The Colossal Cave Mountain Park, Vail, AZ

Arizona is home to thousands of cave systems, which might be surprising to some since it is also a desert state. One place visitors to Tucson, Arizona might want to head is Colossal Cave Mountain Park just outside of the city in Vail, Arizona. The park is a place for history, wildlife, and educational experiences. During the summer bats will visit the open caves and allow visitors to see these nocturnal creatures.

Visitors interested in Colossal Cave Mountain Park have several options. They can remain above ground viewing the park and its wonders, or take one of many cave tours. Park hours are daily from 8am to 5pm during the summer and 9am to 5pm during winter. Park fees are $5 per vehicle and an additional $1 for every person over 6 people in the vehicle. In other words visitors with 5 or less people in a car are $5 for entry. A tour bus is $1 per person and same as bikes. There are also annual passes.

The regular cave tour is $11 for adults and $6 for children. This tour does not require a reservation. For those who want more out of the cave tour there is the Ladder Tour which is $20 during the day and $45 at night with dinner included. Reservations are needed and children 12 and up are allowed. Wild Cave Tour takes visitors into more of the cave for $55 or $75 depending on the intermediate or advanced tour reservation. Candlelight tours are given for 10 and up at $20 without dinner and $45 with dinner. Outside of the cave is a horse stable which is open as long as the park. The trail rides are $27 per person for 1 hour.

The cave tour is 45 to 50 minutes. The guide discusses the history, legends, and geology of the cave as one walks up and around six and a half stories. Natural cave formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, boxwork, helictites, and flowstone are all found in the cave. The cave is always 70 degrees, so no special dress code is required. High speed film and flash are allowed for cameras.

Within the park are a couple of museums. The La Posta Quemada Ranch Museum was built in 1967 by John Sullivan. The house provides human and natural history regarding the cave and the Cienega Corridor. Some of the artifacts date to 900 AD when the Hohokam Indians lived in the valley below the cave. They used it for farming.

The other museums will discuss the three caving rooms. Colossal Cave is just one place within the parks boundaries. The other two are Arkenstone and La Tetrera. They are live caves, which means the Arkenstone and La Tetera are not open for viewing. They are only seen by a handful of researchers who have special grants to work in the caves. So far a number of invertebrate fauna and other cave dwellers have been found. They also found seven new species of fauna during the studies in recent years.