Pictures don't do it justice since it's dark and you're underground but wow! What a neat experience. They emphasize the importance of physical fitness in trekking down and back but it's really not that bad. Maybe we had the same amount of stops going down as going up but I remember the stops going up lasted longer as some people needed to catch their breath. There are benches to sit. Mind you, our guide was a teenager in jeans (and possibly crocs?) leisurely walking. There are lots of railings too. Our guide clearly has a rehearsed spiel but was very informative and didn't sound robotic, answered questions professionally, and appeared to enjoy her job. The coolest part for me was when they turned off the lights to experience total natural darkness. It's a well run tour, great for families (but no bathrooms underground so be mindful of that!) - Make sure not to touch unless told you can! read more

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This was my friend's most wanted to go as a kid. It did not disappoint. The caverns were interesting and our guide was very knowledgeable. We got to ride in the boat and we had another girl steer and tell us more about the underground lake. It's a little cool in some parts and wear good walking shoes. read more

The Lost Sea - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sweetwater, Tennessee

Our family visited the Lost Sea last week while on a road trip. We all throughly enjoyed the experience. It's not often you can explore a cave with a lake at the bottom and take a boat ride. They also have fish in the underground lake! (granted they were stocked there for research purposes). The tour guide will feed the fish to get them to come up to the boat. The hike down wasn't terribly difficult although there were a few steeper areas where someone older or with balance issues might need to be careful. You also need to book a timeslot before you arrival. There is also a pretty cool glass blower shop outside and you can watch him do his thing. read more

Very interesting and informative tour. Loved the boat portion and our host Kieran was especially fun! Everyone from the front desk to the shop was polite and helpful! Definitely a muse see in TN. Must be sure of foot and capable of a short hike. There is uneven terrain and some wet ground. read more

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Pictures really don't do this justice.... But... it's a lake, underground, which is just mind-blowing really. The cave also has cave flowers, the highest concentration in the world, and they are really pretty! Like purple crystal flowers growing out of the ceiling! There was a prehistoric jaguar, confirmed to have been huge, that was found in the cave, and you can see a skull casting replica in the gift shop. The little village on site looked like it would be pretty fun in season, too, but was mostly closed in March. Had tour guide Logan and he was hilarious! Absolutely worth the ticket price!! read more

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Very good tour. Our guide was Christian (not Bob)- he was knowledgeable and funny. It is amazing to see how large the cavern is. It is mostly walking with a short boat ride. Will see rainbow trout. It's a little steep, slightly strenuous. An elderly lady was moving very slowly on the climb back. Was here 30 years ago, neat to see all the improvements the new owners have added. The glass blower store in the village has a ton of items. read more

Took a guest visiting from Germany to The Lost Sea on the outskirts of Sweetwater, TN. Our young witty guide, Noah, led a large group of us through Craighead Caverns, with its stalactites and stalagmites, and to America's largest underground lake. There we boarded 2 small boats and slowly drifted around the lake to see schools of rainbow trout swimming in the cold water, eager to snap up "Purina trout kibbles" that our guide sprinkled in the water. The terrain throughout the cave is mostly level but also steep in parts, though there's a handrail along the sides for safety. The best part: 58 degrees Fahrenheit inside the cave with a fair amount of humidity -- a pleasant contrast to the 92-degree temperature above. Ten years ago, the modern Visitors Center didn't exist. Now 1.5 years old, it includes a gift shop, and on the premises, a sweet shop and a glass blowing workshop. read more

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The Lost Sea is misleading but it's a decent stop to check things out. Quite a hike in the cave up and down a pretty good clip. The sea is basically a very small lake... Kind of like a below ground pond. They continually add fish because they die off with no oxygen in the water and no natural light. Very strange. Not a lot to see in the cave except for the history behind it. There are many caves in Tennessee that are amazing compared to this. read more

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The Lost Sea is America's largest underground lake and Registered National Landmark located in beautiful Sweetwater, Tennessee. The visible portion of the lake is 800 feet long by 220 feet wide. You go deep into the Craighead Caverns walking, and by glass bottom boat.( Lots of rainbow trout) 140 feet below ground, the Lost sea is the largest under ground lake in North America. 4 acres of the lake are visible, there are at least 13 more discovered acres beneath the surface. Divers have uncovered a series of rooms beneath the water. Way cool! So there is more to someday explore! It's in the 50's down there so be sure to dress for cool. And get ready to walk, on uneven terrain and there is darkness. It is amazing, beautiful and there is a lot of history.Cherokees Indians used artifacts have been discovered. During the 1800's: When the first white settlers arrived in the Tennessee Valley in the 1820's they also discovered the cave and used it for storing potatoes and other vegetables. One of the cave's earliest visitors was a giant Pleistocene jaguar whose tracks have been found deep inside the cave. Some 20,000 years ago the animal apparently lost his way in the darkness and wandered for days before plunging into a crevice far from the daylight he sought. Some of the bones, discovered in 1939, are now on display in the American Museum of Natural History in New York. read more

The Lost Sea - Beautiful colors - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sweetwater, Tennessee

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My husband and I adventured to this place while on a camping trip. We did one of the late afternoon time slots and booked/paid online. We didn't have any issues booking or finding parking. The tunnel is pretty cool looking. There aren't really steps to deal with, BUT coming back up all the inclines was a lot for me. I am admittedly out of shape and overweight. If you are too, then just keep in mind that going down the inclines is much easier than coming back. There were times I felt like I was fighting for my life!! My heart was beating out of my chest and I was breathing hard. My face was super red when I made it out. I stopped 3 times on the way back out....so I could rest and catch my breath. The boat ride was cool. It's not super long but you get to see the fish. Getting in and out of the boat was a little scary for me, but overall not bad. I hope this review helps someone in a similar situation be able to make an informed decision. read more

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Did a tour today and enjoyed it :) Chuck was a funny tour guide for our group, kept us entertained with jokes here and there. The tour itself was about an hour and half, you walk down the yellow tunnel at the beginning and then walk in and out different caves, the whole hike would be like walking 5 flights up which is not too bad especially since they built in different rest stops too. Boat ride was cool at the bottom, with wide caves. Cool to check out. Wear comfy walking shoes, the red dirt will get on a bit but washable with soap or toothpaste. read more

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Amelia and Cordelia were our tour guides and they were very nice. We were the last group which was nice and quite boat ride. The rainbow trout were big. It was really neat and a good workout read more

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Tour guides are immature and unprofessional "kids" that enjoy shining their flashlights on each other during the guests tour and "mucking" it up with each other. They recite memorized tutorial of the adventure with no other independent knowledge when asked questions. Our guide was so boring that we tuned him out completely just to enjoy the experience. There is a disclaimer for the physicality of this adventure however it's dark, footing is poor and the uphill at the end is something I would never recommend for an elderly person. The guide walks so far ahead of everyone that some get left behind and can not hear the warnings during the tour. This attraction is mediocre at best. Expensive. Boasted a "Village" with vendors and side attractions. All of it was closed up except for the glass blower. There was no note of any seasonal closures so this made for an even worse experience. Best part is the 5 min boat ride and seeing the lake at the bottom. But again meh. Opinion - spend your money elsewhere. It's not that spectacular. Hard pass. Really hate to give such a poor review but our group was disappointed. read more

The Lost Sea - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sweetwater, Tennessee

The was so awesome! Such a cool experience and definitely worth it. It is a little over a mile walk around over clay, make sure you wear comfortable shoes that you don't mind getting dirty. The incline may catch up to you, but the tour guide takes plenty of breaks. Bring water and a sweatshirt. read more

The Lost Sea - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sweetwater, Tennessee

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The cavern lake is unique, and could have been very cool, however the staff pretty much ruined the experience. The desk staff could really care less about being there. Our tour guide Dixie rushed us through. Granted, we are older (65 & 70) but we felt like we were pushing the whole time just to keep up. The path is dark and uneven, as expected but we would have appreciated a slower pace to take in the caverns. We couldn't see what was around us because our guide was going so fast and we were just trying to keep up. She started her informational talks before we were even near the group so we missed most of it. Her tone was very rehearsed and memorized, speaking so fast that what we did hear we could not understand. The site said tour was 1.5 hours, but ours wasn't even a full hour because it was so rushed. Our tour was near the end of the day and I guess she just wanted to get out of there early; at least that's what it felt like. They advertise a village but the whole thing was shut down. Definitely NOT worth the price of admission and would not recommend. The area has some beautiful sites that are free so I wish we'd have just done more of those. read more

These experiences are what you make of them. Our initial experience wasn't good. We couldn't hear the guide. We also had a lot of loud kids in the group and finally the guide seemed rushed. In our large group we got closer to the guide. When compared to our other cave visits there wasn't very much to see. Going on a boat ride in a cave was a first. The water was very clear and the fish were ever present. This made the experience. read more

So glad we drove out of our way to see this. Really beautiful and our tour guide, Kaiden, was so entertaining and made it really fun. read more

The Lost Sea - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sweetwater, Tennessee

This was a great activity! I've been wanting to come here for many years. The tour guide was very informative and the boat tour was great. There is a place to get ice cream next door. read more

The Lost Sea - Lost Sea - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sweetwater, Tennessee

Locals that have never been in 20 years. We took our youngest daughter and wow was it amazing. Hearing the history and stories throughout the entire tour was wonderful. The souvenir shop at the exit we loved. And the glass blower OMG breathtaking. See pictures!! read more

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Very cool experience! It's a bit of a walk to get down to the lake but it's worth it ! Were comfy shoes and bring a camera! It is a guided tour and all of the tour guides were great ! They give you a lot of info and keep you entertained read more

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This was a very cool experience! For north America's largest underwater cave it was worth it. My only reason for not giving it 5 stars was because I felt like it was a bit rushed, and I would have liked to have taken a little more time to really experience the cave. read more

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If you love Mother Nature and caves, definitely an awesome experience! The view of the lost sea is gorgeous, something you must see. Big groups is a little disappointing specially having so many tourist getting behind and the rest of the group having to wait for them to join the group. Smaller groups at the time would make it better. If you like to hike, explore and have fun, definitely something you must do here, just wear some good footwear to HIKE, since it could be slippery read more

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What an interesting history lesson. The tour guide was very informative as well as humorous. There were no children in our group however, if there were, he would have held their interest throughout the tour. It was not the most spectacular cavern I have toured but it does have the most interesting past. read more

Definitely worth a visit, when else would you see an underground lake? This is not meant for small children, people with disabilities, or anyone who can't walk up/down a steep incline. I think the place is kid friendly, but definitely for older kids who don't need to be carried up a steep incline. You will probably come out of here with your heart racing a little and sweating, definitely a little mini workout to get to the top. Wear running shoes or something you're not going to slip in, the walkways are pretty safe and very well maintained but some spots are a little easy to slip. Overall this was definitely worth the visit and the money, you'll also be able to see some super cool aspects of the cave on the way down, I wish we had stopped a little longer as some of the cool formations, but I think the guide was aware that we're all here to sea the lost sea not the cave, but the cave part was so cool too. The guide was very knowledgeable about everything. read more

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Wow wow wow amazing seriously a must try biggest cave I've ever been in and some cool history and the lake like what what read more

The Lost Sea - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sweetwater, Tennessee

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The lost sea adventure was extraordinary! My Wife & I really enjoyed the tour. Gracie, our tour guide was extreamly knowledgeable and answered all our questions about the lost sea history. The lake boat ride was really cool, lots of trout were swarming the boat as we glided through the underground lake. The hike down was an easy hike but the hike back up for me took some time. I shared photos with & our experience with several friends and several have already booked for this adventure. Check out all the photos and reviews. read more

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We have been on several cavern tours, so any time we are in an area with caverns, we find time to explore them. We ordered tickets online since we wanted the noon tour & saw online "only two tickets remain!" When we got to The Lost Sea, we parked down the hill, putting sweatshirts in our backpack since several reviewers mentioned how cool it was inside. At the ticket counter, we saw the sign "No backpacks." So we checked in, and trudged down the hill to get rid of the backpack and to move our car to a parking space in front of the entrance. We kept our sweatshirts, and waited inside until the tour started. Several people came in and bought tickets for the noon tour. Weren't they sold out? Our tour guide was JD. He had a wonderful voice, perfect for movie trailers and radio shows. He educated us about the caves, pointing out formations and sights along the way to the lost sea. He was excellent. Five stars for JD. I found myself looking down most of the tour, trying not to trip and fall. It should have been better lit by our feet so I could have spent more time looking up, noticing the cool caverns we transversed. It was also more breathtaking literally than figuratively. Steep inclines had me checking my pulse and catching my breath. JD was patient, waiting for us old timers in the rear so he could keep the group of about 30 together. I'm glad I wore hiking shoes, as it was dusty and muddy at some parts. The highlight of the tour was the underground lake. We got on the small boat, and were warned not to put our fingers in the chilly water. JD said the fish have sharp teeth and like to nibble on fingers. The fish are huge, and greedily devoured the food thrown over the side by JD and another guide on a second boat for our group. A reminder to keep our hands inside the boat. The climb back up to the tour entrance and the end of the tour was intense. JD did stop 3 times for all of us to catch our breath. We did enjoy our hour inside the caverns, and once was enough. Overall, three stars. But for JD and the lake, a final score of 4 stars. read more

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I came here with my great aunt(70+) and cousin(17). I haven't been since I was a child, probably 20 plus years ago, so I vaguely remember that visit, it was nice to experience it again as an adult. Our tour guide Skyler did a great job, he spoke loud and clear, and was even a little funny at times! He did a great job pointing out all the low passage areas so we knew where to duck. He clearly knows the key talking points very well and made the experience an enjoyable one! If you go, be prepared to hike, it's only three quarters of a mile round trip, but there are some pretty steep declines and inclines, so you're gonna want to wear good walking shoes. I think I was the only person in flip flops, and it was manageable, but I definitely would have felt more confident going down in sneakers. The boat tour was really neat, and informational, as was the entire hike down to the lake. The boat guide, which was a young lady whose name I can't recall at the moment, told us all about the trout in the lake and the different depths of the water, and the many things they've learned about the underground lake. The trek back up has multiple rest areas, which we stopped at for a couple minutes each for more history on the caverns; my aunt greatly appreciated the moments of rest along the way. This is a great outing for older kids, the little ones likely won't appreciate it, and I can't imagine it would be fun having to carry them the entire time as one parent in our group did. There are a couple of shopping opportunities on the premises - gift shop at the cave, and a general store across the way, as we as a sweets shop that serves ice cream. read more

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The Lost Sea has a lot to recommend it in terms of natural rarities you aren't likely to see too often in a lifetime, and with some upgrades and organizational changes, it could easily be a 5-star experience. Right now the building that houses the entrance to the cave is undergoing construction, so be prepared for that. That combined with the red clay and the 58-degree temperature inside the cave means you need to dress appropriately, including wearing solid shoes with good traction. Our tour guide was moderately entertaining, but the group sizes are way too large, which makes for a lumbering pace and a challenge to hear if you're not at the front. The boat ride is certainly slow and unremarkably thrilling, as many reviewers have shared, but if that bothers you, you kind of missed the point of a cave tour. We went on a Friday, and the cafe was not open. You could gem mine if you want to waste your money on something touristy that has nothing to do with the cave or the history of the area, although the map of gemstones from around the world gave my third grader a good opportunity to apply the map skills she is learning while we waited for the tour to start. There is a gift shop with all the souvenirs and prices you'd expect. The restrooms are in dire need of upgrading, and the pavilion where we waited for the tour guide was flanked by a giant trash barrel that was filled with water and swarms of hatching mosquitoes. Is it worth the trip? Absolutely. Could the experience be much better with a few tweaks? Absolutely. Don't go in expecting a sparkly customer experience for your $24.95 ticket ($14.95 for kids); just go to soak up the incredibly cool tricks of Mother Nature, and you'll leave a happy spelunker. read more

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It's interesting. Get your tickets on line. They have plenty of time slots. Our group had a total of around 20 people. Not bad. Off you go into the cave, led by your guide. The walk is about 3/4 mile total. Coming back is a steady uphill. Nothing crazy. The cave part is ok. The underground lake is the end game, though. Pretty surreal looking. Water is clear and stocked with rainbow trout. You'll quietly and slowly motor around the lake aboard an aluminum boat. Ride is about 15 minutes. Total tour time took about 1:30. read more

This experience of the lost cave was incredible. Our tour guides name was Rylen and he was very smart, funny, and sure good at his job. It's a very fun and cool experience when you go deep into the cave and explore the different passageways and learn about the facts about the history of the cave. The boat ride experience was also very cool and there was even fish down there (not naturally but still cool). Overall very cool place read more

To start off with, they have literally no bathrooms because of a water issue they said. So bring a roll of toilet paper, you're gonna have to pop a squat behind a bush. Even the Porta potty's are "out of service" which is ridiculous. No water needed..... Make sure you bring a jacket because its super cold inside. I didn't realize it was a walking tour. I didn't see that on their webpage. I wouldn't recommend if you are wheelchair bound because a lot of areas are steep and you'd go flying into some rocks. The tour was extremely boring. If you want to see certain parts of the cave such as the "big room" you have to go on flashlight tour which is 3 hours. But remember.... no bathrooms and you cant pop a squat in the cave. At the beginning we have to walk across a metal bridge high up. If you are afraid of heights beware. I had to have my daughter on one side of me blocking my view and I was staring at the guys head in front of me. Even then I was still wary. The deepest part of the cave is 580 feet; lake is at 140 feet underground. Deepest part of the lake is 70 feet. The tour was supposed to be 1h 15min but ended up being 1h 35min. So if you need to be somewhere after, don't go on tour. When you finally get to the boat area it goes a whole 2mph and go in a few circles and the guide tossed some food pellets to the 5 fish around the boat. "Boat ride" was 13 minutes long. Then you have 3 "rest stops" stalling for time. read more

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great experience! Chuck is an amazing tour guide! kept thing fun and entertaining! recommending to all!!!

I highly recommend this. Very cool and unusual place. If you like history, hit this place up. Side note: wear good shoes and be ready to walk in the dark, with uneven ground and some areas with low headroom (I hit my heads 4 times). Also, be ready to walk up and down hills. It's not flat. From the entrance to the below ground lake, it's 140 feet down in 1/3 of a mile. If you have mobility issues, this may not be for you. read more

The Lost Sea - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sweetwater, Tennessee

Tour guide Chuck made it so entertaining and informative. Ask for him!! I live close by so have visited many times. I'm sorry to find costs have gone up so much! But then, there's a lot to do and see there. read more

AWSOME when we were looking at the crystals it was sooo cool! Even the trout in the water awesome place and are guid was named Dixie and she was really fun and this was really COOL AWSOME PLACE! read more

Logan was absolutely amazing! Informative and funny. Will definitely request him when we come back

Had a wonderful tour today with Lilly. Very knowledgeable about each area of the caverns and lake and answered all of my questions. Highly recommend this tour and Lilly. read more

We traveled up to the Lost Sea in Sweetwater, Tennessee, which has the second largest underground lake in the world! I thought just SEEING this turquoise lake and taking a boat ride in a cave would be interesting enough, but just going DOWN inside the earth and listening to our tour guide Becca was FASCINATING! We learned about Cave Bacon. "Also called flowstone, cave bacon forms when water smoothly runs down an overhanging wall over and over. The mineral buildups produce a long, thin sheet, with undulations similar to crisp slices of bacon." Becca told us even more interesting things. Apparently the cave was widely used during the Civil War to gather bat poop up to make Saltpeter (which is used for explosions) and also to distill moonshine during Prohibition. In fact, ONE of the largest rooms was even used as Speakeasy! Becca even showed us some fall out shelter supplies that were stored down there when America had been threatened by bombing. The caverns were HUGE and beautiful too! They had added Rainbow Trout into the Lake years ago and tagged the fish to see where they ended up. They wanted to know if the lake fed OUT to any nearby streams. However, the fish we fed WAY too often for them to want to leave their homes. If you are traveling up to Gatlinburg, I HIGHLY recommend checking out this amazing national treasure! Afterwards we ate a WELL deserved lunch at Sweetwater Valley Farm. We ate loaded Grilled Cheese sandwiches filled with all the varied choices of cheese the farm created as well as luscious milkshakes! read more

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We drove almost 2 hours to get here while on vacation and were happy that we did. The Lost Sea Adventure was just that, a great family adventure. You start the tour by going 140 feet underground into a yellow tunnel. Once you're down there, there's so many different beautiful things to check out. Our tour guide Shelby was super friendly and informative. She kept the tour fun and upbeat the entire time. Even when we were struggling to get through that uphill walk! Pro tip: Definitely wear tennis shoes and be prepared to take a hike uphill. 3/4 of a mile felt like 3 miles. Someone in our group had a baby stroller and we all felt bad for them! The boat tour was of course our favorite part. The water was beautiful and filled with rainbow trout. We had a party of 6 and everyone enjoyed themselves while there. I'd definitely recommend this place! read more

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