Let's Talk Underground...Caves!

Far too often when Americans conjure up images of adventure and travel thrills, we have a tendency to believe we have to leave the US in order to find these kinds of activities. But that simply isn't true! Come with us today as we dig into the adventures of American caves and spelunking.

So what is spelunking, you ask? It's literally what it sounds like: discovering underground caves and cave systems. As a whole, most American caves are privately owned, meticulously maintained, and a safe place to visit. For the general public tours offered at most caves you won't find yourself wearing a hard hat with a light crawling on your belly through a narrow hole in the rock. You'll be exploring on foot these large, expansive cave "rooms". Each cave is extremely unique in its geography and rock formations and your tour guide will share with you throughout the tour details of the cave. You'll not only learn about the formations themselves, but you'll also get a slice of often-colorful history of that particular cave.

Caving is a great adventure for visitors of all ages, but keep in mind that walking is required and most caves are not handicap accessible. The areas of the caves that you will explore during a public tour will be lit so you will not find yourself stumbling around in the dark. It's an amazing activity to encourage the natural curiosity of children and an even better escape from the heat of summer given that each cave has a natural temperature that never changes (typically 58-68 degrees), regardless of the temperature at the surface.

So where can you find these caves? So glad you asked! There are literally caves in almost every state of the US, can you believe that?! From limestone to granite, river-carved to lakes, you can enjoy casual spelunking no matter the state of your next adventure. For those who like to take your adventures to the next level, most caves offer more in-depth spelunking tours that explore the more difficult-to-reach parts of the cave, and some even offer overnight spelunking trips that allow you to spend the night in the cave. There are a couple of incredibly unique caves that feature underground lakes where you take a boat ride on the lake once you get down to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw6xLXoZZoU

Jiffy specializes in domestic American trips that include adventure activities such as spelunking. The Lost Sea Adventure featured in the video above is a nice activity to include with a trip to visit Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, TN. Contact Jiffy today so begin planning the next chapter to your adventure travel story!