What you can observe inside the caverns
When you make time to explore the caves at Kartchner Caverns State Park, you’ll have access to some spectacular underground formations. There are two highlight areas for guests to tour underground here which include a cavern known as the Throne Room and a connecting cavern known as the Big Room. When you make your way into the Throne Room, you’ll be treated to views of a unique formation known as a bell canopy. This is the stunning result of water flowing over wall bumps over thousands of years.
As water has dripped and flowed along the cavern surfaces over time, it’s left what’s referred to as speleothems in its wake. These eye-catching underground formations are made up of layers of calcite that take on whimsical shapes and hues. While the formations are fantastic to observe, they’re also extremely fragile, making their protected state park status that much more important.
Park visitors who travel through the Big Room underground will find themselves face-to-face with rare formations known as turnip shields and brushite moonmilk alike. Across both impressive caverns, adventurers can witness needle quartz formations up close while the Throne Room proudly boasts a 58-foot Kubla Khan column which is the largest of its kind in all of Arizona. Other exciting formations you can successfully check off your list while visiting the caverns include rimstone dams, totems, stalactites, and helictites too.
Tours, bat walks, and stargazing
YouTube/ Visit Arizona
To explore the caves here, you’ll need to book a guided tour. Choose between a Throne Room tour or a Big Room tour with each covering about half a mile of underground terrain. Headlamp tours are also available for visitors wanting to get an authentic feel for how it would have been to initially discover the caves. Those with a passion for subterranean photography can book a special photo tour hosted on the third Saturday of the month.
In addition to mesmerizing underground formations, the caverns are home to a variety of bat species. If you’re interested in learning more about these winged creatures, you’ll want to book a spot on one of the park’s nighttime bat walks. These outings are led by a naturalist who provides insight into bat conservation as you trek a half mile looking to spot bats overhead. Bat walk participants have opportunities to see up to 13 different species of bats during their excursion — all of which are considered keystone species for this important ecosystem.
If you’re looking for above-ground adventures to add to your Kartchner Caverns State Park itinerary, there are plenty of scenic hiking trails to check out. The state park is also a designated International Dark Sky Park. This makes it an exceptional destination for observing the cosmos if you’re someone who is always looking for great places to stargaze.
