Explore the Caves at Kartchner Caverns State Park. 

The Kartchner Caverns State Park is an ideal place for hikers, nature-lovers, and families seeking some time to be closer with nature. It is best visited during spring and summer, when the various walking and hiking trails are most accessible. Children will also have a lot of fun learning lots of interesting and educational new stuff about the cave and its early inhabitants. This is yet another attraction in Arizona that the whole family will enjoy. 

How to Get to the Caverns:

Kartchner Caverns State Park is located in Benson, Arizona, approximately 9 miles to the south of I-10. You can get there by taking the State Highway 90 and the 302 exit. Coming from the Tucson Airport, the park is around 49 miles. If you are traveling from Phoenix, you are 160 miles away, and 310 miles away coming from Flagstaff. 

Things to do at Kartchner Caverns:

The Kartchner Caverns State Park has several trails for walking and hiking, the top two activities there, making it an ideal place for nature-lovers and adventurers. They have the Guindani Trail which spans the eastern side of the Whetstone Mountains and covers 4.2 miles. The trail is a bit elevated and gets more strenuous as more miles are covered. They also have the Foothills Loop Trail, which covers 2.5 miles and is recommended for average to expert hikers, especially since it is not open to bikers or motorists and is strictly for hiking purposes. The trail can be accessed through the Discovery Center parking lot and through the Hummingbird Garden. This trail will also provide you with glimpses of rare vegetation that the real nature lover will appreciate. They also have The Hummingbird Garden Walk, south of the Discovery Center. The trail is dotted with vegetation and is recommended for mild nature walks. The park also allows camping to guests who are interested, but since reservations will not be honored, if you plan to camp, arrive early or at least before 5:30 PM. 

Guided Cavern Tours: 

Even if you’re not a fan of hiking or nature walks, you don’t want to miss the guided tours of the caverns. They have two different types of tours, the Rotunda/Throne Room Tour and the Big Room Tour. Both tours are conducted inside the cave, which has a temperature of 68°F for the whole year. The tours are safe for children as the tour route has been constructed for safe passage of guests. However, the ground may be wet in some areas, so take extra care. The Rotunda/Throne Room Tour covers ½ mile and takes 1 ½ hours. The tours are available everyday for the entire year and leave at 20 minute intervals. This tour is an educational trip wherein guests will learn much about how the Kartchner Caverns were created. Guests will also get glimpses of the smallest and the largest rock formations inside the cave. This cave is one of the most visited in all the world, because of the uniqueness of the formations found inside. The Big Room Tour also covers the same length and amount of time, but is only available from mid-October to mid-April. This tour will fill guests with fascinating information about the early inhabitants of the cave and the continuous scientific discoveries still being made. However, this tour is more strenuous than the first so only children above 7 years old can join.   

General Park Information: 

If you are planning on taking the whole family for a vacation, or you happen to be an avid hiker, you’ll enjoy the Kartchner Caverns State Park. Here is some information to help you with your trip. 

Reservations: Reservations are highly recommended for the tours. You can also reserve online. Reservations for camping at the Kartchner Caverns State Park are not allowed.