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It was something to do on a rainy day, but altogether underwhelming. The pictures below pretty much capture the experience. It's a small cavern, very small by some standards and I was surprised to have the guide tell us that we were standing in the largest room in the cavern when we were in a small room. I've been to much grander caverns, but as I sid, it was something to do.
A fun way to spend the afternoon! We had an awesome tour guide named Micah who really made the experience even more awesome. You could tell he was very passionate about the questions we asked and the information. We did not realize how busy it would be but we were able to buy tickets for later in the day and came back after lunch! Can't recommend this enough!
Sunday during our NC Blue Ridge Parkway Adventure, we stopped at the Linville Caverns located neat the Parkway. It cost $13 per adult and $10 per child to take the tour. There are restrooms and a gift shop. Our tour guide was Trip and he was very informative and friendly. There is a creek that runs through the cavern and there is trout fish that live and swim in the waters of the cavern. The tour takes about 30 minutes. If you are in the area you should definitely stop there. Highly recommend!!
Amazing experience to see living caverns four minutes from the parkway! For only $13 a person you get a fully immersive experience to the caverns and witness multiple different formations, a fossil, local Appalachian trout, and beautiful crystal formations. Loved the history learned and the fun jokes from our tour guide Stefanie! Will happily return to see the bats in the winter!
It's $12/person to tour the caverns. You pay inside the shop where they'll give you the tour time for you/your group that's next available. The tours are 30-35 minutes. You'll meet your tour guide next to the shop, at the entrance of the cavern. When we went, there was a group of 6 of us with two others outside of our group. They kept groups pretty small, which I appreciated. The guide we had was informative and provided plenty of information. We were able to see a couple of bats near the entrance. The cavern is at a consistent 52-54 degrees, so bring a layer during the warmer months. When we went it had rained a couple days prior, so it was pretty wet inside. A hat would have been great to wear as it was dripping water from all along the path. Make sure you're wearing good shoes with grip because it can get slippery on the tour. This cavern is probably the greenest one we've been to. There are also restrooms should you need to go.
A must see! We visited on an extremely rainy day so rain boots and hiking boots were the perfect footwear. The cavern was flooding from all the rain so they didn't end up selling a full days worth of entry tickets. We got lucky and had one of the last tours in the early afternoon. There was one spot we could not go down due to the flooding but otherwise our tour hit up all the normal spots that they cover. Our tour guide was great! She was super knowledgeable and fun! In addition to all the cool rock formations, we saw fish (which was surprising to me) and walls covered in granddaddy long legs! Sadly, there are currently are no bats due to white nose syndrome affecting the bat population. They had us step on a mat with some type of disinfectant after leaving the cavern to try to avoid spreading any of the disease (it's not something that can harm humans though). At one point they showed us complete darkness without any light whatsoever which was pretty trippy!
Very easy to locate! Parking is limited and it got busy as I was leaving (afternoonish). You buy tickets at the gift shop, that's where we ran into not the friendliest staff member. Everyone else was nice! I've been to a few caves/caverns in Virginia and this one is a little smaller than the previous ones but was nothing short of amazing. They have several tours going on at the same time, so you will cross paths a few times. The cave itself was amazing and our tour guide gave us so many facts!
We took our grandkids here over Labor Day weekend. We arrived a little after 10 and ended up with a 10:45 tour time. The cost I feel is reasonable for the tour. They have a gift shop where you purchase your tickets. They also have restrooms on the grounds because there are none in the caves. Be prepared to possibly get dripped on during the tour. Would definitely suggest wearing closed toe shoes with a slip friendly sole as there is a good chance you will be walking in water falling from the ceiling. Also, a light jacket could be warranted as its quite cool in the caverns. Our guide was very informative and so patient with our grandchildren who had many questions.
Before leaving town after a fabulous girls trip to Banner Elk, my crew made a stop at the Linville Caverns. We arrived in time for a 4:30 slot (5 people meant we had to wait a bit - but there's a gift shop and beautiful rocks to use as a photo backdrop). Our guide, a college senior, who worked there 6 years, was quite informative and knew what felt like EVERYTHING about the caverns. She made the tour not just educational but fun. We spent a few minutes in the dark and let's just say I'd never want to be inside without a flashlight! The caverns currently are requiring face mask regardless of vaccination. The group isn't large but you are in tight spaces which prohibits social distancing and also pass by other groups in tight spaces. I did notice guest in two other groups took off their masks once inside or did not wear them properly- but I can imagine the young staff doesn't have the energy to "force" people to follow basic instructions. This is a definite must do if you are in the area!!
Great little spot to get out and explore some very cool and moist caverns especially on a hot day. This is a guided tour which was well worth the entrance fee lasting about a half hour. Very educational and interesting.
Learned that caverns and caves tell so much about what took place geologically and environmentally. The structures within are breathtakingly beautiful. Worth a visit. Plus, we saw a cute lil hibernating bat all alone (we called him 'Furry Nugget'). I'd like to visit the Caverns again to meet his whole fambam come winter later this year. Tour guide is a knowledgeable young chap. Tour is kid friendly and senior friendly. $10 is reasonable for the entire experience and the upkeep.
A must-see when in the North Carolina Highlands! We got there early during Thanksgiving week to beat the lines. Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable of both the history and geology of the cave. Highlights include stepping onto a platform that looks down into a 250 foot deep pool and having the lights turned off - you genuinely cannot see your hand in front of your face. Kids loved it! Linville Falls and Grandfather Mountain are nearby. Highly recommend both if you're in a hiking mood.
We had a fantastic time at Linville Caverns! Our family thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and the tour guide's knowledge added a fascinating depth to our exploration. Highly recommended for an educational and enjoyable outing!
2 months ago
7/24/26 My husband and I like to take a cave trip every year for our anniversary. This year, we decided to travel from Ohio to the Bristol area. We saw that this cavern wasn't too far away as well and decided to see what a North Carolina cave had to offer. This was the 26th cave/cavern that we have visited in the US. We enjoyed our tour. Our favorite part was standing over the grate with the water down below! It was a unique experience and very cool. Our tour guide was great but we didn't quite catch her name at the beginning of our tour. read more
We really enjoyed bringing the kids to tour this cavern! It got flooded out by Helene but is back up and running, and it's a great spot to cool off on a hot day too! My favorite part of the tour was when they cut the lights off for a moment so you can experience total darkness! You couldn't even see the hand in front of your face! Some good history lessons on the tour as well. read more
Let me start by saying I have been to other caverns in a couple of other states. But we live here and wanted to visit this nice little attraction. If you know what time you are going to be there, get tickets online. We went on a Sunday and had to wait an hour and a half due to there being small groups and lots of visitors. The cavern is not big but still holds interest and if you are young or young at heart you likely will enjoy it. The guide takes you through the cavern and points out rock formations and other points of interest. TIP your guide if they are someone who gives you some points that were interesting. It amazes me how we tip a Starbucks barista who spends two minutes on us but not a guide who gives a tour for a half hour. I recommend a visit. read more
It was something to do on a rainy day, but altogether underwhelming. The pictures below pretty much capture the experience. It's a small cavern, very small by some standards and I was surprised to have the guide tell us that we were standing in the largest room in the cavern when we were in a small room. I've been to much grander caverns, but as I sid, it was something to do. read more
A fun way to spend the afternoon! We had an awesome tour guide named Micah who really made the experience even more awesome. You could tell he was very passionate about the questions we asked and the information. We did not realize how busy it would be but we were able to buy tickets for later in the day and came back after lunch! Can't recommend this enough! read more
1 month ago
2 years ago
Sunday during our NC Blue Ridge Parkway Adventure, we stopped at the Linville Caverns located neat the Parkway. It cost $13 per adult and $10 per child to take the tour. There are restrooms and a gift shop. Our tour guide was Trip and he was very informative and friendly. There is a creek that runs through the cavern and there is trout fish that live and swim in the waters of the cavern. The tour takes about 30 minutes. If you are in the area you should definitely stop there. Highly recommend!! read more
5 months ago
2 years ago
Amazing experience to see living caverns four minutes from the parkway! For only $13 a person you get a fully immersive experience to the caverns and witness multiple different formations, a fossil, local Appalachian trout, and beautiful crystal formations. Loved the history learned and the fun jokes from our tour guide Stefanie! Will happily return to see the bats in the winter! read more
It's $12/person to tour the caverns. You pay inside the shop where they'll give you the tour time for you/your group that's next available. The tours are 30-35 minutes. You'll meet your tour guide next to the shop, at the entrance of the cavern. When we went, there was a group of 6 of us with two others outside of our group. They kept groups pretty small, which I appreciated. The guide we had was informative and provided plenty of information. We were able to see a couple of bats near the entrance. The cavern is at a consistent 52-54 degrees, so bring a layer during the warmer months. When we went it had rained a couple days prior, so it was pretty wet inside. A hat would have been great to wear as it was dripping water from all along the path. Make sure you're wearing good shoes with grip because it can get slippery on the tour. This cavern is probably the greenest one we've been to. There are also restrooms should you need to go. read more
A must see! We visited on an extremely rainy day so rain boots and hiking boots were the perfect footwear. The cavern was flooding from all the rain so they didn't end up selling a full days worth of entry tickets. We got lucky and had one of the last tours in the early afternoon. There was one spot we could not go down due to the flooding but otherwise our tour hit up all the normal spots that they cover. Our tour guide was great! She was super knowledgeable and fun! In addition to all the cool rock formations, we saw fish (which was surprising to me) and walls covered in granddaddy long legs! Sadly, there are currently are no bats due to white nose syndrome affecting the bat population. They had us step on a mat with some type of disinfectant after leaving the cavern to try to avoid spreading any of the disease (it's not something that can harm humans though). At one point they showed us complete darkness without any light whatsoever which was pretty trippy! read more
3 years ago
Very easy to locate! Parking is limited and it got busy as I was leaving (afternoonish). You buy tickets at the gift shop, that's where we ran into not the friendliest staff member. Everyone else was nice! I've been to a few caves/caverns in Virginia and this one is a little smaller than the previous ones but was nothing short of amazing. They have several tours going on at the same time, so you will cross paths a few times. The cave itself was amazing and our tour guide gave us so many facts! read more
We took our grandkids here over Labor Day weekend. We arrived a little after 10 and ended up with a 10:45 tour time. The cost I feel is reasonable for the tour. They have a gift shop where you purchase your tickets. They also have restrooms on the grounds because there are none in the caves. Be prepared to possibly get dripped on during the tour. Would definitely suggest wearing closed toe shoes with a slip friendly sole as there is a good chance you will be walking in water falling from the ceiling. Also, a light jacket could be warranted as its quite cool in the caverns. Our guide was very informative and so patient with our grandchildren who had many questions. read more
Before leaving town after a fabulous girls trip to Banner Elk, my crew made a stop at the Linville Caverns. We arrived in time for a 4:30 slot (5 people meant we had to wait a bit - but there's a gift shop and beautiful rocks to use as a photo backdrop). Our guide, a college senior, who worked there 6 years, was quite informative and knew what felt like EVERYTHING about the caverns. She made the tour not just educational but fun. We spent a few minutes in the dark and let's just say I'd never want to be inside without a flashlight! The caverns currently are requiring face mask regardless of vaccination. The group isn't large but you are in tight spaces which prohibits social distancing and also pass by other groups in tight spaces. I did notice guest in two other groups took off their masks once inside or did not wear them properly- but I can imagine the young staff doesn't have the energy to "force" people to follow basic instructions. This is a definite must do if you are in the area!! read more
5 years ago
Great little spot to get out and explore some very cool and moist caverns especially on a hot day. This is a guided tour which was well worth the entrance fee lasting about a half hour. Very educational and interesting. read more
Learned that caverns and caves tell so much about what took place geologically and environmentally. The structures within are breathtakingly beautiful. Worth a visit. Plus, we saw a cute lil hibernating bat all alone (we called him 'Furry Nugget'). I'd like to visit the Caverns again to meet his whole fambam come winter later this year. Tour guide is a knowledgeable young chap. Tour is kid friendly and senior friendly. $10 is reasonable for the entire experience and the upkeep. read more
3 years ago
A must-see when in the North Carolina Highlands! We got there early during Thanksgiving week to beat the lines. Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable of both the history and geology of the cave. Highlights include stepping onto a platform that looks down into a 250 foot deep pool and having the lights turned off - you genuinely cannot see your hand in front of your face. Kids loved it! Linville Falls and Grandfather Mountain are nearby. Highly recommend both if you're in a hiking mood. read more
We had a fantastic time at Linville Caverns! Our family thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and the tour guide's knowledge added a fascinating depth to our exploration. Highly recommended for an educational and enjoyable outing! read more
Very interesting and educational cavern tour. Very informative and well-versed tour guides. Nice gift shop. Tour wasn't too long, or too short. Face masks are required. Decent ticket prices. Great place to stop on vacation, especially on rainy days. read more
5 years ago
Caverns are nice & our guide was knowledgeable & happy to answer questions. More than enough parking available. Admission when we were there (November 2021) was $12 per adult. The gift shop is okay - a bit dated, but along with the souvenirs there are posters & information on the caverns you can read. The caverns are chilly year round, so bring a sweater or something, even in the summer time, once you are down in the caves you'll need it. A few sections were closed off due to how tight they were - people couldn't have safely distanced, but even so it was a good tour. Everyone had to wear masks while in the caverns. Because of white nose syndrome they evidently have a lot fewer bats than in prior years, but we did see a couple roosting. You will have to step on a bleach mat when leaving to help keep people from carrying the disease out to other places. This is a good option if you have an hour or so to fill during your visit to the area. read more
2 years ago
It was incredible. There are no words to describe the same. Highly recommend. It really is worth the money and time for the experience. read more
This is the greenery cavern I have ever seen. It is also one of the wettest cavern I have visited. We saw the cave stalactites full of color. Especially the blue purple is from zinc cobalt. This cave stalactites is form 125 years per cubic inch. It is estimated over thousands years old. The cave has beautiful formations. I like the fact they are one of the most colorful and interesting to see. 1941 the have bid flood that the force of water broke some of the stalactites. The eventual will heal themselves but not in our lifetime to see it. They use to have fish in the underground water. However the otter came in and eat it all. The cave also home to a group of bat. White-nose_syndrome creat by fungus of the cave is harmless to human and animal but it can kill the bat. Every visitor will need to disinfect the shoe bottom before walk out the cave. Please remember there is no cell signal until you go to town. Please remember how you drive there because there is no GPS to take you home. read more
It's a pretty cool cave as far as caves go, and I've seen quite a few. It's on the small side, but has It's features that make it stand out. It's a very wet cave, as you can see water flowing in from the outside in the form of a mini river, but big enough to flood the cave during a wet season. Water drips overhead as well, so a hat is helpful. The unique formations are due to the wetness of the cave. It's about a 30 minute tour, with a maximum group of 9 people due to Covid, but they run every 10 minutes. You must arrive early, as they apparently sell out. It opens at 9am and we arrived at 8:30 and was in the 1st tour at 9:10. The cost is $10, $9 for seniors. It's worth the trip. read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
The groups were too large, I couldn't hear a word the tour guide said the whole way, a lot of the tour was closed off from when I went years ago. This place used to be a lot better now it's just a tourist scam read more
3 years ago
This is absolutely a must for folks who are visiting Western NC region. Even if you've been once, it doesn't hurt to return, as tours are slightly different each time depending on the guide. The drive to the Linville Caverns will take you to different areas of the backcountry, all with beautiful views almost with this effect of transporting back in time. Signs are apparent as you get closer, and you won't be able to miss the turn. Once you arrive, parking is ample. Walk inside the shop, pay for your admission, walk around or sit on the benches, and wait for your tour to begin. Depending on your specific group and the amount of questions/discussion to be had, tours can last 15-45 minutes. The walk is easy and light and able to be accessed by many (though I am not sure if type of tour is suitable with someone in a wheelchair; one may wish to call and ask). The ground of the caverns can be slippery, so make sure to wear shoes with a good grip that you don't particularly mind getting wet (same with clothes, for that matter). The gift shop isn't all that great, but it's not a worry, as it is clear the folks who run the spot are more concerned with preserving the caves and wildlife (i.e., bats) compared to making this a tourist attraction. read more
5 years ago
7 years ago
I'm typically not one to visit caverns as they make me a little claustrophobic (not terribly so). The price is very reasonable and the staff was friendly. They perform tours about every 15 minutes and our tour guide was quite personable and funny at times. The only thing that can be a little annoying is hearing the other tours going on in the tight space due to the 15 minute increments and the tour lasting for 40 minutes or so. Otherwise, it was pretty informative and wouldn't mind doing it again. read more
4 years ago
I felt like Batman, once inside the caverns. Hmm... How can I build my own BatCave in one of these, realistically? HAHA read more
5 years ago
7 years ago
Don't waste your time and money! I would rate this NOTHING if it would let me!!!! Unorganized, DIRTY, extremely rude staff. When we arrived the line was wrapped around the building and no body directing guests as to where they need to be. This place was crap. Don't do it! BOTH the men and women's bathrooms had a backup issue where the toilets overflowed onto the floor and they did NOTHING about it. They had no wet floor signs out to warn guests about it. I told the ladies working inside of the store that it had happened and all I got was "we know ; we can't do anything for you" RUDE. DISGUSTING. UNORGANIZED. UNPROFESSIONAL. read more
As far as caverns go, Linville is the smallest I have been to, but still quite interesting. It is also very wet, and a cool 52 degrees year round. The cave is very narrow in spots. One area they take you to is extremely narrow and you will have 0 personal space. We had a few children in our group who were giving their parents those signals that they needed naps immediately. Can't ding the caverns on this, but maybe they should have adults only lines for future. Tour operator was informative but the unruly kids made it hard to hear everything. She warned us before turning out the lights, as we got to experience total pitch black darkness that only occurs in caves and ocean abyss naturally. Interesting tidbit that people would literally go crazy after 2 weeks. It was very eerie! Not sure I would make it 2 days! You will get wet, especially after rain and we hit it on a very rainy weekend. read more
5 years ago
Such a cute place to visit, grace was amazing!! The gift shop was adorable and everything was a fair price. read more
The caverns were great but our tour guide sucked the enjoyment right out of it. The entire 30 minute tour felt like the tutorial that flight attendants are forced to give you before a flight. Monotonous, monotone, and lacking any emotion. We passed three other tour guides during our tour and all of them sounded more pleasant than our guide. It's hard to describe but if you heard her tone or saw her lack of enthusiasm you'd understand. An example would be at one point we passed another group. Our guide asks the other guide: "How're you today?" Other guide: "I'm good" Our guide: "I'm glad someone can say that." Why'd she even ask him then, just so she could complain after? No excuse for this when we are paying for 6 tickets for a tour. If someone is burnt out then they need to find another job. I'm a firm believer in leaving your problems at the door when in front of paying customers. The caves were gorgeous and worth the trip but it was honestly hard to enjoy with that kind of personality guiding us. read more
4 years ago
Drove one hour to get here only to find out you are required to wear a mask to go into the caverns, we called ahead of time and asked about any special requirements and they said there were none. Once you arrive there are signs everywhere and, of course, they sell masks. If you are requiring me to wear one, you should provide it free of charge. We left, found some other cool things to do. read more
9 years ago
If you're really into caverns and have seen loads of 'em, I have a feeling this one isn't gonna do it for you. But if you're a rube, like yours truly, then this makes for a fun, educational outing for not a ton of money: So yeah, maybe I'm just really easy to please, but I rather enjoyed being up close 'n personal with stalagmites 'n stalactites. Found it fascinating that we weren't allowed to touch the Cavern walls; not 'cause they would harm us, but 'cause we'd harm the walls. Was sad we didn't encounter any bats, whose population in the area has apparently been diminished by disease. Other Random Takeaways: Wish I'd gotten the name of our tour guide. He was working in the gift shop when we arrived and seemed more seasoned than some of the younger guides I've seen described. He was both passionate about the subject and knowledgeable. We wound up with a 'private tour' by default. At first, it felt awkward, but then I realized how lucky we were. Being in a such a small group without distractions meant we could fully appreciate and see everything our guide was showing us. I would probably not have enjoyed the tour as much in a large group. Yes, as noted by another Yelper there seems to be a schtick here as far as the guides likening some of the formations to historic figures, among other things. I figured this was a way to make the information more relatable, especially to kids, and I wasn't bothered. What you need to know: To echo everyone else, the cavern is chilly, so dress accordingly. A hood, hat, or cap wouldn't hurt since you're likely to get pelted with a drip of water or two. It's also slippery so leave those stripper heels at home. Just kidding. The tour, which I believe runs $8 pp, takes about 30 minutes, give or take, so budget for that, along with some time in the gift shop. Pro Tip: This cavern is located between Linville Falls and Fox & the Fig, a lovely cafe in Spruce Pines. Make a day of it by visiting all three, though be sure to check the hours for Fox & the Fig, since they are limited. read more
This place was so cool!!!! I have never been to see caverns before and it was a really cool experience. The people that work there are also very friendly and knowledgeable-I thought it was really cool to experience "total darkness" where the tour guide turns off all the lights in the caverns for a moment. Also, there's some pretty cool history behind those specific caverns - def recommend!! Not just for kids !!! read more
3 years ago
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