Events

Fossil Tours

February 5, 10, 19, 24 at 4:30 PM

Walk through an ancient ocean and look for fossils older than the dinosaurs. In a limestone cave, there are many fossils to see. Learn from our Cave Educator about different fossils that have been discovered. 

Fossilization is rare. According to the BBC, scientists estimate that less than one-tenth of 1% of all creatures on earth become fossils. Feel like a geologist, archeologist, or paleontologist by looking for fossils along the cave trail.

Along your tour, collect some fossils to take home with you in a reusable bag. The fossils are like the ones you will find in the limestone of the cave.

Tickets are $36.99

Tickets available.

Cave After Dark: Love On The Rocks

February 11, 2023

Spend your night with the one you love in a warm, candle-lit cave. Enjoy romantic music echoing through the natural wonder of the cave.

Looking for a unique way to spend time with your loved one this Valentine’s Day? Cave of the Mounds is hosting a Valentine’s Day event just 20 minutes west of Madison. From 5:30 PM – 9 PM on February 11, 2023, this event will rock your world.

Are you planning a romantic weekend? Stay in one of the many local lodging options, some of our favorite unique locations include the GrandStay Hotel, Amethyst Iron Inn (a speakeasy hotel & spa), or the Sunniva B&B close to downtown. Visit local shops, eat at delicious restaurants, hike nature trails, discover the Driftless Area, and enjoy the unique experience of a romantic time in a beautiful cave.

Tickets available on January 10th, 2023. Tickets are non-refundable. This is an adults-only event and alcoholic beverages will be sold. (Ages 21+ only). Keys to the Cave Members will receive a free gift!

Tickets are $44.99 per person.

Blacklight Tours

February 3rd & 12th at 4:15 PM

We will have a Guided Black Light Tour with one of our Cave Educators.

Unique Experience to explore the Cave of the Mounds by Black Light. Watch the cave glow under UV Light.

You will learn about ultraviolet light, fluorescence, and see the speleothems GLOW! The tour price includes a black light rental and a guided tour of Cave of the Mounds.

Tickets are non-refundable. Please be aware, that tours are held in the dark which may be inappropriate for very young children.

Tickets are $36.99 

Tickets available on January 10th, 2023

History Tours

March 5, 10, 19, 24, 2023, at 4:30 PM

Discovered by accident in 1939 and was originally known as a cave without a legend. There are over 80 years of history including being a bomb shelter in the 1940s during WWII and a tornado shelter after the destruction of a nearby town in the 1980s. Special visitors like Frank Lloyd Wright and Gilbert Hemsley Jr.  In 1988, the Cave of the Mounds became a National Natural Landmark.

Before the cave was discovered, this land was the oldest farm in Dane County starting in 1828 before Wisconsin was a state. HISTORY NERDS WANTED. This tour talks about the history and the science woven into the tour.

Tickets are $36.99.

Tickets available February 7th, 2023.

Blacklight Tours

March 12th & 17th at 4:15 PM

We will have a Guided Black Light Tour with one of our Cave Educators.

Unique Experience to explore the Cave of the Mounds by Black Light. Watch the cave glow under UV Light.

You will learn about ultraviolet light, fluorescence, and see the speleothems GLOW! The tour price includes a black light rental and a guided tour of Cave of the Mounds.

Tickets are non-refundable. Please be aware, that tours are held in the dark which may be inappropriate for very young children.

Tickets are $36.99 

Tickets available on February 7th, 2023

Easter Eggstravaganza

April 7-9, 2023, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday

Come for our Easter Eggstravaganza! With many events and activities to spend the day visiting. 

During the tour, your pathways are lit with hundreds of GLOWING eggs. See the amazing glow from the eggs and see the cave in a whole new light. Purchase one of our Easter Rock Hunt bags to receive rock and fossil treasures underground at stations inside Cave of the Mounds!

More activities will be announced closer to the event. Stay tuned for more!

Tickets Available March 7th, 2023.

Astronomy Night

April 19, 2023, Wednesday

Watch the stars in an area with less light pollution. Cave of the Mounds is located on the south slope of the East Blue Mounds. Blue Mounds is the highest point in Southern Wisconsin. With a short 20-minute drive west of Madison, Cave of the Mounds is a great place to look up at the stars.

Bring your telescope and a warm outfit and watch the stars! Hot beverages and a fireplace will be available in the Visitor Center.

Tickets available March 7th, 2023.

Blacklight Tours

April 16th, 21st, & 30th at 4:15 PM

We will have a Guided Black Light Tour with one of our Cave Educators.

Unique Experience to explore the Cave of the Mounds by Black Light. Watch the cave glow under UV Light.

You will learn about ultraviolet light, fluorescence, and see the speleothems GLOW! The tour price includes a black light rental and a guided tour of Cave of the Mounds.

Tickets are non-refundable. Please be aware, that tours are held in the dark which may be inappropriate for very young children.

Tickets are $36.99 

Tickets available on March 7th, 2023

Geode Talk

April 23rd, 2023 @ 1PM

Discover the world of geodes! These quartz-filled rocks seem unassuming on the outside but a treasure within. It’s fun to learn about them and even more fun to break them open!

Learn about the secrets of this unique rock! This free talk about geodes is geared mainly toward children and families, but anyone can participate. After the talk, the speaker will demonstrate how to open a geode and one lucky audience member will receive a free geode.

A Geode appears to be an ordinary concretion of sedimentary or volcanic rock, but they were a hollow cavity at one time that crystals have grown inside of.  Some Geodes fill in completely with minerals while others are still hollow.  If you break open a Geode, you will find a treasure of agate, minerals, or crystals resembling a miniature cave.  

Admission is FREE!

Blacklight Tour

May 5th at 4:15 PM

We will have a Guided Black Light Tour with one of our Cave Educators.

Unique Experience to explore the Cave of the Mounds by Black Light. Watch the cave glow under UV Light.

You will learn about ultraviolet light, fluorescence, and see the speleothems GLOW! The tour price includes a black light rental and a guided tour of Cave of the Mounds.

Tickets are non-refundable. Please be aware, that tours are held in the dark which may be inappropriate for very young children.

Tickets are $36.99 

Tickets available on April 4th, 2023

Blacklight Tour

June 4, 9, 18, 23, 2023, at 4:30 PM

We will have a Guided Black Light Tour with one of our Cave Educators.

Unique Experience to explore the Cave of the Mounds by Black Light. Watch the cave glow under UV Light.

You will learn about ultraviolet light, fluorescence, and see the speleothems GLOW! The tour price includes a black light rental and a guided tour of Cave of the Mounds.

Tickets are non-refundable. Please be aware, that tours are held in the dark which may be inappropriate for very young children.

Tickets available May 9th, 2023.

Cave After Dark: Summer Soiree

June 24, 2023, Saturday

Join us for a summer party in the Prairie and Underground! Discover fun inside the cave at your own pace and enjoy the subterranean ambiance while listening to live music! Make the most of your summer with this rare event of exploring the Driftless Area above and below ground. Listen to local artists and enjoy local brews. A specialty cocktail will also be available at the Beer Garden.

More information will be announced closer to the event. Stay tuned for more!

Tickets available May 9th, 2023.

Lantern Tours

July 9, 14, 23, 28, 2023, at 4:30 PM

Discover the cave like the first explorers. Walk through the cave using only lanterns and flashlights. Feel as though you are one of the first people to ever see the cave. 

Cave of the Mounds was accidentally discovered during a quarry blast. The first who entered were quarry workers, a farmer, and a 17-year-old boy. They were the first to ever lay eyes on the cave as there are no natural entrances. No animal or human had ever seen the cave until 1939.

Today there are more than 400 known caves in the state of Wisconsin but often found in people’s backyards like this one. In fact, cave explorers find hundreds of caves in America each year!

Get a glimpse into the spelunking world! 

Tickets are $36.99.

Tickets available June 6th, 2023.

Discovery Days

July 31, 2023 – August 4, 2023, Monday – Friday

Cave of the Mounds was discovered on August 4, 1939. Come celebrate our 83rd anniversary with a weekend packed with family fun!

Special Events in the Cave including a special flashlight experience like the first explorers in the cave. History Walks across our property and the Historic Brigham Farm will be open with historic displays available for free!

More activities will be announced closer to the event. Stay tuned for more!

Tickets available July 4th, 2023.

Blacklight Tour

August 6, 11, 20, 25, 2023, at 4:30 PM

We will have a Guided Black Light Tour with one of our Cave Educators.

Unique Experience to explore the Cave of the Mounds by Black Light. Watch the cave glow under UV Light.

You will learn about ultraviolet light, fluorescence, and see the speleothems GLOW! The tour price includes a black light rental and a guided tour of Cave of the Mounds.

Tickets are non-refundable. Please be aware, that tours are held in the dark which may be inappropriate for very young children.

Tickets are $36.99.

Tickets available July 4th, 2023.

TBD