Let's be honest first impressions you're going to a hole in the ground. Then you get there and it's a hole in the ground. The staff are more than pleasant and our guide was in a great mood until she lost a few people. No seriously she was a great tour guide and the trip took a little over an hour and you wouldn't even know. Really for a hole in the ground it is really cool and a great experience especially if you're going with kids. When we went there was very few people and the weather was great. There's no need to bring jackets or warm gear even in the winter due to the cave having it's own climate system and it being comfortable year-round. Definitely worth checking out.

Beautiful cave with geological formations and seasonal wildlife. We did the basic cave tour, the guides were pleasant, informative and amusing. A few nice trails inside the park and a little cafe with snacks. The pretzel is huge! Nice gift shop as well. Fun place to explore with a friend or take the family in a day trip.

Our guide, Adam, was great, as was the cave! We’ve been to a few caves in the western US, and they never fail to impress… this one included. They offer deeper access for more skilled adventurers, though they require a test of your ability before letting you loose. The history here is unique, and the tour was fun and memorable.

This was a really cool place! Super close to Tucson and definitely family friendly! This was my 1st cave as I normally am not a fan of tight spaces but it was honestly great. Not once did I feel scared or anxious. The staff are also super friendly! Adam was our guide and he had jokes but was also really good about reassuring uneasy guests and kids. I highly recommend! Its a nice way to spend the afternoon with going full on desert park mode.

Another great example of Arizona natural beauty combined with a well-run tour company that cares about showing and preserving the spirit of the site. 🇺🇸 Our guide was excellent, and the standard tour was educational and memorable. Next time, I would like to do the more advanced ladder tour 😁👍🌵😎

Such a cool way to spend a day here in the heat. There is some humidity down in the cave but such a cool and easy enough hour to walk down and back up. Jaye was our tour guide and she was great! I'd do this again if I return to Tucson. Totally a worthwhile experience and we even got to see some bats flying around us. Being in a cavern is an experience!

The cave tour and park are so neat. There was a lot of great information provided in the tour. I learned a lot about the history, cave facts, and different formations. The tour guide we had, Everett, was hilarious. The jokes were fast and frequent. He was also highly informed, enthusiastic, and kind. This has been one of my favorite vacation experiences in a while, and I travel a lot. Oh and you do not want to miss out on the prickly pear soft serve. It’s house made and delicious.

Wow, this place was awesome We did the 1030 tour, made reservations on line and paid ahead so all we needed to do was check in at the gift shop. It's about 45-50 minute tour, 1/2 mile with about 300-400 steps that wind through a crystal cave, our tour guided was knowledgeable and told us about the cave and fun facts. The entire area is beautiful and well worth tje $24 per person to see the cave, i was hoping to see some bats but we didn't see any.

Antonio was our tour guide and was very informative at the same time engaging and had an overall easy demeanor. Our daughter (5) was pretty scared throughout so we decided to be last in the group and he always made sure to wait to talk or repeat what he said for us. As well he was very encouraging to her. Overall a pretty good and cool experience. And you do not have to wear masks as stated in the previous review. It’s obvious where to go when you get out of your car and an overall easy in and out.

An extremely fun and unique experience! Visiting Tucson from Los Angeles so we detoured down to Vail to check out the Colossal Cave and we are all so happy that we did so. Brandon was a great tour guide and the cave itself is beautiful and worth seeing no matter who you are. Parking is very easy and very close to the entrance. We descended six stories underground and although last year’s monsoon season made it a bit more humid than normal in the cave, it was still a pleasant 70°. I would recommend just wearing light clothing with minimal layers. A sweatshirt or anything warm is definitely not necessary. The worst part of our trip, and the only part we didn’t enjoy, were some other members in our party, but I can’t fault Colossal Cave for that. There was a woman in her 80s that insisted she lead the group, even though she struggled going down the many stairs and was coughing a lot of the time, which was a bit worrying and annoying at the same time. Even aside from the COVID or spreadable germs issue that part was not fun, but the rest of the experience was. I definitely plan to be back in the future to do the ladder tour.

Awesome cave, and our tour guide was amazing. The drive there has amazing views and there is even a few trails in area. They have a small gift shop and snack bar with good pricing on products. I Recommend the prickly pear ice cream! But overall great cave experience, definitely worth the trip. Staff made experience even more enjoyable.

Had a really great time. Our tour guide Brandon made the tour really fun, he was hilarious, but also was really knowledgeable about the caves! I really recommend taking the tour, it was amazing being down there and looking at the natures creation🏜️

Hadn’t been here for over a decade. Such a cool spot to return to, and the guides are friendly. There will not let anyone under the age of 5 on the tours so be prepared if you have a little one. There are little hikes and endless views if you have to hang back while your group goes in. The extended ladder tour looks like it is the best configuration and we will be backtracking o do that! Cave is 71F all year long.. so excellent thing to do in the heat or the bitter cold

Loved the tour, next time I'll try and do the ladder one! Note to self: if you purchase tickets online, go inside to get a paper receipt Also if you're tall, watch out!

One hour guided tour of impressive dry cave system. Beautiful formations. Well lit with a good path system throughout. Lengthier, more adventurous tours offered for the more fit spelunkers! We learned a great deal about the history of the cave and it's formation. Great gift shop as well.

Great cave. Very interesting and great guide. Highly recommended.

Our tour guide was Arik, he was excellent, knowledgeable, and funny. He took the time to explain the ins and outs of the caves very well. The cave tour was not too difficult and was a very unique experience especially if you have not been underground before!

Wonderful experience...Wear the helmets, you will need them. The tour guide was very informative and pleasant. Y=The park and surrounding areas are great to explore too.

The tour was really fun and our guide, Zoey, was very knowledgeable and gave us time to appreciate the structures. She told us many cute pieces of trivia as well as a detailed history of the cave! The inside of the cave is mostly warm except near the bottom where it is quite cooling. It seems like you can buy tickets right before the tour (we went at 1.30pm) but during busy hours it would probably be best to book ahead.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS EXPERIENCE! I'm not big on caves but the variety of tours and the helpful knowledgeable friendly staff made it an easy first time through a cave adventure 😁❤💯 I love rocks and understanding formations, so this place hit the spot. The gift shop and food stand were amazing as well! Here are some quick pictures of this family friendly enjoyable experience. I left out some of the best sights to see and pictures never are the same as being there. ❤💯 5 star experience for me

Another AZ secret!!! It's a cool cave with an excellent story. See the bats, the cave ice, and all the other wonders that Colossal Cave has. Our favorite part was the glowing stones! This cave is yet to be fully explored. Maybe you'll find some gold!! If you make it out, request Eric the great!! He's an informative yet playful tour guide. He makes it a kid friendly experience. We can't wait to come back for the ladder tour!

Amazing experience and an hidden gem in greater Tuscon area.We made plan at random considering extra time which was made up due to late flight. My wife called the place and fortunately were able to book the tour. This place is 100% must visit. The tour guide we had Dalton was amazing. I forgot my newly brought jacket. The people at the tour office were really helpful. All was coordinated and they went overboard to help us out. 3 Cheers to the team.

Splurged and got the $50 Ladder Tour while niece was visiting, very happy I did! Our guide was Adam Lutes, and he was amazing. Knowledgeable on all things Colossal Cave, he engaged us for hours in discussions of earth science, hydrology and anthropology… this included old Hollywood trivia and, of course, haunted cave lore (Hi Frank!) All while guiding our small tour as we grasped and wriggled our way through these incredible limestone caverns. Had a blast, beautiful and fun, great guide with a lot of knowledge and heart.

What a blast — absolutely loved the ladder tour, which takes you six stories deep into more obscure angles of the cave network and offers interesting vantages along every path! Dalton was outstanding, and I’m so glad we chose this more adventurous tour. It kept a great pace, which allowed for photos and questions but also kept us happily on the move. It’s not just for tourists either...we only live a few miles away but would do it again in a heartbeat. From watching Cave myotis and Mexican big-ear bats to listening to stalactite tunes and learning the history of the park, it’s a fun, novel way to spend the day. There’s a well-priced gift shop and food stop on site, and there’s also a standard walking tour if ladders aren’t your thing. But if you happen to like a little thrill-seeking (along the lines of minor slot-canyon maneuvers), this is the tour for you, and it all happens in the comfort of a 70F, no matter the outdoor temp. Fantastic!

Went on a tour through the cave and had Dalton as our tour guide. He is by far the best tour guide ever! He made it fun and interesting and highlighted everything in the cave. I highly recommend him. They also have prickly pear ice cream it's soooo good! Do the cave and get the ice cream...you won't be disappointed!

Had a great tour experience with Zoey! this colossal cave is much bigger than the one I’ve visited before in Okinawa, but this one is super dried out inside. The trail also worths a go when waiting for the tour to start

Great cave tour by Zoey. She was very knowledgeable. I learned about a new formation (helictites). We have toured over 15 caves and never seen any. I will now be on the look out for them. Next time we will have to do the ladder tour.

I've been to a lot of caves and this cave had by far the most damage. If you've never been to a cave then this one will be fine. However, if you've been to other caves skip this cave, you will be disappointed by basic tour. The staff was nice and friendly. It might have been a better experience if we were able to book one of the more advanced tours.

If you are visiting Arizona this is a must stop!! This is my first time back to Colossal Cave since I was kid. The whole family took the Ladder Tour and our Tour Guide Everett was the best!!! The drive down was beautiful. It was very easy to find and had plenty of free parking. The nature trail was short and sweet and it had a gorgeous view. I highly recommend the Ladder Tour for children 12 and up. Everett made the tour so fun and had so much patience for our kids “million questions”. We learned so much and left feeling excited for our next trip back. Thank you Everett and the gift shop attendants for your kindness and help.

Great adventure for kids and adults. Our 2 young lady guides where very nice and informative. Worth the experience especially on a hot day. The cave stays 71 degrees all year.

Had a really great visit..did not disappoint! Dalton was our tour guide! Very informative and knew history of the cave! Willing to answer any question. Beautiful set up. Ate lunch at the cafe! Great food!

An amazing adventure and so close to Tucson! Blake, the tour guide, was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. A great place to take out of town visitors.

Interesting and informative. I would like to have had a longer more detailed tour. It seemed a little rushed. I do not regret going at all.

It was a nifty cave system; the 45 minute tour only scratched the surface of the whole cavernous system. Our cave guide, Adam, was superb. His voice projected well, informing us about the history of the cave, and he was genuinely a pleasant person. I highly recommend Adam as a tour guide. Keep up the wonderful work!

The cave itself is incredible! We did the general/classic tour and had a wonderful time exploring and learning about the history of the cave and how it was made. Our tour guide was Everett who was an absolute joy to have accompanying us. Everett was very funny, very knowledgeable, and seriously made the tour that much better.

We just finished up the Ladder Tour with Dalton, very handsome and fun tour guide. Oh and full of knowledge about the history of the cave. We had an amazing time on this tour! Highly recommend!

It was okay for the kids. Tour was a little rushed. Guide was just adequate. I knew more about the cave. Gift shop was pricey but had nice things and good selection.

Decided to get out of the desert heat, literally, by going underground. My brother suggested this place to me to hit up while in the Tucson area. So, booked tickets online for a given time slot and head there for the tour of the caves. It was a nice diversion of the heat of the surface and some interesting formations in the caves. Our guide was a 17 year old girl who knew her history of the place well and gave us a nice narrated tour. I think her name was Jessica(?) We got a ice cream at the little outdoor cafe area near the entrance of the caves. So, all in all, nice visit. Oh, you do need to check in at the gift shop before you join the tour to let them know you have showed up for your time slot.

So beautiful ❤️ going just once won't be enough to absorb appreciate the beauty of the colossal cave. I recommend all the tours. My partner and I and I plan to go again.

Horrific! After burying tickets...Two employees condemned me for not wearing my mask over my nose. After letting them know I had a medical condition the stated they didn't care!. My family and I fought for this country, to keep it free and safe from oppression and two Karen's at "C" cave told me to leave... I swore to defend myself from enemies foreign and Domestic...

The tour was wonderful. Our guide Everett was fantastic. He made us laugh and was very informative. I was smiling the entire time. The cave was absolutely beautiful. I took so many pictures.

Amazing tours available on the extensive cave system in Vail, AZ. I’m sad they don’t have the telescope to view Aqua Verde Castle anymore but it’s still visible to the naked eye. Adam was our guide and he was very knowledgeable, funny, and great for both kids and adults. Gift shop has a lot to offer and the prickly pear ice cream is very good

Very beautiful. Went tent camping. However the Arizona Trail runs straight through there so random people get off and camp there after the gate closes. We actually had to leave because so many people were just pitching tents. Bathing in spickets. Super scary given the nature.

Julia our tour guide was great! Very knowledgeable and funny. I really liked this cave (we did the basic tour as we only had an hour); there were so many interesting formations.,

Our tour guide Dalton was amazing, very knowledgeable and entertaining. The cave was beautiful and our tour was well organized and educational. We arrived an hour early to enjoy the views , gift shop and grab an ice cream. Fantastic afternoon.

Awesome cave short drive from Tucson Tour guide Jay was funny entertaining and very knowledgeable She new the history of the cave and all it's inhabitants. And she even liked my Darth Vader pirate shirt.

My family was looking for things do to while visiting Tucson, AZ and booked a last-minute tour at Colossal Cave. Everyone enjoyed walking through and learning about the cave. Our tour guide Noah had a great sense of humor and was very knowledgeable. I was sad I didn’t see any bats, but I was entertained by the musical stalactites. We finished off our visit with yummy prickly pear soft serve.

Great chili cheese tots, pretzel dog and corn dogs. Had a good tour in the cave. Prickly pear ice cream was delish! Rock screening was great for the kids.

This is now my favorite place, it has many wonderful hidden treasures. Thanks for taking great care of this beautiful rock guys! Our tour guide was Avrik he's the best! He helped my 12yr old son overcome his fear of heights just by talking to him and he treated us with respect.

My family and i had such a great time exploring and learning the history of caves! Our tour guide Jaye was awesome! She has a great sense of humor and made sure everyone in our tour group got to be apart of the experience. She was “boulder” than most and “rocked” as a tour guide!! All the staff we encountered here were so kind and helpful! The prickly pear slushy was so good! I would recommend if you are visiting Tucson to check out the Colossal Cave!

It was really fun going on the ladder tour! Dalton is very handsome. My aunt said Dalton is so handsome that there should be a cougar alert! It was really fun and would recommend going on the ladder tour! Also do a reservation and go early no wait time.

A different view of Tucson.! CAVE and a colossal cave at that! Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful through the entire cave tour and kept the exploration entertaining! My kiddos were oohing and ahhing left and right 🙌🏽🙌🏽 Great experience!

It was beautiful there, best to go early morning around Tenish if you go hiking the trails are really great. The actual cave we didn't go in. But it's 22 dollars a person for people 12 yrs+.

Zoe, our tour guide did a great job navigating us and informing us of the the history behind this pretty neat cave. Would def love to explore more of this cave, and see some wildlife, maybe a different season. Overall; it was informative and fun! I’d recommend checking this place out at least once while in the Tucson area.

Beautiful location! We stopped here during a weekend trip to Tucson from our residence in Phoenix. We were stunned by the absolute SILENCE when we got out of the car in the parking lot. Unfortunately the scenic walkway was closed due to some construction, but we spent the free time hanging around the shop and eating food from the cafe (surprisingly very good!). The tour was really well done, and Everette did a great job balancing being informative, entertaining, and firm to those who kept touching formations despite his instruction. My wife and I have toured several caves in the midwest and it was very interesting to see the differences. Overall, very kind and upbeat team, beautiful scenery, and very interesting and informative tour. Great experience!

Our guide Adam was very patient and full of fun facts and info. Can't wait to do a ladder tour!! Great place cool place both in temp and fun interesting hike. They have an amazing gift store reasonably priced gemstones and other souvenirs. An amazing snack bar with the biggest pretzel 🥨 I have seen, prickly pear soft serve and so much more.

Had a nice time, beautiful cave formations. 110°outside, but in the cave it was 70°-ish. Very comfortable outside activity....

Such an amazing experience. It is truly rewarding and amazing that we have such a treasure so close to Tucson!

Had a great time the guide was very knowledgeable, and informative. Definitely recommend checking it out.

I really wanted to give this place 5 stars. I even waited nearly a week to post this review so I could think about our experience. We showed up before our scheduled time. We had to ask where to check in even though there were employees standing around. We weren't told until we were getting ready to start that we weren't allowed to have drinks. My daughter and I were the smaller of two groups that went through the cave. The larger group went ahead of us and got to listen and see everything the guide had to show. We had to stay back due to social distancing. We were left several times and missed what was happening next because we wanted to see the cave as well. We eventually just decided we would enjoy what we could since we weren't being included in the tour. Once it was over we shopped around in their gift shop. We bought a few things and I honestly can't brag about their shining personalities either. The cave is really cool. We want to come back for a more advanced tour. The classic tour is good for the price, but you miss so much, and you can tell it's even cooler. Maybe if the guide was more inclusive it would've been better.

A fine tour (remember to tip your guide)

I'm 49 and a native Arizonan.... I'd always wanted to visit the cave but just never got around to it. My daughter and I were looking for something to do that would get us out of the house but yet avoid crowds. She suggested the park and I was able to purchase tickets online without any website issues. When we arrived we were required to wear masks and keep our "social distance" from others on the tour. Our guide was very polite, friendly and knowledgeable. The cave was absolutely awesome and so interesting. There's alot of going up and down stairs, so be prepared for this. The path is well lit, but doesn't take away from the experience. The path goes thru some areas that require some turning and ducking as well. My only complaint is the tour guide kept us on a very quick pace, so there was no opportunity to really look around at the cave interior. She quickly took us to spots of interest within that portion of the cave, without letting us look at what was around between them. Let me be clear she didnt seem rushed because she didnt want to be there or in a hurry to get us out because she was annoyed. The park offers other tours that take much longer and are way more in depth, but are not available due to Covid-19. We will go back once these become available again. Overall it was worth the money as a novelty, but it would've made the experience even better if it had been at a slower pace.

This was not the first cave experience for my family, and we were not disappointed. The tour guide was. Knowledgeable about the history of the cave and answered all the questions we had. Also, we had a very small tour group, so we were able to move more freely in the cave and view the formations. I will definitely be back, because you can easily see there is a lot more to do on the other tours. I look forward to seeing more of the cave.

We had a great time at Colossal Cave back in 2016. We had a wide range of people in our group of 12 - from grandma down to several great-grandchildren. The surrounding area was green and lush desert, and the cavern itself was well maintained and made safe with hand rails and chains, to ensure our little ones didn't wander away. Fun time!

Good for novice cave seekers

Pretty cool cave

It was great

We loved the sight seeing before entering the cave. The castle on the hill was interesting. We were happy to get a smashed penny for my 12 y.o. collection. With social distancing we missed some information, unfortunately. The temperature seemed warmer wearing masks.

It was the best thing ive ever saw on a map

Really awesome cave

Beautiful formations

Something interesting to do out of the house! Mike gave a great tour!

Near Tucson, but remote enough to appreciate nature.

Sorry this review is a little late, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to review this GREAT attraction! We visited in March 2020 (before things got super bad with Covid). I learned about Colossal from a wonderful camping group on Facebook, when we couldn't make reservations for Kartchner. I had hoped it would be "okay". It was MORE than "okay"!!! If you can, make your reservation "on line" (just so you can pick the tour and time you want). It is possible to do "walk up", but if you can do it, it's worth it. We brought 4 adults and my two grandsons (5 & 8). Everyone we encountered were friendly and helpful. Check in is easy in the Gift Shop. Had a lot of fun in the Gift Shop and found "something for everyone". At the time we went there was wonderful food service available, with seating on their covered patio with EXCELLENT views. Of course Covid changed everything and I understand the food service may have had to be eliminated or changed dramatically (BUMMER !!!!! Unbelievably yummy "Fundido Queso & homemade chips" !!! Even some delightful bottled beers.) Oh well -- Covid has affected EVERYTHING !!" Anyway -- THE TOUR of the Cave was wonderful; my Grandkids can't wait to go back! FREE PARKING and easy access to head off for hiking from the property once you finish your tour. What else can I say -- we REALLY enjoyed our day at Colossal Cave Mountain Park and will definitely be back again !!!

Matt was our tour guide he was excellent at his job he explained things to us very well. Everything there is very covid-19 acceptable. I took my grandkids there from New York they had a wonderful time

Very unusual place. Historic and educational. Nice tourist facilities, gift shop and refreshment stand.

So interesting

Great place to explore when its hot outside.

Colossal cave is awesome. The drive down Spanish trail to colossal cave alone is worth it. Your guides are great, especially Antonio. Bring a couple extra bucks for souvenirs and please tip your guide. I came back to Tucson and brought my girlfriend with me to see it and we had a great time. It was cold outside and nice in the cave. During the summer when it’s hot outside it is nice in the cave.

We went on the tour and it was awesome, the cave is amazing looking. Our tour guide was Mike and he did such a great job, very informative

Cave has lots of history. Tour guides were friendly however not very well knowledgeable on cave formations and the geology of the area. I'd suggest checking out kartchner caverns for a cave tour of a near pristine cave. Colossal has seen it's fair share of dirt grime and abuse from past dwellers. For the price though it's a fun cave tour with some beautiful views around it

We had a great experience at Colossal Cave! Our children (5 and 7) enjoyed the cave experience so much. They were afraid of seeing a bat at first, but then when they saw one flying around - it turned out to be a highlight. Nancy, our tour guide, was knowledgeable and funny. Will definitely return again!

Loved this place! Really cool Cave tour totally worth the money spent. We took our kids ages 9, 8, & 6yrs . The kids loved it, my youngest was a little nervous when we entered the cave and they locked us in for the tour. A few mins in though he was super excited and had fun. The tour guide was amazing, she was very interactive and informative.

(Translated by Google) Very nice place, excellent view and the cave is spectacular. (Original) Muy bonito lugar, excelente la vista y la cueva es espectacular.

Did the regular cave tour and loved it. Had Nancy as a guide. She was wonderful - very friendly and knowledgeable. It’s really interesting and be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. It’s a comfortable 71 degrees in the cave. If you have time plan to walk along the trail they have outside. It’s a nice walk. I highly recommend.

A very exhilarating tour. I am afraid of heights, but I pulled through. Fascinating cave. Our tour guide Helena was fantastic, good sense of humor and lot of knowledge. We took the ladder your, the way to tour the Colossal Cave.

The cave tour wasa lot of fun and a great value. Our guide Helena did a good job taking us through the caves and giving us plenty if stories and history on the caves. The standard tour is a great value. We did not bring our kids for this tour but we think it's something they would really enjoy.

We love to visit the cave and hike in the surrounding areas. They have great trails all around. I always suggest to tourists to come here. If you come a bit later in the day for a cave tour you will see the family of coatimundi that lives in the area! The guides are always great!

Had so much fun here! The gift shop had a lot of great items and the tour itself was great. Learned so much about the geology and history of the cave. Dalton was a fantastic and engaging guide! Highly recommend, enjoyed it more than I thought I would honestly! Buy tickets in advance and online, saves you time!

awesome tour , awesome guide !

Beautiful scenery outside and magnificent inside!

Great family activity!

Awesome adventure into the caves! The tour guide was very knowledgeable. The cave is always 68-72 degrees. Great history, highly recommend.

Excellent tour guide, but unfortunately due to all the advisories, only the basic cave tur was available.

not a great cave tour. The group was way too big to hear the guide

Loved it good exercise going into cave up n down the stairs

Took my son here to check out the cave. The cave tour was interesting and the guide was awesome - but I personally enjoyed the grounds more. Beautiful desert surrounding the park!

I give 5 stars mainly because the basic tour ($18) was worth the money for my husband & me. Took about 40 mins. Small group. Could social distance just fine. The cave was paved & has handrails (necessary in some parts!) (I brought hand sanitizer but they have plenty)(also required to wear masks). Up and down stairs but nothing constant or strenuous. Cave has a great history. Lots of vandalism from years ago (original inhabitants!) but still see many cool formations. Did not see any bats or ‘wildlife’ but they had just reopened so guide thought it was due to animals needing to get adjusted to people again. It is 70 degrees and felt warm. Took the 2pm tour as something to do mid afternoon. Ended up walking their trail afterward & then went to Saguaro Ntnl Park after!