August 14th, 2008

Discover the Wonder of Kartchner Caverns

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If the summer brings out your family’s adventurous side, consider a road tip to Kartchner Caverns, located in Benson, Ariz. A day at the caverns will be filled with excitement, exploring and learning as you walk past the beautiful speleothems (stalactites and stalagmites) and take in the variety of colors that have been created on the cave walls during the last 200 thousand years. The path through the cavern is wheelchair accessible, and it’s even suitable for young children, as long as they can withstand the urge to touch the “live” cave. As you walk along the path, the tour guide will explain how the caverns formed, who discovered them, how they are maintained, and what types of life still exist in them today.

While you wait for your tour, check out the visitor center: the air-conditioned facility has a documentary on how the cave was discovered, along with several educational exhibits on cave life.
Not only can you enjoy the beauty inside the caves, but if you can stand the heat, there are also three walking/hiking trails that allow you to enjoy the beauty of the desert’s natural vegetation. Kartchner Caverns State Park also provides campgrounds that offer many friendly accommodations to visitors for a nominal fee of just $22 per day.

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The caverns are located in Benson, Ariz., 160 miles outside of Phoenix. The Rotunda/Throne Room tour is available year-round and the Big Room tour is open from mid-October to mid-April. Get your reservations early because they fill up quickly.

For more information, call 520.586.2283 or visit the Web site at explorethecaverns.com.