What a great find on the way to Tombstone or wherever you travel. A "recent " addition to the state park system of only 25 years, this is a great place to visit. The staff are friendly, well organized and knowledgeable about this location. We could have spent hours there for free by watching videos, reading and visiting the gift shop. I suggest the underground tour however, mind the weather reports prior to arriving (hot desert conditions). Listen to the tour guides with regards to the weather conditions underground. It's humid in every sense of the word so hydrate prior to going. It was a remarkable experience. read more

we visited the Kartchner caverns for the tour and it was AMAZING! Booked a cabin one week ahead of time for the night as well. Cabins were an easy check in from the information area. Ceiling fans, AC, fridg. and microwave. Sleeps 4 in the bunkbed area and a queen bed in the main room with a dining table for 4. Outside there is a picnic table and BBQ grill for cooking. Firewood is available to buy from the park employee on duty. Nice cabins and you bring all your own linens. Bathroom area for toilets and showers are public near the camping and cabin areas. Water levels are minimal at best for showers, toilets backed up and did not flush well. The bathroom area near the cabins were closed- under construction . So we had to hike about 8 minutes away to use the toilets. SO, when you make a reservation be sure and ask IF the bathroom/shower utilities are open and functioning!! read more

A great experience, though sadly no photography allowed in the caves. Tour is really great, guides are super knowledgeable and make the entire experience without question more enjoyable than other State Park tours. Insider tip, plan your excursion during the winter months. Cavern is climate controlled around 70 degrees and 98% humidity. Walking outside after that into 100 degree heat would be unbearable. read more

Such a spectacular living cave! What care and effort to get this wonderful tour up and running. Worth the drive from Tucson.

What a beautiful place. The cave tours are wonderful and the staff and guides helpful and knowledgeable, providing a great tour experience. One of the prettiest caves I've been to and the way the trails are done makes you feel as if you are actually exploring the cave. There are good hikes in the park also. The story of the discovery and protection of the cave by the two discoverers is inspiring. A great experience for young and old alike. read more

My sister in law and her husband are in AZ from MN for one week. They had made reservations before coming at our suggestion. They drove to Benson last night, stayed in a local hotel, got to the park early to get in line at 10:00 for their 10:30 reservation. While in line they were told their reservations were cancelled to make room for a youth group. They asked if they could go with the 10:15 tour but were told no. They are rolling with the flow quite well but I am upset that they were not accommodated better. They were given a refund begrudging, told they could wait until 2:00 but were not guaranteed they could get in the tour at that time. They had travel a long way to be told they have been cancelled. They decided to leaved Benson disappointed and go somewhere else. read more

Awesome tour! We loved it! Had to leave phones in the car, but worth it. Spectacular on the inside.

Awesome experience and not so far off the freeway. Helpful tour guides. Would definitely go back read more

So fun and loved that the campground was within walking distance! Great camp hosts too! Great experience being RV newbies!!

We live in St. David, AZ, which is just a hop down the road from the caverns. Do we visit often? You betcha! We are lifelong Arizonans and this is clearly the most spectacular living limestone cavern to experience in southern AZ. It is linked to an endless tunnel of even more living caverns and during the last tour we took it was explained that more of the connecting caves will be revealed over time as they seek more artifacts and living structures. Prior to the actual cave tour is a very informative museum full of historical details. They sell soda and other snack-like commodities in the gift shop. They carry some really unique and clever gifts as well. Inside the cave there are two rooms which provide for two different tours, the Big Room and the Throne Room. The Big Room is shut down part of the year when the bats birth. The Throne Room is a year round event. It is the most spectacular display of giant stalagmites, bacon, egg yolks...oh my, it just goes on and on with historical and colorful features. Easy walking that even the elderly can partake without effort. Lighting is very adequate but is limited to prevent damage to the growing elements. It is wheelchair accessible. You cannot take anything, literally, with you through the tour. No purses, phones, cameras, chewing gum, etc. These are 'living' caves, so even the oils from your fingers can be harmful and change the environment. If you have a cold, avoid it. Your sneeze can destroy creation. They want to preserve these amazing caves forever and allow them to grow while sharing their beauty with the world. Taking small children does create hazards, and we did end up on one tour with a hispanic family of 6 young children that simply could not shut-up. Despite our tolerance, we decided never again. It's a pricey event, so to miss out due to talkative, energetic, and sometimes rule-violating kids whose parents seem oblivious to them, simply is not worth it. We now ask if any children are on the tour before paying. If so, we opt for a later tour. This is all about educating the public on pre-historic events, not a movie theater. All attendees need to respect the entire group involved. No crying babies! There's a time and place for kids, so if they are seeking Disneyland, take them there instead. This is time preserved for those interested in the creation taking place beneath the crust of the earth. Consider it a history lesson. Older people cannot hear over talkative, whiny children, so find a babysitter, take a 'date day' without them, and you will thank yourself in the long run. Even parents need to take time for themselves to enjoy this amazing discovery. The tours last about an hour and a half, and the guides are amazingly friendly, fun, and easy to be around. You leave feeling like you are a part of their family. The Kartchner family, which discovered this treasured delight, are thick throughout St. David where we live. Our vet is one of many. So western history goes way back in this area of AZ. Be prepared for lots of talking prior to taking the tour, mostly to inform you about the discovery of the caves and what two daring young teens went through to bring this beauty to life. The story is riveting, and you can even see the footprints permanently cemented in the dried mud inside of the caves. Though this is a state park, and they do provide picnic locations, camping spots, and great parking availability, it is not a federally funded event and can be costly. They do not honor senior state passes or discounts of any kind. They do recommend making reservations in advance, though we manage to always make a walk-in appearance whenever we go during the week. Lots of snack machines, clean potties, kind advice, beautiful desert surroundings, and the views of the mountainous region are amazing. Lots of nature to enjoy as well. We visit the caverns at least 2 or 3 times a year. More frequently when friends visit, as it makes for a great family adventure! read more

They offer two different tours and we decided to do both and it was well worth it. There is a nice visitor center to learn more about the caves and the area. You take a tram to the entrance of the caves and once inside you are not allowed to take pictures but what you will see will forever be etched in your memory. Truly a marvel of nature and incredible it was discovered. read more

1. You cannot take photos inside (whereas Carlsbad Caverns on their webpage tells us not to forget to bring our cameras!) 2. You pay twice: once to enter the park, a second time to enter the caves. It's like going to a museum and having to pay for the museum but also paying a fee to enter the building! read more

I did the "Big Room" tour- entire experience was phenomenal. Enjoyed walking thru the museum, learning the history of the area & browsing the gift shop. Tour guide was knowledgeable, informative & entertaining. Restrooms were very clean. Would highly recommend checking out a tour! read more

Drive down yesterday from Phoenix for a day trip as I had the cave tour scheduled. Park rangers are super friendly and helpful. There is a tram that takes you to the entrance of the cave. The cave has a vault door and there are multiple segments that have vault doors. Due to COVID 19, you have to wear a mask during the tour. The cave is super humid and I found myself a bit nauseous looking at the darkness. I guess there is a term the rangers call it. The cave tour is pretty awesome, I just found after an hour my claustrophobia was kicking in partially because of the mask and humidity. There are guide rails inside and two rangers. After the tour I purchased an annual state park pass which they handled there. Lastly, they don't allow cameras or cell phones inside. read more

Kartchner Caverns State Park is absolutely beautiful! My grandfather and I took a cave tour of the "Big Room" which is closed during the summer months so that the bats can live in peace! The tour was incredible and extremely accessible for everyone. The entire path that you walk is paved and is even wheelchair accessible. I appreciated how knowledgeable our tour guide was and that he added humor to keep us all engaged. I also really respected how much the tour talked about how important the conservation of cave formations is and that they taught us how to be respectful of the beautiful environment before entering the cave. I would recommend a tour to anyone in the area! read more

This state park is more than what you see under ground. The trails are breathtaking. Took the Guindani trail clock wise, it was a challenge but worth every step. The view was unbelievable and I wasn't even to the top, stopped to catch my breath. The backside was just as wonderful. Amazing how the two could be so different. 4.52 miles and 2 liters of water later, I'm back in the parking lot having my lunch at a picnic table. Closer to the center are two more trails. Will check those out on my next visit. read more

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Another exciting and nature inspired adventure within our beautiful state. Kartchner's has been on my bucket list of things to see and worth every penny (23.00) and traveltime. It was first discovered by two brave and adventurous cave explorers, Randy Tufts and Gary Tenen in late 1974 at the foothills of the Whetstone Mtns, just south of Tucson. And over a series of years, eventually the proprietors, the Kartchner Family sold and Az state parks acquired it in 1988. After 10 years of unforeseen obstacles in the development, the upper caverns finally opened in 1999 to the public and then 4 years later in 2003, the lower caverns. All tours are guided and you need to reserve way in advance, as tours fill up a month or more out. We were lucky and booked within a couple of weeks of our visit right before the holidays. Due to covid, they are limiting tour groups to 6, half of the usual size. It made it nice for safety reasons and it felt more like a private tour. They don't allow cameras, phones, backpacks, bags, etc on the tour, as well as food or drink. The place is amazing; what the state park has done to preserve these caves by putting forth great efforts in sustaining its uniqueness of being a 'living' cave. This means that all formations and life are uninterrupted or untainted by foreigners. Afterall, the caves has been alive for more than 200,000 BCE. We booked our tour for the 'Big Room', which is a half mile long and takes 1hour and 45 minutes. The first part of the tour is going over safety protocols for visitors AND for the 'living' cave. I appreciated their attention in regards to this. Masks are required. Anne, our tour guide was very informative and told us about the discovery, the different formations and their origins, and biological life then and now. The paths are all man-made, walkable with handrails along the whole trail making sure the walkways and the cave are well lit. The visitor center includes a nice Gift shop, well done Discovery center, and a cafe annex. The center is surrounded with beautiful desert botanicals, artifacts, campgrounds, and 3 hiking trails from 2 - 4.5 miles long with moderate to difficult areas to hike. I'm so glad I checked this one off my list. It's a long history of natural wonder still in the making, once hidden, and now available for us all to see. Thank you Gary, Randy, the Kartchners and all those that made this possible! read more

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A MUST SEEE!!!! We were recommended to see this place by a welcome center we booked tickets online but mistakenly showed a day too early. They had a couple of people hadn't shown up and allowed us on. Our tour guide was excellent. Very knowledgeable and seemed as enthusiastic about the caves as us. Also a lot of dad jokes. The guide also interacted with everyone in the group. After the tour the guide gave us recommendations for other places to see including a restaurant MI Cassa which we really loved. This is a definite not to miss sight to see. read more

Overall caverns were nice but the drive was long. The tour was informative but boring for kids.

I just went inside the cave twice in one day and already thinking when can I go back? Kartchner caverns has been on my list for a long time but never had time to plan it right as they require advanced reservation. I did the big room tour in the morning and came back for helmet and headlamp tour at 5:30pm on the same day. I've been to some caves and caverns but never seen so well preserved caves in the past. This cave is still alive and still growing! Thanks to two men originally discovered the cave, keeping the secret for 14 years until the State Park took over, they are preserved the best possible way. Big room tour is offered from Oct to April while bats are away for hibernation. After all bats have been calling this cave for at least 43,000 years, we go inside only when they are not there. Headlamp tour is offered only on Saturday at 5:30pm for up to 15 people. Led by two of very knowledgeable and enthusiastic state park guides, evening tour is something must do if you are not afraid of dark. Since all of us on the tour agreed, we all turned off the lamps and really enjoyed a moment of pure darkness and silence. Never been to anywhere that dark. Can't see anything but felt so peaceful. Headlamp tour is also interesting. You get to shine where you want to see, and I discovered more than earlier daytime tour where we see the direction where a guide will shine the flash light. I learned so much from two tours I took in one day, but still want to come back again soon. No pictures allowed, wish I could share what I saw here but I guess you just have to visit to experience that. Something to keep in mind at your visit, make reservation, wear a short sleeve shirts (and bring jacket that you can wrap around your waist). Comfortable walking shoes. No bags, cell phone, water bottle allowed. I just had my car key safely inside my zipped jacket pocket (you don't want to accident drop your key). So when can I go back again? read more

Kartchner Caverns State Park - No pictures allowed inside, this is just a replica at the discovery center at the lobby. - Parks Near Me - Benson, Arizona

We had a great experience today with Ranger Joe giving our tour of the Rotunda room. I can't say enough how much I learned and appreciated the passion for keeping the caverns at peace and without disturbance. The tour was a good length, very educational without being boring or redundant. The views are spectacular. Such a beautiful experience. read more

Kartchner Caverns State Park - Parks Near Me - Benson, Arizona

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Our cabin was truly perfect! Loved the table inside so we could play games. The refrigerator and microwave were so convenient for us. What a dream to have AC and heating. Great view of the mountain and we had a great time taking a sunset hike from the grounds. The bathrooms were immaculate and so convenient from the cabin. Would definitely come back. Appreciated how kind everyone was. The Rotunda Tour was magical! So impressed by the guides and all that is being done to preserve this Arizona treasure read more

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This is a beautifully appointed campground. Well spaced sites, electrical/water hookups at all the RV sites, fire rings, tables, nicely graveled pads, clean restrooms and showers, plus free WiFi. We stayed here for four days three nights Thursday to Sunday in late January 2021. Daytime temps were in the high fifties with sunshine and a few clouds, nighttime lows in the low forties/high thirties. Campfires were allowed during our stay, a rare amenity in Arizona right now. Firewood available from the friendly camp hosts at $7 a bundle. Make your reservations for the campground early...we booked 90 days out, as this is a popular snow bird getaway. Side note: book your cavern tour early as well, as day of tour tickets are rare. The two hour cavern tour is a true "must do." Don't miss the opportunity to see one of Arizona's rare underground attractions. The campground is set back from the main Highway just enough, and with the surrounding trees noise is mitigated very well. Nearby Benson has supplies, propane, groceries, etc if necessary. There is both a Safeway and ACE Hardware 15 minutes from the CG. This is a wonderfully appointed and staffed Arizona campground, we are already booking our reservations for May 2021 for the other cavern tour. We will be back. read more

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This is a beautiful area for hiking, enjoying the outdoors and of course the cave tours. They offer different types of tours. All tours are wheel chair accessible and can be taken by people with different abilities. The Big room is only open from mid October to mid April. It is a maternity cave for bats who inhabit the cave during the summer so the big room is closed at that time of year to allow the bats to breed and have their young. This part of the cave has more color and formations. It takes just under 2 hours to complete the tour. Children under 7 can not attend. The throne room and rotunda tour are available all year round. Also fully accessible and available for the entire family to enjoy. This tour takes about 1 and a half hours to complete. They have other tours available at certain times as well. Their is a sign language tour and a helmet and headlamp tour. This is a living cave. Water still flows and formations are still forming. The guides are park rangers. All knowledgeable and friendly. If you don't have time for the tours or if you have extra time available there is a great visitor center. It has a short film that details the history of the caves as well as a lot of information about the caves and the area. There's a hummingbird garden outside as well as a few exhibits showing some of the equipment used in making. Kartchner what it is today. Same day tours are generally available for the rotunda and throne room tour if you're flexible on time. The big room sells out frequently so it's best to plan if possible. A small snack cafe and clean restrooms await as well. This is a do not miss if you are in the area. read more

The 20 year wait paid off!! KC opened in 99 and I ALWAYS wanted to go. The stars aligned at the last moment and hazah! There were still some tours available! Book online in advance and then show up and check in. The 'big room' is only open in non spring and summer months so plan ahead. The throne room is $+%-#* unbelievable! Possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been and I've seen 4 islands in Hawaii! Makes me think hmmm...what's going on INSIDE that mountain over there! When we think of the world we live on we usually fixate on ground level to the clouds but most of the earth is below ground and wow what a world! If they allowed phones inside I could have taken a pic right out of the wizard of oz! Go, reserve early and a shout out to our tour guide Ranger Ben! Answered questions afterwards too. Tour is 1.5 hours 1 hour in HuGe cave! read more

Kartchner Caverns State Park - MODERN sword in the stone! - Parks Near Me - Benson, Arizona

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Spent the afternoon with my wife at kartchner caverns and was more than impressed by the quality of the facility. Our guide Rich was overly qualified but extremely entertaining on our guide through the caverns. Even without such a knowledgeable guide it would have been a memorable experience however he made it extraordinary. Will definitely be back and bring family members to this remarkable place when they come to visit us from across the country read more

Kartchner Caverns State Park - Parks Near Me - Benson, Arizona

Oh the things you'll see and LEARN. What an amazing experience for me and my daughter. She showcased and profiled all of her head knowledge on stalactites and cool topics you learn in 7th grade. But for kiddos and adults alike, there are a bevy of neat things to learn about bats and caves. The guide was amazing and funny making the tour engaging. Make a day trip Out of this experience and rest up at a nearby resort in Tucson or off the beaten path in Benson. read more

Really a once in a lifetime experience. The caverns are magnificent! I couldn't believe my eyes. You should go at least once in your life, I'd say. The tour was relatively short and it definitely was not a lot of walking. It is a bummer you're not allowed to take in your phone or anything extra other than your person and what you're wearing, but I understand they are trying their best to preserve the caverns. The tour guides are very knowledgeable. Ask them any question and they'll most likely know the answer. If they don't, there are some working there that have been there since the beginning, awesome! If you're going just to hike for the day, I suggest stopping in the visitor center still to talk about the hikes, grab a map, and see where you should go. It's all relatively easy to moderate hiking with some more difficult spots due to rocks and uneven pathways. There are some slight inclines from times to time, but nothing too treacherous. read more

We loooove Kartchner Caverns. The campground is pretty, clean and has views of the mountains. The bathrooms are adequate and clean. Spacious sites. The trails are through the very unique and special riparian desert. The cave tour is awe inspiring. Though not as big as Carlsbad Caverns, Kartchner Caverns is just gorgeous. We have been there twice. This last time there was a man using a wheel chair and he was able to take the whole tour (he was leaning on the chair though, so I do not know if a person would be able to wheel themselves up the gentle switchbacks, but there is room and a smooth surface for wheel chairs and walkers). The exhibits and gift shop inside the welcome center are quite nice. read more

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Here are my thoughts after going on both ranger-led tours in one day. Big Room Tour: There are many more stalactites in this section of the cavern. Moreover, it seemed the ranger mentioned more formations here, including the areas where the bats normally hibernate. Original tracks from the discoverers are in both rooms, though in the Big Room they have been used by other scientists. From a rarity standpoint, the Big Room has less tours per day and is closed when the bats nest inside. .. Rotunda / Great Room: In addition to the massive column "Kubla Khan", you get to see a bacon formation up close. .. Bottom line - both tours are awe inspiring. read more

Loved it! Love how they took the time to preserve it. It's an amazing example of a living cave.

Very informative and pretty. Was 1 hour and 45 minutes long then we watched a movie and checked all the displays inside the building. There is camping there too. read more

If you ever get a chance to visit a living cavern you have to visit Kartchner Caverns. They take the utmost care in keeping the caverns as undisturbed as possible yet still allowing the public to view the beauty within. We did the Rotunda/Throne Room tour and the education alone our guide provided us was priceless. We also camped at the state park and there are some gorgeous hiking trails in Kartchner Caverns State Park as well as the adjacent National Park. The entire stay was truly a once in a lifetime experience. read more

Kartchner Caverns State Park - Hiking the state park - Parks Near Me - Benson, Arizona

Big discovery center nice camping and great tour and trails. It was a solid park on our travels

Great place! Easy to find, the caves are super cool and they have a nice little gift shop.

We ventured out of Tucson where we were vacationing to visit Kartchner Caverns State Park. It was early Friday afternoon and not busy. We did the "Big Room" Tour, which I booked on-line prior to our trip. We learned how this amazing underground cavern was discovered accidentally by two local cavers, Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts. Photographs inside the cavern are prohibited The tour guide mentioned that the park has just reopened for the tours a week ago. There are bats that migrate to the cave to give birth and then leave once their babies learn to be independent. The state park had an excellent visitor center that was informative. read more

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I can't recommend this venue higher than 5 stars or I would. Speaking as a docent myself I have to say that Ranger Brody is one of the best guides I've ever encountered in 45 years of roaming this planet, funny and informative at the same time. The caverns are absolutely fascinating to see and explore and coupled with a marvelous fellow like Ranger Brody the whole experience was absolutely first rate. Don't miss this underground adventure or you'll regret it. read more

Very accessible, easy walk for the very young to very old. They have poured a concrete ramp path throughout. Pretty much need to make reservations a few days before, but if you're a small group, you might be able to get into the very first tour of the day (due people sleeping in) as a walk-in. I went on the Rotunda/Throne Tour. Every section they pass through the guide hits the ambient light for the walls, and everyone ooos and ahhs. They don't allow anything to be into the caves (ie cell-phones) and want you to lock them up or leave them in they car. Shorts and T-shirt work well, since its actually warm and fairly humid in the caves. If you're into cool formations like this, I also recommend the Chiricahua National Monument, since you're in the SE Arizona. read more

Today my wife and I went on a morning tour. This is our 3 Cavern tours. It was amazing, the guide was great and answered questions after questions. The story of the cavern and how it was constructed was a work of art and protects the Cavern for the future. These people have the act together. The walkways are wheelchair accessible and very safe to walk. We are so glad we made the trip a wonderful experience. So far this has been the best cave adventure we've had. Thank you all for a wonderful time and for your devotion to preserve this treasure. read more

The campgrounds were very nice . Stayed in a cabin without a sink or bathroom. It was clean and had good insulation really quiet at night. The only slight issue we're the bathrooms had very low water pressure. Had to flush twice and the sinks were just a drip of water pressure. Hard to clean soap off hands. We think they were trying to prevent people from washing dishes. Showers were ok also low water pressure. Went on a cave tour it was nice a little long but informative. read more