We visited Mercer Caverns in Murphys for my daughter's 24th birthday and it turned out to be a really unique experience. We arrived around 10:30 AM and were able to join the 11:00 tour with no problem. The tour lasted about 50 minutes, which felt like the perfect amount of time. Our guide had a bit of a dry sense of humor, but was knowledgeable and kept the group moving at a good pace. The caverns themselves were impressive -- it's amazing to see such a beautiful natural space that has been left mostly undisturbed for thousands of years. The formations are stunning and unlike anything you see above ground. A couple things to be aware of: some of the stairs are steep and can be wet, so you definitely need to watch your footing. There are also a few spots where you have to duck your head. It's not difficult, but you do need to be mindful as you go. The temperature inside stays cool year-round (around the mid-50s), which is nice on a warm day but you may want a light jacket. The entire tour is guided, and you descend about 160 feet underground via metal stairways. It feels adventurous without being overwhelming. Overall, it was a neat, memorable stop and a fun way to celebrate a birthday. If you're in the Murphys area and looking for something different to do, this is definitely worth checking out. read more

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Discovered by William Mercer in 1885 who noticed a breeze coming out of some rocks, he thought he found gold but instead found this amazing underground cavern. He charged a pinch of gold for admission and probably made way more money from the caves than he would have if there was gold. Parking lot is small so its best to get there early, they have a set amount of people that can go on each tour and they do sell out. The giftshop is easy to burn some time at and if you are a fan of classic boardwalk fortune telling automatons, there is a Zoltar set up inside. I loved this cavern, there are steep wooden stairs you'll be scrambling on and low hanging rocks, you feel very intimate with the cave and even if it's hot outside, it's always nice and cool underground. Our tour guide was amazing and I loved hearing the stories as we descended. The most interesting anecdote was how they used to conduct tours by holding a wooden plank with a candle on it in their mouths. It's a very enjoyable family adventure though you may have to help young children up and down some of the stairs. read more

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This was amazing. I never thought I'd go into a cave..haha. The tour guy was fun and knowledgeable. He made our tour so great. I would recommend this tour. read more

Mercer Caverns - Tours Near Me - Murphys, California

I came here as a little girl probably 18 or 19years ago with my school and it was engrained in me. I just took my 4 year old son and husband and we had the time of our lives. Our tour guide was the coolest cat and he was so knowledgeable on the caverns he answered every single one of our questions. Not only did we get to see and explore more than we thought, our guide was so funny and made us feel safe the whole time. We wanted to go again as soon as we finished. Highly recommend during the rainy/snowy season. The water dripping down made it absolutely surreal! Cannot wait to come back asap. Thank you so much for continuing to keep this place open, we know it's hard work and with teary eyes, this day healed a part of us (possibly the little kid in us) we didn't know needed it. Thank you! read more

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Rating for store Definitely not too impressed with this location, especially the store. Barely any available souvenirs in the shop. We haven't done the tour of the cabinet itself, but possibly will down the road just to see what it's like. I will update when we take the tour to the cavern. Quality of service: C Quality of products: D Price: $- $$ read more

My family moved to SF about 30 years ago, and only in 2025 did I realize there were cool caverns like this within a few hours' drive! I'm sad I didn't discover them earlier, but better late than never! The tour was so cool. You climb down these narrow, steep stairs down, down, down deep into earth. The cavern and the formations were otherworldly, and lights were strategically placed to highlight their beauty. They use the perfect color temperature for the lights, so the cave looked cozy and warm. The website describes this cavern as a "subterranean wonderland" - which is perfect! Shoutout to ZEB! He was our tour guide, and he was fun, friendly, and informative. It's pretty nuts how deep the space runs, and it's impressive that people were able to build staircases that delve deep without taking over the cavern. I wish I could go in there to think and relax anytime I want! The one star off was because the guy we bought the tickets from was not friendly. I didn't think much of it at first, but then a white lady came and he talked to her with a lot more warmth :/ But again, shoutout to Zeb. As I was looking over the geodes they sell in the store, Zeb came over and talked to me about all the geodes. I really appreciate his friendliness, warmth, and enthusiasm. read more

I went with my husband and 3 children. We got there pretty early, shortly after 10am and there was only one other person doing the cave tour with us. Ren took us in and gave us an awesome tour. Really punny recommend! read more

Mercer Caverns - cave - Tours Near Me - Murphys, California

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Visited Mercer Caverns on a warm summer day. It's a trek in you're coming out from the East Bay but a good way to beat the heat. Tours weren't very crowded and we had a funny and engaging tour guide. I liked that there was a good amount of walking through narrow passages and it felt like a mini (very mini) guided hike. They had a nice covered waiting area outside and a pretty good gift shop. Made this a stop en route to a few other gold country adventures and had a blast. It's my second favorite out of the 4 caverns I toured this past summer. read more

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As you drive on Main Street, just before you turn onto Sheep Ranch Road, there is a sign hanging outside of a store that says Mercer Caverns. I almost stopped because I thought maybe that's where the ticket office was, but luckily, there was no parking so I just followed the GPS and kept going. So, don't let the sign fool you, keep driving. We got there at 9am and bought tickets for their first tour at 9:30. It was great, the tour was just the two of us and the instructor, who was very knowledgeable and gave us a wealth of information. Some tours requires a minimum number of people, I am glad this one did not have that rule. read more

Nice place to explore older kids will have lot of fun and a nice Saturday trip honestly I love driving to this place

Wonderful experience, the tours are fun and educational, the rocks and formations inside the cavern are fascinating. Our second time here and we're probably going back next time we visit murphy's! read more

This was perfect for my little family of kiddos, 4 and 12. We got there and bought tickets for the next tour which was an hour or so. So we drove downtown to Main St. for a quick walk around. Grabbed some coffee and candy to them head back. My 4 year old was a bit nervous but once our guide mentioned one of the sides looked like a dino fossil he was sold. There were two staircases that were really steep but he did a great job. WEAR TENNIS SHOES! read more

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**SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT** Fantastic experience. They do this really cool thing(at least when I went about 6~7 years ago) where they take you all the way down to the lowest point of the cave that they are willing to take guests, and then shut the lights off so you can really see what it was like for the first spelunkers to explore it and show you what total darkness really looks like. It was a shocking and eerie experience lol. Shortly after, they show you what the small amount of lumens a single, or multiple candles put out and look like when you're "exploring"(which is VERY dim), to show you what the patrons 100+ or whatever years ago got to experience when they were paying Walter J. Mercer a shekel to see the cave at the time, all whilst traversing down the slopes before there were stairs...with a rope! Awesome experience overall!...& definitely going to go back someday!!! read more

Amazing tour provided by Marshall today. Super educational and answered all questions from our group throughly. Highly recommend this experience if you're in the area! Takes around 45 minutes, steep stairs and some narrow. My cousin is about 6 ft tall and definitely had to duck to make it through but he made it! read more

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Our tour guide Zeb was absolutely great so knowledgeable and funny. It was a very nice tour. Highly recommend it, but you can't be real big because it's very narrow going up and down the stairs. read more

This is one of several limestone caves or caverns open to the public in this portion of the Sierra Nevada foothills and Gold Country, an an area otherwise mostly consisting of granite rather than limestone. It is an extensive series of caverns with trails and stairs up and down. One must visit through a tour, as is normal in such places. The tour takes close to an hour and we had a very nice time with an excellent tour guide, even though there was a fairly large group at the time. The history explained o the tour is interesting. This one is very different from the nearby Moaning Cavern (or Moaning Cave as I always remember it being called when I was a kid). That one is essentially one giant cave with spiral steps down. This is a series of caverns and caves with trails and stairs up and down in various parts, see even if you've seen one, the other is interesting. I can't compare to the others caves around since I haven't been to any of those since I was a kid an do not remember details yet. I hope to back get to them again eventually. There is a gift shop, of course, plus toilets, and there is also a gold panning thing for kids. read more

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Great experience. Interesting history. Ren was a great tour guide and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend it.

Walked in about 2:30pm. Asked for tickets for the tour. Guy sitting on the ground behind the counter. (Guy with a bunch of piercings) said.... Sold out come back another time. No hello. Just a rude impolite bark right off the start. Needless to say won't be going back to that place. Poor choice of employee. read more

I grew up in Calaveras County and have a deep affection for its people. During a 4th of July visit with my family, we chose Murphys as our base camp. Due to the heatwave, we visited Mercer Caverns, a place I had previously enjoyed and wanted to share with my family. We arrived just before noon, and went into the gift shop to purchase tickets. My daughter suffers from an autoimmune disease, so we masked up before entering to make our purchase. We were the only customers, and were met by two members of the staff. Patrick, who ended up leading our tour, explained the tour and we paid. He said we could wait outside or "stay in here and buy some things." Honestly, not much worth buying but I'm happy to support local and probably would have spent some money. Unfortunately, as soon as we stepped a few feet away, the other staff member began making disparaging comments about people who wear masks and COVID. In a quiet, cavernous room with only four people, it certainly wasn't a comfortable situation. I asked my daughter to wait for me outside. I informed the staff that the masks were for my daughter's health, not to make a statement. Despite this, they offered no apology. While the cave was beautiful, the experience was ruined by the staff's lack of compassion. The incident upset me. I taught my kids that everyone has a story. We don't know, and shouldn't make assumptions about, what people go through. Unfortunately, the staff at Mercer Caverns failed to demonstrate basic human decency and empathy. We won't be returning. read more

Our visit to this cavern tour got off to a rocky start--pun intended--thanks to the ticket staff. When I asked if we could purchase tickets for a later time, I was informed (in the snippiest tone imaginable) that they don't offer that option. Okay, I get it, but maybe a little kindness wouldn't hurt? Instead, it felt like I was being scolded for asking a perfectly reasonable question. Then, there's the price. Let's just say the tickets were steep--much like the cavern walls. For what they charge, I half-expected a complimentary snacks, and perhaps a dazzling light show at the end. While the cavern itself was beautiful and awe-inspiring, the lackluster customer service and high ticket prices left us feeling like we'd unearthed more frustration than fun. A little polish in the front office would go a long way. read more

Caverns are so interesting. I took my 4 year old and with lots of whining and crying he made it through the whole adventure. I was so proud of him as in the beginning he was fearful and at the end he was so proud of himself for climbing all the stairs. So much patience from the tour guide as well as all the other guests who were with us on our journey. It was a great experience and I was so happy he got to experience his first cavern experience here. read more

Mercer Caverns - Tours Near Me - Murphys, California

Great place to visit! Highly recommended when you're there to visit! Welcoming and informative staff. read more

Amazing cavern experience with various types of mineral formations and grottos. Take the pre-tour warning seriously-you walk down stairs the equivalent of a 16-story building-and then back up again. It is broken up, so as long as you are in reasonable, it will be enjoyable and exhilarating. Clean facilities above ground. Efficient and friendly staff (this is privately owned/operated). read more

Mercer Caverns is literally & figuratively a cool site to explore in the town of Murphys, which was sweltering when we visited. It's crazy how the inside of a cave can be humongous but make you feel claustrophobic. There are 16 stories of steep & narrow stairs to climb. If there are hazards like sharp edges or low-hanging rock, the tour guide would call out a warning to the person behind him, & that person would do the same so we'd all know what to look out for. I thought it'd be a fun, carefree activity, but it was anxiety inducing for some in my party. We came in on a whim & the next tour wasn't for another two hours so we familiarized ourselves with Main Street while we waited. There are clean bathrooms in the gift shop, as well as well-priced drinks & snacks. Admission is $19/person but I believe we got a group discount. The inside is majestic & I did get my cardio in for the day, but I think my days of cave exploring was a one-time thing. read more

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was turned away due to a school field trip- maybe post when your not opened to the public on your website! offered us to come back 2 hours later and pay now as there were only a few spots left.. read more

Mercer Cavern was the 3rd of 4 caverns I explored last week. Easy to find from Murphys. The stairs here are very steep and wearing appropriate footwear is strongly encouraged. Also no purses allowed or backpacks or anything that can rub up against the walls and fragile structures. Zeb was our tour guide and he was incredible! He had a great personality and connected immediately with the kids. He was a resource of information and a great storyteller as he enthralled us with the sad history of Walter Mercer, who discovered Mercer Caverns in 1885. I was awestruck by the geological formations, and the beauty that surrounded us on the tour. What a world awaits those who want to go one step beyond the ordinary! You will not be disappointed! read more

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Interesting place in the town of Murphys. The place will have you on a descent almost 200 ft below earth's surface into caves full of various types of rocks/crystals formations. I will say that even though this experience is cool, it could be dangerous too. Lighting isn't good and stairs are very narrow and short (and wet in some areas). Make sure to have the proper kind of shoes on (closed toe/non-slippery). Elise was a great tour guide and since the caves stay 55° all year long, it was a great escape from the boiling heat outside. read more

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So glad that we came. It's a great little cavern with many beautiful formations. The cavern goes down about a quarter of a mile tour on some well maintained stairs. Especially nice escape from the summer heat in this county. On our tour their were all ages from little toddlers that did surprisingly well on the tour to seniors. An easy trek for most, I think. They do not take reservations, or sell tickets over the phone, so if you are interested in coming to take a tour, you'll need to come buy your tickets at the register. Since they only take about a dozen people at a time you may need to wait your turn. The town of Murphy is just a few minutes away and it's a great little place to do a bit of shopping and get a nosh while you wait for your tour time. You can also bring a picnic and have under the trees using the picnic benches around the Cavern grounds. (But it can be quite warm there) read more

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Convenient access from Murphy. No reservation required. Guide was excellent and truly glad to share what he knew.

This place is incredible!!!! The tour guides are informative, but don't recommend if you have children younger than 7 years of age. If you have problems with tight spaces, heights, or climbing LOTS of steep stairs this may be not for you. We were a small group (4 adults) and not even half way down a member of our party started feeling a panic attack coming on and had to go back to the surface. Going to plan to go again in the future! read more

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Our group of three adults had a great time on the cavern tour with our awesome guide, Jonathan. We went on the 3:30 pm tour on a Tuesday and ended up being the only group on the tour. Jonathan was extremely friendly, personable, and knowledgeable and did a great job of pointing out the interesting aspects of the cavern and where to be careful as we navigated through the space. We also appreciated the cheesy cavern jokes and humor! The 16 stories of the cavern tour feels pretty quick and there are many interesting variations to see. There is also a single stalagmite that they allow guests to touch, so you can get a sense of the texture. Jonathan reminded us to touch the back instead of the front where the texture is modified by many guests hands. For those with kids (and maybe fun loving adults), outside the cavern store, there's an interesting setup to pan for gems. You can buy a bag of soil and gems in the store. There is also a nice shaded seating area, which I assume fills up during the busy season as people wait for tours. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area! read more

We had a great time at Mercer Caverns! We are a family of 4 with 2 young children (9 and almost 5 year old) and so we were not sure if they would get scared or have difficulty navigating the stairs. Our tour guide was Wren and he was fantastic. We learned a lot about the caverns history but he would tell stories in a way that our children were also listening. He was even very kind and answered their silly questions at the end of the tour with enthusiasm. The cavern is stunning and I highly recommend going to anyone that has the ability to climb hundreds of steep stairs, it's worth the effort. read more

This was an interesting place to stop by in the area, especially if you haven't been in a cave before. Admission was $19/person for a tour. The cave is quite deep so there are ~16 stories of stairs to go up and down. The stairs are narrow and steep so that's something to keep in mind if you consider coming here. The tour guide was nice and had a lot of facts recited to share with us. We learned that stalactites grow from the ceiling, stalagmites grow from the ground, columns form when stalactites meet stalagmites, and draperies form along walls. The tour guide also shared stories about how Mercer (the man who discovered the cave) described the different areas of the cave and gave tours before the stairs were built and electric lights were set up -- ropes and candles! Overall it was informative and interesting, but the tour guide wasn't able to answer many additional questions we had, so the tour felt rehearsed rather than more interactive. read more

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Beautiful cave system. One HUGE caveat: Do NOT bring children that you have to carry or assist. Even self-sufficient kids would struggle. There are numerous part that are very precarious and a child could easily fall off or through railing or stairs. They don't give sufficient warning of this. Especially near the end, there are multiple parts where you're climbing very narrow and steep stairs without sufficient safety measures below you. This after they've casually told you they don't know how deep some of these drops are... I'd suggest relatively fit teenagers or adults only. read more

I have been several times, but it has been since my daughter was a child. DD and family, Papa and I, headed up for a fun fall day of eating , shopping, and of course caving! Faculty has added a great gift shop... which is primarily rock related. Tours are every hour, on the half hour. This cave is a small gem, and an extremely steep hike down and back up. You are on stairs, and it is decently well lit. Our Guide Josh was so knowledgeable.... he made it a wonderful educational experience for all. We need to look up the history of a unique Aragonite formation that won a grand prize in the Paris World's Fair! Only recommend for the hail-and-hearty... pictures do not do it justice read more

Mercer Caverns - Tours Near Me - Murphys, California

This was a great activity for a very hot day--caverns have natural air conditioning! It was so refreshing to feel cool air on my skin. The formations are beautiful, and it has been well preserved over the years, considering the fact that it was discovered in a time when exploitation of natural resources in the west was at its peak. There was a good parking lot, and it was easy to find. We descended 16 floors, with lots of stops for historical stories and geological information and maybe a bit of exaggerated lore. It felt like just the right amount of danger to make it thrilling while also reassuring with the hand rails. We went with our kids--6 and 9. We hike a lot, so the going up stairs wasn't an issue. But I will note that steps are very steep and it's darkish, so descending without holding my 6-year-old's hand made me feel nervous. Going up the stairs was okay. They don't seem to have any restrictions about who can join the tour, but from observing other people in the group, I would recommend that no one wear flip flops or slip-ons, and I would make sure your kids are able to climb that many stairs and that they won't be afraid of the dark. There's no escape hatch and only one guide, so if you are going in, you are going all in. read more

Stopped in on a whim and caught the last tour of the day but no one else joined so Katie took me down by myself and it was AWESOME! She was so kind and patient with all my questions. She's a fantastic interpreter! Getting to experience true darkness that far down in the earth is unreal and definitely worth experiencing. The gift shop/visitor center is super cool too. Highly highly recommend this cute little place. read more

Mercer Caverns - Calcite formations - Tours Near Me - Murphys, California

I'm assuming these four star reviewers don't realize that you can't change the layout of a naturally formed cave. We were told beforehand that it's steep and a lot of stairs involved, they show you a map before going in. Take your time on the stairs, the tour guides don't rush you and give you so much information on each landing. The history of this place is fascinating, and the guides are very informative and funny. My husband and I love seeing caves, its sad that not many people knew to conserve back in the day so some formations were broken off or touched, but they do a fantastic job of preserving it as much as they can. Definitely recommend. read more

Mercer Caverns - Cave formations - Tours Near Me - Murphys, California

Great tour, easy walking down into the caves, lots of stairs and shorter entry ways as you go back up half way through. Tour guide is funny and keeps you entertained. Staff is friendly and the place is clean. read more

Very cool and beautiful caverns. Our tour guide was informative and entertaining. Lasted 1 hour. Stairways were steep and narrow, but easy to navigate. Loved the history of the place. read more

Mercer Caverns - Stalagtite - Tours Near Me - Murphys, California

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