![]() ![]() ![]() an alive cave making comparison of the two types of caves very easy. The interesting part of this cave is if you've never toured a dormant cave before, this will give you an excellent perspective on a dormant vs. The stalagmites and stalactites stopped growing decades ago and the cave was badly vandalized almost 100 years ago so most of the formations (other than huge ones) are broken off and never got to try and repair themselves as the cave dried up. Thus, it was dry, dusty and very warm (71 degrees). We had never been in a dormant cave before, just alive/active/whatever they are called caves. Second, Colossal Cave is a "dormant" cave so no need for a sweater/sweatshirt, etc. If you were at the end of the group (where we started out), it was impossible to see what the tour guide was talking about, and it was often difficult to hear her. While we are glad we took the tour I found several things noteworthy. The only drawback for me was I would have liked another 10 minutes to take more photos and take in the experience or mabye a smaller group as we waited a while for everyone to catch-up which meant elements of the cave were pointed out and we had to move on quickly to keep to the tour time. I would recommend wearing shoes that are flat and comfortable and not over layer your clothing as you will be too warm. The cave is a lovely 71 degrees which was warmer then outside on the day we attended. My husband and I took the general tour which had more stairs to climb then straight pathways not a problem for us, however, this information may be useful to some. There are different levels of tours you can try based on your fitness level and your spirit of adventure. Erin walked slowly through the caves which meant we did not have to rush and risk injury and she repeated key elements, particularly about safety as the group approached the area in question. Our tour guide was Erin who carefully led us through the cave, explained everything clearly and demonstrated patience with questions, photographs, children and less mobile individuals. I felt an enjoyable adventure was ahead of me as soon as I entered the building. What I loved most about this experience was that it was easy to book the tour on-line and the feel of the place when we arrived was relaxed. Whilst on vacation, my husband and I decided to visit Colossal Cave Mountain Park on the general 50 minute tour. I’ll be back with more time to hike and go on a different tour with my son. I would have loved to spend the whole day here hiking and exploring. These are the only two bad things I can think of that keep this place from a 5 star rating. Unfortunately, I could not because the tour guide has to keep the group to a schedule. I would have like to spend more time admiring the beauty of the caves. I think a better price point is $10 for adults and $5 for children. They must either be greedy or hurting for revenue. The little loop trail that leads to the bandit trail is a beautiful little hike. Bathroom are clean and in great condition. They let you take as many photos as you want. It was easy for me (38) and my son (8) to navigate. It has a great walking path, stairs and rails. There are many different types and you get up close and personal with them all. The tour gets you very close and in some cases right next to all the formations. If you have explored Kartchner or Carlsbad, this gives you a nice comparison between the live caves and dormant caves. There are a good number of hikes and areas to explore on your own other than the caves. The whole area is well kept with good vibes. She also had cool historic stories to tell that added to the experience. She would wait for me and my son to catch up before starting a new talking point. She made us laugh, let us explore a little on our own, and gave us many opportunities to ask questions. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Anymore would be hard to hear the guide and get crowded through the narrow passageways. Five to eight is the perfect number for this type of tour. I cannot imagine how bad that experience would be. ![]() I can see why people would complain of tour sizes with 35 people. It was a good day/time to go as our tour had a total of 5 people. The tour took exactly 45 minutes as stated on their website. I went on a Thursday morning for the 10am Classic Cave Tour. At the time of this review, the road has been repaired and in good condition. ![]()
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