Cave tours will give you a glimpse into the state's history, geology, and much more.
It's time to hit the mountains, er, get in the mountains, that is. Colorado has a loving relationship with its mountains. We've mined them for ore, hiked them for recreation, and skied down their slopes for some excitement. Our mountains are the heart of the culture and our economy.
So why not get up close and personal with them by taking a tour into their very core and getting to know them from the inside out?
While Colorado isn't known for its caves, we've got a couple of good size ones that are just waiting for you to explore. Check out the cave tours below for an experience that you can't get on the surface. Please note: while there are several other caves throughout the state, these are maintained for visitors and most of the tours do not require special equipment or caving experience.
Cave of the Winds
Located in Manitou Springs, the Cave of the Winds is one of the most popular attractions in the Pikes Peak region. It's been wowing visitors since the 1880s with its unbelievable tunnels and formations that date back millions of years. The cave has plenty of twists and turns, as well as stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone, which look like frozen waterfalls flowing down the walls.
There are several tour options to choose from, perfect for families or people who want to do a little more advanced caving. The tours range from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours approximately, and there is even a lantern tour if you want to see the caves like those who found them. They also offer a range of terrain, from concrete walkways and more open rooms to muddy ground and tight, narrow tunnels.
Courtesy of CaveoftheWinds.com
If you want to do more than spelunking, Cave of the Winds has also created a host of "above-ground" adventures. You can soar through the adjacent canyon on the Frontier Zip Lines, take a Magic Lantern Virtual Reality Tour, get your climbing on with Via Ferrata Canyon Tours, or go full-on batty on the Bat-A-Pult, which launches you on a 1,200 round-trip flight across Williams Canyon.
You can check out more on the Cave of the Winds website.
Glenwood Caverns
There's way more to Glenwood than the hot springs. The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is home to cave tours and a theme park that is sure to keep the whole family entertained.
If you want to go caving, the caverns, found inside of Iron Mountain, offers two, 40-minute cave walking tours—King's Row (Colorado largest show caves) and the Historic Fairy Cave. USA Today rated the Glenwood Caverns as one of the top 10 places to go underground, and cave tours start about an hour after the park opens. It's always a cool but comfortable 52 degrees in the caves no matter the season.
Courtesy of Glenwood Caverns (Facebook)
"The Historic Fairy Cave leads you through a 1/4 of a mile underground stroll with occasional narrow passage ways and a brief visit outside on Exclamation Point with panoramic views of Glenwood Springs. King’s Row takes you into the wide-open Barn with 120 stairs down into the most highly decorated cave room in Colorado featuring stunning formations!" says glenwoodcaverns.com.
In addition, you can book a Wild Cave Tour, which is for the extreme-caving adventure seekers.
Like Cave of the Winds, there's some above-ground fun to be had at the Glenwood Caverns, as well. The mountaintop theme park includes a gondola that you must take to access the caves, an alpine slide, a zip line ride, a giant canyon swing, a roller coaster, and the haunted mine drop, which will drop you straight into the mountain. There are many, many more attractions to enjoy, as well.
You can check out more on The Glenwood Caverns' website.
Have you been on any of these cave tours? Let us know in the comments below!