Cave Of The Mounds

Open 9am-5pm, 7 days/week

Tickets

FAQ

  • VISIT
  • GROUPS
  • CAVE

No. Tickets may be purchased on site, but ordering online is highly encouraged.

For the preservation of the cave and the conservation of the grounds, ONLY GENUINE SERVICE ANIMALS are allowed on the park grounds, including the paved areas. This does NOT include emotional support animals.

For those travelling with dogs, we do offer two free-to-use kennels on the property in a shaded area across from the entrance. Keys for the kennels must be acquired at the ticket desk. Unavailable in winter.

In order to protect the cave and allow us to maintain its natural beauty, the following are not allowed in the cave:

  • Any food, candy, snacks, or gum
  • Any drink other than plain water, EXCEPT during special events
  • Large bags or backpacks
  • Weapons or fireworks
  • Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, or vapes
  • Tripods, monopods, or selfie sticks
  • Hiking poles
  • Back-of-Body child carriers or rigid child carriers (soft, front-of-body carriers ok)

No. Museum-Style tours will allow you to tour the cave in a similar manner to an unguided tour, allowing you the freedom to walk the cave in your own group, but guests are never allowed into the cave without a guide present in the cave. This is for the safety of our guests and the protection of the cave.

No. We are not a National Park; we are a National Natural Landmark, which allows us a partnership and distinction with the National Parks Service, but we are not government owned and do not receiving government funding.

We are open every day, all year EXCEPT Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Absolutely. Thousands of children of all ages have visited Cave of the Mounds on field trips and with their families. Our guides maintain high standards within the cave to keep everyone (and the cave) safe, but a responsible parent or adult should supervise children at all times anywhere on the park grounds.

Unfortunately, the nature of the cave involves several staircases and uneven pathways. Wheelchairs and walkers are not allowed in the cave, though canes and individual hiking/walking sticks are allowed for mobility purposes.

The rest of the park grounds are open and accessible including the visitor’s center, gift shop, gardens, and select trails.

Tours depart frequently throughout the day and become more frequent during the summer. For precise times, give us a call!

Yes, photos are encouraged! Flash photography does not affect the cave in any way, but selfie sticks and tripods must stay home.

If you are interested in taking photos for professional purposes, please reach out for a photo permit.

Tours last anywhere from 45min to 1hr.

Seasonal Museum-Style Tours are indefinite, and guests are allowed to go through the cave multiple times at their own pace up until closing time.

Since we operate underground, most weather does not affect us in our day-to-day operations. Unless the storms are severe (i.e. tornado, road closures) or roads aren’t drivable (i.e. heavy snowfall), you can expect us to be open.

Any weather-based closures are posted immediately to our social media and phone message. When in doubt, give us a call.

Groups are eligible for discounted rates if they meet the following requirements:

  • At least 20 people
  • Reserve at least 2 weeks (14 days) in advance

Group rates vary by season and age. Check them out on the Groups page.

Yes. We have multiple designated picnic areas that are assigned based on your schedule and group size. A covered picnic area is available up the road at Brigham County Park.

In order to protect the cave and allow us to maintain its natural beauty, the following are not allowed in the cave:

  • Any food, candy, snacks, or gum
  • Any drink other than plain water
  • Large bags or backpacks
  • Back-of-Body child carriers or rigid child carriers (soft, front-of-body carriers ok)
  • Tripods, monopods, or selfie sticks
  • Weapons or fireworks
  • Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, or vapes
  • Hiking poles

For the preservation of the cave and the conservation of the grounds, ONLY GENUINE SERVICE ANIMALS are allowed on the park grounds, including the paved areas. This does NOT include emotional support animals.

For those travelling with dogs, we do offer two free-to-use kennels on the property in a shaded area across from the entrance. Keys for the kennels must be acquired at the ticket desk. Unavailable in winter.

Cave of the Mounds is 50°F (10°C) year round, regardless of the outside temperature.

No. Cave of the Mounds is a closed cave system with no natural entrance. This means animals like bats, snakes, and spiders don’t have a way to get in.

Cave of the Mounds is a Solution Cave: a cave made as acidic water percolates through the ground and slowly dissolves the rock. Solution caves are known for having cave formations and are the most common and largest caves in the world.

Our cave is host to the oldest dated cave formations in the Midwest, aged at 257,560 ± 2,200years. Cave of the Mounds also has one of the best varieties of cave formations and includes nearly every named type of speleothem.

The maximum depth of the cave is 70ft (21m) beneath the surface.

To our knowledge, all of Cave of the Mounds has been discovered and mapped. On your tour, you see the vast majority of the cave with the exception of a few crawlways that are either too small, too delicate, or too treacherous to be navigated by guests.

Definitely. This area has a lot of caves, and we have in fact discovered several smaller ones on our park grounds. Wisconsin itself has over 400 caves that have been discovered so far, and likely many more than that in total, so caves are actually more common than you think!