There are two separate worlds upon this earth, one is where most people live and carry on their lives, which is referring to that which is above ground and is the one we are most familiar with.

The other world, known to some as the underworld, is the world that lies below the surface. It is unknown how much of this underworld actually exists because much of it is filled with water and remains unaccessible with the current technology. Many more miles exist but as yet, there are no entrances to access many of these caves and underground tunnels.

Still, thousands of miles of underground passages have been discovered and explored. Much of these explored passageways are now open for public viewing and exploration.

A cave or cavern is a natural opening or void beneath the surface of the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground.

The word cave can refer to smaller openings such as sea caves, rock shelters, and grottos, that extend a relatively short distance into the rock and they are called exogene caves. Caves which extend further underground than the opening is wide are called endogene caves.

Many caves have been fitted with lights, walk ways, hand rails, and some even have elevators. However, there are many more which do not have any of these improvements, but in some cases, the owners of these caves do allow spelunking.

Unbeknownst to me when I began my research as to what caves are available in the US, every one of the fifty states have at least one cave and most states have numerous caves. Personally, I thought that I have been to a large number of caves during my life but upon finding out how many actually exist, I now realize that I have only just begun my personal caving experience.

Where can some of these caves be found? What treasures lie beneath? These and other questions will be the topic of discussion in this Gallery

Cave Types

Cathedral Caverns

Crystal Caverns

Desoto Caverns

Dust Cave

Fern Cave

Manitou Cave

Russell Cave

Sauta Cave

Shelter Cave

Blowing in the Wind Cave

Bumper Cave

Castner Glacier Caves

Colander Cave

Devils Canopy Cave

Enigma Cave

Hole 52 Cave

Juneau Ice Caves

Kit n Kaboodle Cave

Kushtaka Cave

Lawyers Cave

Matanuska Glacier Cave

Mendenhall Ice Caves

Nautilus Cave

On Your Knees Cave

Otter Den Cave

Puffin Grotto

Root & Kennicott Glaciers Caves

Spencer Glacier Cave

Trail Creek Caves

Zina Cave

Antelope Cave

Bat Cave Mine

Cave Creek Cave

Cave of the Bells

Cave of the Domes

Colossal Cave

Coronado Cave

Fossil Creek Cave

Grand Canyon Caverns (35.528889, -113.231667)

Kartchner Caverns

Lava River Cave

Onyx Cave

Peppersauce Cave

Sinagua Caves

Skeleton Cave

Ventana Cave

Blanchard Springs Caverns

Bull Shoals Caverns

Cosmic Caverns

Logan Cave

Crystal Dome Cavern

Mystic Caverns

Old Spanish Treasure Cave

Onyx Cave

War Eagle Cavern

Wonderland Cave

Anza Borrego State Park Arroyo Tapiado Mud Caves

Balconies Cave

Bear Gulch Cave

Black Chasm Cavern

Boyden Cave

Burro Flats Painted Cave

California Caverns

Chumash Painted Cave

Crystal Cave

Hall City Cave

Infernal Caverns

Lake Shasta Caverns

Lava Beds National Monument

Mercer Caverns

Mitchell Caverns

Moaning Cavern

Mojave National Preserve Lava Tube

Subway Cave

Ursa Minor Cave, Sequoia National Park (no access)

Cave of the Winds

Fault Cave

Fulford Cave

Glenwood Caverns

Groaning Cave

Grottos Cave

Mantles Cave

Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine

Orient Mine

Premonition Cave

Rainbow Falls Cave

Riffle Ice Caves

Rifle Mountain Park Cave

Rontom Cave

Spanish Cave

Spring Cave

Dinosaur Caves

Indian Council Caves

Judges Cave

King Phillips Cave

Leatherman Caves

Little Lourel Lime Park Cave

Shelter Caves

Squaw Cave

Torys Cave

Twin Lakes Cave

Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site

Blowing Rocks Preserve

Blue Grotto

Devils Den Cave

Falling Waters State Park

Florida Caverns State Park

Ginnie Springs

Ichetucknee Springs State Park

Leon Sinks Geological Area

Madison Blue Springs State Park

Manatee Springs State Park

Morison Springs

Peacock Springs State Park

Wakulla Springs

Warrens Cave

Weeki Wachee Springs

Byers Cave

Case Cave

Cemetery Pit Cave

Climax Caverns

Ellisons Cave

Fricks Cave

Glory Hole Caverns

Howards Waterfall Cave

Kingston Saltpeter Cave

Pettyjohn Cave

Rustys Cave

Sittons Cave

Bobcat Trail Habitation Cave

Bubble Cave

Fern Grotto

Hanakapiai Caves

Hana Lava Tube

Ka′eleku Caverns

Kaneana Cave

Kaumana Cave

Kazumura Cave

Keauhou Bay Sea Caves

Kula Kai Caverns

Makaha Caverns

Makauwahi Cave

Mermaid Cave

Na Pali Coast Cave

Sharks Cave

Spitting Caves

Three Room Cave

Thurston Lava Tube

Wai′anapanapa State Park Caves

Walahuakua Sea Cave

Wet and Dry Caves

Craters of the Moon National Monument

Darby Moon and Ice Cave

Devils Hole Cave

Eureka Cave

Gores Cave

Hidden Mouth Cave

Kuna Caves

Mammoth Cave

Minnetonka Cave

Niter Ice Cave

Paris Ice Caves

Q′emiln Park Caves

Smiths Crack

Shoshone Ice Cave

Wilson Butte Cave

Blackball Mine Cave

Cave-in-Rock

Herod Cave

Illinois Caverns

Indian Caves

Matthiessen State Park Cave

Mississippi Palisades State Park Cave

Red Oak Center Devils Cave

Rimrock Cave

Sand Cave

Shaky Shelter Site

Saint Louis Canyon Cave

Stoneface Boulder Cave

Bluespring Caverns

Buckner Cave

Indian Caverns