If you were a Hohokam Indian in the first century A.D., you’d have loved it here in the valley below Colossal Cave. Come to think of it, you’ll love it here now. The only difference is that instead of farming, ranching or hiding from the law, you’ll be exploring some true natural wonders.
This huge cavern was a shrine, a storage area and a place for shelter for a thousand years. It and the ranch below - named Mountain Springs Ranch in 1878 and later La Posta Quemada (“Burnt Station”) Ranch - were favorite places for explorers, lawmen and a prodigious list of train robbers and prison escapees. It wasn’t even explored or surveyed until about 1917, and even then it did not evolve into a state/county park until 2000.
The beauty of all of this is that it remains a mostly untouched habitat for naturally historic Sonoran-Chihuahuan wildlife such as peccaries, mountain lions, doves and plentiful wildflowers. Take in the sights on the half-mile-long tour, featuring 6.5 stories of amazing geologic formations. Oh, and bats: twelve species of them live in the park, nearly half of all species in Arizona.
Best Arizona Travel Deals
Shop and compare lowest prices from top travel sites.
Shop and compare lowest prices from top travel sites.
Shop and compare lowest prices from top travel sites.
Shop and compare lowest prices from top travel sites.
Shop and compare lowest prices from top travel sites.
Shop and compare lowest prices from top travel sites.
Things to know:
Region: Arizona Old West
Highlights: Visit the Bat Garden, one of three on the premises. There’s also a Ranch Museum featuring ancient artifacts found in the caves (although not the two human skeletons discovered in 1917 - yikes!).
Average temperature: Colossal Cave is a “dry cave” with a constant inside temperature of about 70 degrees F.
Related Onsite Offerings: By reservation, the Ladder Tour and the Wild Cave Tour take you through unlit, unmarked, and rarely seen passageways. The park provides the hard hats and lights; you provide the physical strength.
Photo courtesy of panoramio.com.
Colossal Cave Mountain Park
Each website you select will open a new window in your browser.
