Reviews of Colossal Cave Mountain Park (Tourist Attraction)

Melody Greer

Interesting history & geology. Pretty smelly with bat guano. Might bother some folks. Wasn't too dusty, or difficult to navigate paths. If you're into caves you should enjoy this one.

Randall Kayfes

The facilities are very clean and well maintained. The tour guides are fantastic - well informed on this cave and other caves located throughout Arizona. Overall a fantastic experience and we will definitely return for a Wild Cave tour!

Elisa Marenco

If you can't climb stairs is not for you. Otherwise it was great.

Martha Quero

Nice!!! We didnt get to do the tour of the cave because we were pressed for time, but it look pretty cool!!! Would definetly come back just to do the tour. Only $13

David Davis

Well worth the price of admission. Beautiful and interesting.

John Churchward

Camped in the rv area, wonderfully quiet and dark. Good for biking and hiking. Very rough roads

Melody Hicks

Awesome loved it, all the employees were so nice. Great experience.

William Ypsilanti

Best kept secret in Arizona. Had a wonderful adventure learning about the Cave, its history and the forces of nature that formed it.

Michael Hillman

The drive out to the cave is very beautiful. The cave and visitor center sit in top of a hill with a fantastic view of the surrounding valley. The gift shop is small but has a nice selection of souvenirs. Outside the gift shop is a large patio with a fire pit and a snack bar. The patio is completely covered and from there you can view the surrounding valley. There is a short 15 minute hike you can take while waiting. The regular your takes about 50 minutes. Not very strenuous but there are allot of steps involved. The tour guides are fantastic. Very helpful and friendly. There are other tours available with different levels of experience. Well worth the trip. The cave temperature is always in the mid 70's. So great escape from the heat or the cold.

William C Neathery

Nice tour, definitely recommend at least once.

jalpa patel

Beautiful place and very informative. Must see if you are in the area of Tucson. It is 2-3 hours of activity and suggest you do it in the morning to maximize your time. There is little bit of hiking near by and views from the top are breathtaking. Absolutely gorgeous..

Rachael Mann

One of my favorite places to take out of state guests. It's rich with stories of it's history and a fascinating tour of the world beneath our feet... Or at least beneath that piece of the world! I have been several times and never get tired of it. It's also a scenic drive getting there. The tour guide we had this time may not be a fit for the job, she had good stories but was rude to my mom and seemed to be going through the motions. I'm still giving 5 stars as Ive had some amazing guides over the years and still love this spot of our planet.

Joe Chvatal

The cave is always a fun trip. The road up to the parking lot is a disaster! I have seen so many and also deep potholes. It’s time to fix this or close the park. Send your suspension repair bills to the park for reimbursement.

Lilly Akuma

It was a nice experience and break from the world, after the tour we did a little bit of the bandits trail and just took a moment to enjoy the piece and quiet.

Christi O'Neill

Loved the basic tour and learning about the caves history. Very nice gift shop, cafe, and gorgeous views!

Kitty VonGassi

I actually volunteered here for one of they're Halloween days. I had a blast!!! The people that work here are dedicated hard workers that care about there staff like family. The place was very clean inside and outside the cave. There's a lot of fun waiting here, more so then just the cave tours, but recommend not scratching it off your to do list. Hiking trails, great restaurant styled food and drinks, camping grounds, desert stuff shopping and boutique. One of Tucson's beloved and treasured tourist destinations!

Stephen Maloney

Nice informative tour, however we felt rushed from location to location and the group size was very large for the amount of shape available. Probably better on a weekday.

Andra Whitney

Awesome staff. Great park. Lots of hiking and camping. Its absolutely beautiful

R Ramz

I was born in Tucson, many years ago. My Daughter and her kids are visiting from Oregon and wanted to go to the children's tour. I had never been there so off we went. The road sucks but it's Pima County so that's to be expected. The view from the cave entrance of the surrounding desert is spectacular. The tour is cool and the guide was great for the kids. The amount of work that went into making the walkway and installing the hand rails is mind boggling. All and all it was pretty cool.

Jeffrey Ault

The classic tour was a bit tame for my taste, but the guide was terrific. Erin was informative, cute, and funny everything a guide should be. Going to go back for something more advanced.

Gary

Really friendly, knowledgeable guides and employees. Great gift shop. The road up the mountain is a little rough so be careful. It would've been a 5* experience if it wasn't for a bunch of crazy kids about 100 years ago. They'll tell you the sad story.

Billy Sharp

It was cool. If you take a flashlight. Make sure it sux or you don't use it. They don't want you using one in there because of bats.... Cool cave. Not very colossal though... Iv been to a few now and this one wasn't all that wild. Beautiful none the less

Tami Brooks

I will definitely be visiting again

Tom sizemore

I just love getting to explore new things and this one was no let down. We spent an hour touring the caves and learning the history and geology of the caves. The tour guides were both helpful and informative.

Tracy Laidlaw

HIGHLY recommend the "Ladder Tour"!! Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the cave, as well as the geology. Really felt like we had enough time, weren't rushed, and all our questions and curiosities we're answered. Would definitely do this again! There is a great general tour that is perfect for those who would have difficulty with climbing and crawling too.

Jared Byrne

These cases were a fun place to visit and cool to see. The staff (including the tour guides) were amazing. The area outside the caves was beautiful as well and it was fun to do a (very short) hike while we waited for our cave tour. The biggest challenge is that the cost is relatively high for a quick tour (about $15/person), and you don't see the whole cave. They, randomly, take different routes each time (so if you are unlucky, you could go back 3+ times and keep seeing the same part of the caves). To me, this is worth one visit. I enjoyed it once, but I won't pay to do it again.

Heather Nichols

Loved this adventure with the grandkids. The 6 year old boy was super impressed, the 4 yr old girl was more impressed with the gift shop and the gold sloth. I can’t believe that you can climb down into it, that’s on the bucket list for our next visit!

Patrick Rogan

Savannah was our tour guide and she did a GREAT JOB!! Very educational, comical and funny, she made sure she kept a close eye on the group we had (it was a large group!). The gift shop is really cool, lots of great stuff!! The park itself is MUCH bigger than what most people think, if you take the time to explore a bit you will not regret it. Be sure to make your way down to "The Ranch" that was a lot of fun!! OK now let me tell you in advance, the roads are scheduled to be repaired in October so the only concern I had will be remedied, those roads (right now) are really really bad BUT since they are scheduled for upgrade, I'm not gonna hold it against them!! This is a great time for the whole family!! It is gorgeous!!

Rachel Rogers

Colossal Cave was amazing. I was expecting it to be like Carlsbad but it was a whole different experience. It was more real and raw with some narrow pathways and smells; just like caving should be. And, that was just the basic tour. I haven't tried the other tours, yet, but plan to in the future. The gift shop was nice as well and after the tour, it was nice being in there with the air conditioning. The views from the landing and the parking lot were beautiful as well as the views from the drive there. I highly recommend a visit if you like adventure and natural earth formations.

Mike Norton

Something for everyone. Exploring and gift shop for the kids, and even margaritas and beer for the adults, with a great view!

Gay Menditto

I thought this would be a bust, but found it quite lovely, and historically interesting. Had a 3 year old with me and it was his first cave experience. The guide took him by the hand and made it fun for him as well.

Niomi Torres

This cave isnt a live cave so everything is dusty. Its beautiful though. Youre not about to touch the rocks but there are hand railings there. They have stairs so you will be doing a good amount of walking up and down into the cave

L. Howard Richards

Rough, dry campground, maybe 10 spaces available, $7 per night. No amenities in campground. Took tour through caves. Very interesting. Equestrian spaces available and group camping spaces too.

Julian Gonzalez

One of a kind experience! Very cool place that gives a nice tour of the cave and teaches you about the overall history of the area as well. The tour as a whole lasted about an hour or so which was pretty neat. They also have a separate tour that allows you to explore the cave with safety equipment for a more adventurous experience. Highly recommended visiting Colossal Cave!

Kat S

This was a fun activity. The cave has different paths for different difficulty levels. It was interesting seeing all the stalagmites and hearing the stories about the cave. The guide was friendly and informative.

Phillip McTurner

1 hour walking tour has plenty of chances for pictures, the guide was knowledgeable, and friendly. Very nice tour.

Kevin Keller

Great place for a family of you can trust your kids in a cave with careful parental supervision. Our tour guide was fun and knowledgeable. There's a nice patio to hangout on before and after tours with drinks and views for adults and a few things for kids too. Also there are some quaint short trails nearby with good vistas. Enjoy!

Rhonda Tallent Lunsford

We had our wedding at Colossal Cave Ranch House. The staff was wonderful especially Eileen. The venue was beautiful and they were so cooperative and helpful with everything. I would highly recommend them.

J M

Beautiful. Worth the drive. Also they have fun seasonal events like haunted caves for Halloween.

Carrie Britten

This is a beautiful historical structure in a beautiful location, but hasn't been well maintained. Everything looks like it needs some TLC. The road leading to the facility has potholes that could hide a small car. The cave itself is interesting, but all the formations are broken. It was an attraction long before any thoughts of conservation. Our guide was friendly and informative.

Eric Eisberg

This cave is pretty cool. Tours are available for all spelunking skill levels

pedro batres

Very beautiful and the staffs stories plus detailed history are incredibly fascinating!

W J LIEBHART

Great place to cool off. Tour was fun. Saw a Coatimundi for first time!

John Simpson

Got us right in. Very nice staff.

Diane Bachelder

The cave was cool and the guide was great! Well worth it!!

Susan Estrada

Our first time here What a beautiful place The cave tour is awesome

Meg Krutzler

First of all, THE ROAD INTO THE PARK HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED!--!!! IT IS MORE THAN FULL OF HELLISH POT HOLES, SO TAKE'R EASY! Secondly, the $18 entry fee was a bit steep for the what U got. And DON'T dare buy anything in their outrageously expensive gift shop. Nice sweeping view for photo op.

matt SAND

Great outdoor experience. Nice gift shop. Informative tour of the cave with a lot of rules. Unfortunately you are not aloud to explore alone. Can be difficult with small children, lots of places to fall. Also the guide we had didn't like talking kids.

daryl posey

a great cave to explore. price is a little steep.

Wendy Garcia

This was a great experience! The Classic Tour is only an hour long and very informative. Eleven of us went to celebrate a couple anniversaries and we were able to all take the tour together. Three of us on the tour have arthritis and difficulty with long walks and stairs, but the tour was a reasonable pace and the evenly spaced steps had hand railing. There is lighting throughout so you can watch you step. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will go again!

Humberto Hernandez

It's an awesome experience. Highly recommend visiting colossal cave. Come one come all. All ages

Fahime Irani

Very neat and nice place to visit...cool staff too

Anthony Roch

Brooke did a fantastic job on our cave tour. Definitely a must see.

bill clifford

Always a fun place to go and spend a day with family!

Lexi Villa

Super beautiful! If you want a fun tour on your day off of work, this is perfect. Gift shop was also super cute if you like buying little recuerdos.

Brad Boyd

(review of the 50min basic tour) Well put together and presented. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and nice. The little store out front had a nice selection of keepsakes. However, the cave itself is just so-so. If you've ever toured any of the NC/SC/WV/TN systems, this isn't those. Unremarkable is probably the best description in comparison to others we've visited.

Amanda Penrose

Very interesting tour. Friendly staff and a well stocked gift shop!

Heather Chasten

Such a neat place to visit with lots of interesting history. Great for families and out of town folks. Lots of walking and stairs. Bring comfortable non slip shoes.

Sonya F

Such a great place! We did the ladder tour, not too strenuous as long as you don’t have any mobility issues. Our tour guide was friendly, personable, knowledgeable and engaging, she made it so much fun! Definitely hope to visit again the next time we’re in that part of the state to check out some of their other tours. They also have a cute little gift shop and a cafe on site. I would undoubtedly recommend a visit here!

evan dority

Great tour. We did the classic cave tour which lasts about 1 hour. Cave is nice and cool at about 70 degrees. Worth the visit if you are in the area. Tour guide presented us with cave geology and cave history, very informative.

Brenda Catt

Great place to visit. Cave tour was informative and fun . Great cafe with beer, margarita's and food such as pizza and nachos. Gift shop had great finds and T'Shirts.

Brittany Smith

We really enjoyed this cave and the nature trail. We will go back because we could tel they have several different tour guides. Our tour guide was slightly unprofessional and mean to some of the children on the tour who weren’t even misbehaving. She seemed to like the cave a lot but maybe not enjoy her job as a guide.

Jeremy Rittierodt

We had a group of 7 and did the ladder tour - I HIGHLY recommend it. Erin was a fantastic tour guide who gave us a ton of knowledge and made us laugh. When our 90 minute tour was over, it was hard to believe it was 90 minutes. The ladder tour has about 7 ladders you traverse, one of which is really narrow. Throughout the tour, you're walking on some narrow pathways and natural bridges. Not for you if you are overly large or claustrophobic.

Chrissy Albert

My sons loved this! I like that there are more difficult caving options, such as the ladder hike or adventure hike. We did the regular one and it was pretty cool.

Alex Garcia

Yeah the road getting to the tent campsites was kind of rough but the sites themselves were secluded and well spaced from each other with excellent access to the Arizona Trail which was awesome for mountain biking. Colossal Cave tour was cool as well with small groups and a very well informed guide. Would camp/visit there again in a heartbeat!

Deh Goat

The tour great had an issues with my debit card but they quickly resolved it. Overall not a bad experience.

Alix Alfke

Very cool! Nice tour. Attracts some kooky people but the tour guides are awesome. So sad that the cave was so destroyed back in the day that the stalactites will never ever grow again. Thanks for preserving what is left! Also, drive slow going in, the road is definitely full of potholes!!

LIla Van Horn

The cave was not damp nor cool. The tour guide was friendly & well informed. Good stop

Patrick Graham

Great one-hour tour (unless you have claustrophobia.) Caves are fairly extensive. Tour is a tad expensive. Formations are no longer growing. Nice curio shop. Snack bar.

Wendy Kline

Amazing place to visit to see nature's wonders.

Kimberly Paul

Very cool! The cave tour is a must put the park has more to offer. Great trails, picnic areas and camping. The AZT, Arizona Trail crosses the property as well. The property is dog friendly except in the cave and gift shop. Staff are knowledgeable about the cave and history of the area. The cave has a nice paved trail throughout the tour. Great family park and tour. Beautiful facilities.

Matthew Cowser

I RECOMMEND I love this place I ordered my tickets in advance, I think this is the better idea because some times it does get quite busy and you might have to wait. You only have to go only payin advance, I did mine one hour in advance, but you can do it months in advance. I did the basic tour but they also have lader tours ( about an hour and a half ) intermediate tours ( about 3 hours ) and advanced tours, if you have all ready gone or have basic afletic ability I recommend the ladder or intermediate tours but if your unable the basic is very fun any way. The cave is really nice always around 80° F (26°C). There is great history. I highly recommend this tourist attraction. They do not allow any food ( not even gum ) or drink except water in the cave. After the tour they do have a shop to buy food but I don't recommend unless your really hungry. The gift shop is really nice and great for nicnacks to give to family and friends.

Val Deehring-Olson

The area was stunning! The road to get there was awful (lots of pot holes and roughness). The cave is neat but certainly not for young ones as there’s many open spots to slip through the “cracks”. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable however you had to keep up and rush through so no stopping to look at anything. Even when told she was going to fast she apologized but continued as she was on a time schedule. I completely understand the time however we paid a good amount to be able to hear the story and enjoy the surroundings, which we were unable to do! My suggestion to the owners is maybe smaller groups and go slower so that people can take in everything. Oh and heaven forbid if you touch anything, lol. Maybe they should make you wear gloves too. If you want something quick then this is the place. If you want to be able to spend the day and sightsee this isn’t the place.

Rick Maffei

Colossal Cave was an awesome experience. Our tour guide, Erin, was extremely knowledgeable, and we were laughing and joking the entire time we were together. We ended up doing the ladder tour, and it was really cool to get to navigate off the beaten path through the cave. Highly recommended!

Silvia Lorenzana

Loved the batty cave experience! Very beautiful sights to see! Our tour guide was delightful and very informative!

Zylie

Rough roads, but a hidden gem for exploring and camping.

Klaudia Wynne Kendall

Amazing experience! Perfect this time of year when it isn’t too hot or cold.

Travis Duran Jr

Great adventure and guided tour. Very informative. Paths were well lit and steps were not too difficult to navigate. 6 year old LOVED it.

servesyr

Nice views . Some hiking trails. Its cool in the cave

Bill Thornton

A fun and informative 1/2 day trip from Tucson.

Kristin Townsend

Wanted to tour it You have to buy a ticket, which is fine and I wanted to but the tour was "full", seems this "colossal" cave isn't -Can I get on the 2:30 tour? -No -Can I purchase a ticket and walk around it? -No Oh okay Also be cautious its a rough road to the entrance

Matt Murphree

Not being a state park, I had low expectations, figured it would be amateur hour, and cheesy. Man was I wrong! Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and wanted to teach us about the cave. Their facilities are well kept and not run down. I would definitely go back. Be sure to order the Frito Pie and a beer when you're done!

Elizabeth Lee

Nice 45 minute tour. The cave is 70 degrees year round. The tour has many steps but isn't too strenuous for anyone who doesn't have any mobility issues. My 8 year old enjoyed the basic tour. The drive to the cave is scenic. The entrance to the park has potholes as you go up the mountain so be careful driving in. The views from the top are spectacular. There is a gift shop and cafe. The price for food was reasonable. There isn't any restaurants nearby so either pack a lunch or eat at the cafe.

Rayne Wolf

Colossal Cave Mountain Park is amazing! Breath taking views, friendly staff, great tour guides, tasty food at the terrace, great variety of things in their gift shop, and amazing cave tours!!! Going through the Cave was so much fun. I love the history, fun stories, and Geology of the cave. Oh and do not forget about those coatimundis and bats always a treat to see them. I keep coming back here because I love this cave! I hope everyone else has the same experience I did.

Sky Highwind

Great place! I have gone many times and it's great most of the time!

Grace

Watch out for the pot holes on the road in. Other than that the tour was enjoyable and would recommend.

Linda Coker

Very enjoyable visit! We did the ladder tour, 5 of us with our own guide, going off trail and climbing ladders into areas that the general public doesn't see. Beautiful formations, awesome experience, knowledgeable guide! Highly recommend!

Lisa Smith

Beautiful view and fun cave tours.

Ashton Nebeker

When I was in Gem i went to this place for a field trip and it was the best cave tied with kartchner caverns i'd say. My dog was exited too lol.

Jasmine Marie

we just did the guided cave tours but Savannah the tour guide was really nice she took time explaining things to me and my son, we really had a great time!! it was nice and cool inside. pretty cool to see bats flying around every now and then. we're really looking forward to doing the advanced and intermediate spelunking!!!

Andrea Heins

The tour guide lauren was extremely educational and even took the time to answer all our questions. The cave was 71 degrees and remains that temp all year round. It isnt a wet cave so it's not humid inside. The stairs are a little steep in …

Diana Sherman

Love this place but mostly because coatils live here. The cave is fun but if you have been to Carlsbad well...

Nathan N

We did the classic tour. Simple and basic but it gave you just kinda a teaser to do the next advance tour. Been here 4 years and finally been to it. Gift shop is pretty good. Tour guide explains things well and exciting for kinds and understandable for adults!

Tyson Bivens

- Really enjoyed the human history of the caves, from the Hohokam, to early settlers, to commercialization - Cave was really awesome. More well lit than many others, and impressive - Lots of natural wildlife. We saw a Coatimundi who makes a regular appearance there - Tons of parking. Easy in / out - Beautiful view of surrounding area from outside - Restaurant was similar to what you'd find at a concessions stand at a high school football game. Would have liked a few options on the more healthful side.

sharon kosters

Friendly gift shop staff, beautiful view. Our guide was snippy with a high, shrill voice. The scenery was great

Galaxy Three

Loved this place and our tour guide.

Amanda Emanuel

We didn't get to take a cave tour, you have to set that up ahead of time. However the area is beautiful, the lookout area gives you an amazing view, and there are trails you can hike. There are evens some camping spots for tents or smaller rigs, i think the length limit was 20 ft., and I'm pretty sure it was dry camping.

Corina Yeh

Good tour, guide didn't really talk about the wildlife in the cave much except coatis in front room. We had time to kill before our tour, did the nature walk, should have more informational plaques on the walk, that would be nice!

Ken Robertson

Great place to cool off from the desert heat. Our guide, Savannah, was excellent. We did the 1 hour tour, but they have longer tours for more advanced skills.

J Frontczak

The drive way is a little rough but once you get to the parking lot it is worth the drive. The view is fantastic! The cave entrance and gift shop share a common patio with a beautiful view. They have tables and seats for you to use. Food and drinks are available to purchase. The gift shop has a large selection of items and the tour is interesting. The staff are helpful and pleasant. Must see.

Ms Hop

Nice outing for the family. Gift shop little pricey. I brought a magnet and it came apart within 2 weeks. I put it on the refrigerator and when I went to move it, the top came right off leaving the magnet stuck to frige.

jaimie french

Cool place. The guided tour was interesting but you don't really get to see much for what you pay. Most of the tour is spent standing around listening to information from the tour guide. If you took the tour without a tour guide it would …

vimby 210

Average cave tour. Nothing special. Maybe longer tour would be better.

Dan LaFond

So fun. Went where on a whim but it so cool. I would give it 5 stars but the tour guide was literally hating her job. She spoke really fast and just was so boring and wanted to be done before it started. Took a lot of tours in my time and had go say what we were seeing was great but the talking aspect was just beyond dull. Hopefully your tour guide is a bit happier and excited and patient if you go.

JT Smith

This was AMAZING! You definitely need to do the ladder tour!

yettovisch

We enjoyed our tour and our guide. She told nice and detailed stories and the cave is amazing. Also cooler than the heat outside which is a big plus.

Shannon Overbeek

What a wonderful cave tour. We did the classic cave tour which was just 50 minutes long, easy walking. Guide was very knowledgeable. There were some very unique omnivores hanging around, the coatimundi. Great views of the valley from the gift shop

Janet Nickels

Awesome place to visit! The caves as beautiful

John Landis

Not the greatest cave complex, but still worth a visit, because honestly there just aren’t enough developed caves to explore. One fairly large criticism for the owners, please spend some of your profits to fix the huge pot holes in the entrance road, some of those could swallow a small car.

Selene Santiago

Very cool spot to check out! Saguaros, history, cool shop, lovely little trail, and amazing cave formations. I went on the basic tour and let me tell you, there were people breathing heavily. This cave goes six floors down so there are a lot of stairs. It is warm and tight in many spaces. My dad and i loved it but i was concerned about the health ability of some other folks on the tour. Wear closed-toe shoes! Take water! Enjoy the gorgeousness. Ah, one last thing: the roads going up and out of the cave is deeply gutted with potholes. Drive slowly and carefully.

Joshua Groch

Love this place. Staff is so helpful and friendly too

Luzmaria Stuckey

Stay is wonderful. Beautiful scenery. Roads need to be fixed.

Natalie Love's Keto

It's a dry cave, but still beautiful!

Eric Holler

A Tucson classic. The tour and history associated with the caves are a must-see for visitors. Decent gift shop with one-of-a-kind treasures for visitors.

Karen Dawes

Unique experience with a friendly, fun and informative guide. I was very surprised at how very warm it was inside the cave! Although jeans/thicker pants are a good idea to lessen the ouch when inevitably bonking your knees and shins while climbing/ crawling through the rocky areas, a t-shirt at the max to help cool down would be best (I had long sleeves). I'd go again, but I have lower back and knee issues and I felt that limit my full enjoyment potential some. Very cool. I did the mid-level Ladder Tour.

alyssa ramirez

Yesterday was my second time taking a tour of this cave, SO NEAT!! Definitely will be back. I’ve had guides Savannah and Erin now and both ladies are super informative and ready to answer any questions you may have. Definitely recommend checking it out thanks again!!

Cee Em

Wow! Very cool place for day-tripping! Great staff and very accommodating to their visitors! I took my "guys"-teens on austism spectrum n they had A BLAST! We're planning monthly visits

Sam Martin III

I had never thought to take a Cave tour but the Colossal Cave Tour was exciting & I certainly enjoyed the experience. It was interesting & intriguing.