Tours

Unleash your inner Indiana Jones with more strenuous outings that require climbing, crawling and squeezing through tight spaces. Lasting between two to four hours, these options all have minimum age requirements.

The Hall Crawl, for ages 6 and up, is actually easier for kids than adults as there are some small spaces to go through on the way down. Plan to get a bit muddy, but the reward is seeing glowing gypsum crystals and centuries-old formations. 

Higgenbotham’s Hollow for guests 11 and older, traces the steps of the cave’s first explorer. The Crucible and Guts and Glory, the most strenuous adventures, require a minimum age of 16 to participate. Each tour includes scaling underground canyons, high ladder climbs and a trek across Devil’s Quarry, but the payoff is truly spectacular.
 

Overnight Excursions

Designed for groups of 10 or more, overnight packages vary in difficulty and have age requirements similar to the daytime adventure tours. Offerings include Muddy Mayhem, Skylight Sleepover, Into the Dark and Lights Out with each progressive option increasing in difficulty.

For more details on booking an overnight group outing, call (931) 668-4396.

Preservation Efforts

Tennessee leads the nation with over 11,000 documented caves in the state. Fewer than 10, however, are open to the public. Serving as a show cave for nearly 70 years, and explored for more than two centuries, Cumberland Caverns uses tours to educate guests on the importance of conservation to sensitive cave environments. Only about 10 percent of Cumberland Caverns is on display across the 12 tours offered, with the rest of the underground space left largely untouched.  

Adventure Awaits

Explore the beauty below with a tour of choice at Cumberland Caverns. Advanced reservations are required for adventure tours, overnight packages and private tours but highly recommended for all visits due to limited capacity. Both the Cardwell Mountain History and Discovery tours accept walk-ups on a space available basis. Of note, as a natural landscape, Cumberland Caverns is not ADA-accessible with all tours requiring walking across uneven surfaces.

Come discover the magnificent world beneath your feet by booking your caving adventure online at cumberlandcaverns.com.