Creative Ways to Stay Cool in the Summer #1 — Explore Caves
Now, Let’s Get in Formation!
By Tony Ray I July 21, 2016
Now let’s get in formation, mineral formation that is. Caves are filled with them and these stalactites and stalagmites could be thousands of years old. If that isn’t exciting enough, bats live in caves.
But even cooler than bats, caves are underground and are around 20 degrees cooler than outside. So cool in fact, that a light jacket may come in handy.
Here is a list of the best caves in the Tucson area for you to stay cool in and explore…
1. Colossal Cave
A 40 minute drive south on I-10 will take you to Colossal Cave where the weather is perpetually perfect at 70 degrees and dry. No, you can’t live there, but you could tour it daily. You purchase your ticket ($11 adults, $6 ages 5-12) and, within about 30 minutes, a tour guide will take you some six stories underground to check out the stalactites, stalagmites and helictites. Summer hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with a $5 entry fee per car.
Colossal Cave Mountain Park
16721 E. Old Spanish Trail
Vail, AZ 85641
(520) 647-7275
2. Kartchner Caverns
Located just 50 miles east of Tucson near Benson you’ll find Kartchner Caverns which was rated World’s Top 10 Best Caves by experts for it’s vast and incredibly unique mineral formations. It’s the only one of the top ten open for public viewing in the United States. This underground labyrinth, boasting 13,000 feet of passages and rooms the length of football fields is open year round but depending of what time of year you go, some of the cave could be closed for bat mating. Calling ahead for a reservation is recommended and bring a light jacket to avoid feeling too batty!
Kartchner Caverns
2980 S Hwy 90
Benson, AZ 8560
(520) 586-2283
3. Grand Canyon Caverns
The Grand Canyon Caverns are another hidden gem in the state of Arizona. They are located just northeast of Kingman, which could totally be a stop on your road trip from Tucson to Vegas (Did you know Vegas is a 6.5 hour drive from Tucson?). What’s special about this place is that it has the largest dry caverns system in the United States. There are several different types of tours to go into the caves that accommodate hikers and spelunkers of all levels of expertise, and they offer a little relief from the sun for a good part of the day. In addition to exploring the caves, other activities nearby include horseback riding, river rafting, camping, and taking a journey to see beautiful waterfalls. Or maybe drive a couple more hours to Vegas where you could win the jackpot. When you do, let me know and we’ll find you a new house with a man cave to celebrate.
Grand Canyon Caverns
115 Mile Marker AZ-66
Peach Springs, AZ 8643
(928) 422-3223
4. Peppersauce Cave
Peppersauce is a little different caving experience because there is guided tour, no parking lot (although enough room exists to park on the side of the road), and the only official sign and it is not visible from the road. This is a real cave exploring experience where you bring your own equipment, lights and make sure to bring friends. The Big Room in the cave can be observed and explored without equipment but there are many many more trails and areas to explore if you bring lights, equipment and aren’t claustrophobic. Consider camping at the nice campground nearby.
Coronado National Forest,
Oracle, AZ 85701
(520) 388-8300
Tony Ray Baker
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Tony Ray
(520) 631-TONY (8669)
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