Classic Cave Tour At Colossal Cave

The cave was truly fascinating - a real gem hidden in the desert! For the 2 of us seniors it was just the right length of time (60-75 minutes) and the amount of stone step climbing was fine as we’re both in good health. However, a few folks with limited mobility struggled with the constant up/down, so it’s not recommended for anyone with limited hip, knee or leg strength. The real highlight was our guide, Adam, who brought the cave history to life with his booming voice and interesting stories. His passion for this cave and devotion for its preservation was clear and we hope he keeps touring for the foreseeable future. Thanks Adam!

We are from NY and this experience was amazing. Our tour guide was beyond knowledgeable about the cave. The gift shop was so quaint. Highly recommend.

Fabulous tour! The cave was outstanding. The outside views are incredible! I highly recommend this tour. The cave is fairly easy to navigate even for senior citizens!

I throughly enjoyed the visit to this cave. Our guide Del was fantastic 😊 He was very informative and alot of fun. Its beautiful. I would definitely visit again and I highly recommend

This tour was so much fun. Our tour guide (Karen) was very knowledgeable and fun. She has a genuine passion for the city and food. I would highly recommend!

Eric did a good job and it was entertaining. It was disappointing that the cavern has been damaged by previous ‘explorers,’ but that’s part of the story, so important to see.

Interesting history of the cave and how it has been used over time. Adam did a great job of explaining things to the group.

Wonderful experience! Adam wove in the factual and fascinating Wild West history of. the cave which augmented the amazing natural phenomenon as we explored it.

The guide was really great. Entertaining but watchful of our safety! Definitely worth the money and the drive! Beautiful views!

The tour was more informative than I expected, and Everitt made it entertaining with all his jokes. It is almost hard to fathom the extensive cave system that lies beneath the surface! There is also a nearby walking trail, nice gift shop with covered patio eating area to enjoy if you have time. As it is not far from Tucson and a comfortable 70-ish degrees inside the cave itself, it is a nice way to spend a couple hours in case you encounter a rare rainy day or need to beat the Arizona heat.

I’ve only been in caves that were cold, this was really different for me. Adam our tour guide was excellent, very informative and also entertaining. Definitely recommend!!!

This outstanding tour was far more than we expected! Our guide Adam was incredibly knowledgeable and a LOT of fun. He noticed, included, and interacted with the children while giving adults 100%. The cave itself is visually stunning, and its million years of history, was explained as we made our way through. Ten out of ten! (Hiking trail right from the gift shop that will be explored next visit)

It was a fun cave tour! Wear shoes you can walk in on uneven surface and steep small stairs. We saw a bat flying around in there.

The tour was informative. I definitely learned some interesting things. We did see some bats. The temperature was a comfortable 71*F. Our group was small which was great, 12:00 on a Friday. Wear sneakers. Be prepared for a lingering odor smelled like cheese puffs to me.

Arik was good he made me right my name on rocks while he yapped about rocks worth the money they should give him a raise he also wrestled a gorilla cool

After living in Tucson only 5 miles from this attraction for 9 years, moving away and moving back recently, we finally took the plunge and did the tour. It’s expensive but everything is these days and we have to pick and choose. Worth it! Our guide, Noah, was very knowledgeable, reassuring (it’s a deep cave!) and especially funny. (Though, Noah, I have an issue with calling what the bats could do to us as “going to the bathroom”. Defecating or excreting works.) There is a pervasive musky guano smell but it wasn’t strong and I didn’t mind it. So yes, guano happens, though we only saw 2 bats flying briefly and no “wetness from above”. There are lots of native stone stairs built by the CCC in 1934. No OSHA then so wear sturdy shoes and hold the hand rails. The lighting is better than expected. Overall, mildly challenging physically for this mostly healthy senior. The “stalacmeet” columns made up of stalactites and stalagmites meeting is so interesting. You also get to make different tones on some columns of the calcium carbonate with your fist for one and a small tool for others. Fun. The history includes cowboy train robbers hiding with their loot in it and the man who founded it moving his family down into the cave along with furniture and necessities for the torrid Sonoran Desert summers. It gets busiest in fall to spring when the snow birds come. Since we live here we took advantage of the lull in early September. From buying tickets on-line to completing the tour, perfectly stream-lined. Nice gift shop is the original stone house too.

Had an absolutely amazing time here! Our tour guide was Eric, he was extremely knowledgeable. He taught us how to effectively hunt and eat cave spiders. We were down there for three months!

We had unexpected super fun. Our guide was not only funny but full of interesting facts. The cave itself is very well maintained and lighted. We went for a couple’s weekend and it was great, but I can also see it appropriate for young families.

Great tour. Beautiful cave. The guide was knowledgeable and funny.

First time in 20 years and this tour still rocks. Guide Everett is wicked awesome. A well-organized activity. Includes cafe (Prickly Pear ice cream is a MUSt!), gift shop with super friendly staff, good parking, great views, outdoor shaded seating, and, of course, the cave. Everett was informative as well as entertaining. Some parts of the tour are tight, but it's very safe and very interesting. Great for a hot day activity because it stays 71 in the cave. Fascinating rock formations. We got Prickly Pear ice cream in waffle cones, and a pretzel, which was the size of a dinner plate. Very well run all around. An activity for everyone. We chose the classic tour, just under 60 minutes.

There is plenty of free surface lot parking. The tour guide Erik was excellent. Admission fee is reasonable. Please try the prickly pear ice cream afterwards.

Great experience and tour guide. Very laidback atmosphere and wonderful time. Would definitely return.

I was a little nervous going into this tour, as my wife told me she would be leaving me as soon as we got finished. However, after the wise words and sage advice of our guide Arik, it’s safe to say my marriage is saved. We weren’t the only ones either. When one of the other guests was attacked by a cave creature, Arik (who was bitten by a radioactive bat as a child) spread his wings and swooped in to selflessly rescue her. We’ll definitely be back with our kids, as they definitely need a role model like Arik.

Had an awesome time our guide was Noah very knowledgeable and professional had great jokes definitely will be back to do the ladder tour

Had an absolute blast reading all the reviews. We read a lot about of about Arik, and Del. Then decided we HAD to go. Beautiful scenery on the way, high up to see everything. Went down the cave with Del as our tour guide (One “L” he isn’t a computer 😂) and was very informative, cracking jokes like nothing, knew a lot about the cave & animals. I almost got taken out by bats 4 times, and fun fact: Don’t Flail, they are already accustomed to avoiding people in flight.) The witch, her cat, and fang were awesome btw. 3rd of the way through, Del ended up unintentionally scaring the absolute bejesus out of my mom. Ended up throwing him off a little bit, which then caused a domino effect of laughter throughout the group. Granted she was already on “the edge”😂. Then ended the tour, stopped by the café, and got the Prickly Pear Lemonade, and Soft Serve. I definitely recommend getting the “Prickly Pear Dream,” it is the lemonade and the soft serve together and will be the best $5.99 ever spent in your life. Del and Staff definitely made the cave an awesome experience to remember. 20/10 would definitely go again.

So fun! Great adventure. Super informative. Great fun guide. Beautiful location! Cute gift shop.

$24 for a basic tour and you will go inside with a tour guide! Our guide Everett was hilarious and informative. Didn't see wildlife like bats but saw their presence in the black goop on the walls. Apparently, people used to cut off a piece of the rock formation as a souvenir. Anyways, very interesting experience would rec! Plus u can get prickly pear ice cream or lemonade or both at the concession stand!

Everett was the best guide you could ask for. Incredibly informative, funny, and made everyone’s first time in a cave very comfortable. I’ll definitely be back and I’ll be exploring more caves in the future!!

Great experience. Your guide Eric was so funny, kept us laughing the whole time. Dave was nothing exceptional by cave standards, but it was very entertaining and a good way to spend an hour out of the heat.

It was a great way to spend a hot day in Tucson. The guide was very informative and personable

Adam was awesome! He knew so much neat history about the cave and he made it fun and interactive. The cave itself is beautiful and hides many secret wonders. I’d love to come back again.

Colossal Cave was an interesting place to visit. Our guide Eric was very entertaining and knowledgeable and explained the cave's geology and recent history.

There are a lot of stairs, but it was totally worth it. The tour guide was fun and knowledgeable. The caves was a great temperature

Our guide Erik was wonderful. Not sure why he shard so many childhood memories about getting lock in the closet, so he was used to dark places. That is why he is a cave guide now. Kinda WEIRD!!!

This was a great tour! Our guide Del was amazing and shared a wealth of knowledge about the cave formations and bats. Guide was kind, considerate and patient, invited questions and provided cautionary info to keep us safe while traversing the cave tour.

It is a really cool site , and worth visiting. My only problem with it is that we felt rushed. I know it was a total of an hour tour, but with that big of a group you could not even stop to read and really look at the items on the sides of the trails. The stuff that was in the glass cases. Would have like to been able to spend more time walking through.

rhank you everett! that was a great cave tour. thanks for more history on the artifacts in the cave. i did appreciate the witch/magoo rocks more in terms of exit and no exit. the fun facts were always appreciated! .

Our guide, Noah was an excellent entertainer and historian. He was very informative about the history of Colossal cave. He was also Hilarious

Fantastic and very informative tour! I live 4 miles away and knew nothing about the cave, Noah, our Guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and able to answer every single question. He also had a great sense of humor. This site is important, quaint and full of our important natural history.

Our tour guide Eric jumped and saved my falling grandma, who was trying to get a photo for her TikTok, and gloriously saved her from certain death. We owe her life to him.

It was a lot of fun I don’t remember the admins fee though

Our tour guide Adam was excellent! Provided all the facts that I would have wanted to know about cave formations, Western history, and his personal experiences in caring for the cave! Made an already awesome place even more awesome.

Really cool, great tour guide, Everett

Our guide Eric was fantastic! Although we didn't get attacked by gorillas (inside joke) we were quite impressed with Eric's knowledge about the cave and his genuine interest in making every member of the group feel included. Highly recommend! And, plan to spend a bit of time at the property! The gift shop has some unique items and there is a food cart with patio seating.

Great value for the price, enjoyed the history of the cave that Eric explained on the hour long tour underneath the ground. I especially enjoyed Eric’s encounter of tackling two Vikings trying intimidate two Saints.

Tickets and process very easy. Location was beautiful. All staff were friendly. Our guide was very funny!

We had an absolutely incredible experience at Colossal Cave, and so much of that comes down to our tour guide. From the moment we stepped inside, it was clear this wasn't just a job for him — it was a genuine passion. He shared stories about the cave's history with such enthusiasm and depth. What really set the tour apart was his personal connection to the cave; little details and heartfelt anecdotes made the experience feel intimate and special, like getting an insider's tour rather than a scripted walkthrough. We loved it! The cave itself was fabulous, but having a tour guide who truly loves what they do elevated the whole experience. Thank you, Adam!

Beautiful cave. Tour wasn’t too short or too long, just about right. Our tour guide Del had very good humor.

Had a great time at Colossal Cave. Made a nice day trip out of it and enjoyed the grounds. Was able to take a quick hike while waiting for our tour to begin. Was even able to see a hummingbird drinking nectar on the grounds. The cave was very interesting and hearing the history of the cave made it more intriguing. Being in the cave was fascinating...the stalagmites and stalactites that formed over countless years were amazing to see. I definitely would recommend this tour to anyone needing to find something cool and interesting to do.