Wikipedia

List of longest caves in the United States

The following is a list of the longest caves in the United States per length (over 50 kilometres or 30 miles) of documented passageways. Many passageways are still being discovered; this list is based on the latest verifiable data.[1] Some caves and cave systems are partially accessible to the general public. Other caves have restricted access; restrictions may include limiting access to experienced spelunkers or scientific research teams.

Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system in the world
# System Length Location Coordinates Associated parks,
protected areas 		Access
1 Mammoth Cave 685.6 km (426.0 mi)[2][3] near Brownsville, Kentucky 37°11′15″N 86°06′13″W / 37.18758°N 86.10357°W / 37.18758; -86.10357 (Mammoth cave historic entrance) Mammoth Cave National Park, also a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. Longest cave in the world. Some public access[4]
2 Jewel Cave 353.69 km (219.8 mi)[5][6] near Custer, South Dakota 43°43′46″N 103°49′46″W / 43.72944°N 103.82944°W / 43.72944; -103.82944 (Jewel Cave) Jewel Cave National Monument Some public access[7]
3 Wind Cave 266.8 km (165.8 mi)[8] near Hot Springs, South Dakota 43°33′29″N 103°28′46″W / 43.55804°N 103.47955°W / 43.55804; -103.47955 (Wind Cave) Wind Cave National Park Some public access, suspended as of May 2024 for elevator replacement[9][10]
4 Lechuguilla Cave 244.7 km (152.0 mi)[11][12] near Carlsbad, New Mexico 32°11′26″N 104°30′12″W / 32.1906420°N 104.5033091°W / 32.1906420; -104.5033091 (Grotte de Lechuguilla) Carlsbad Caverns National Park Restricted access, requires authorization[13]
5 Fisher Ridge Cave System 212.1 km (131.8 mi)[1] near Brownsville, Kentucky 37°11′14″N 85°58′30″W / 37.1873°N 85.9751°W / 37.1873; -85.9751 (Fisher Ridge System Historic Entrance) partly within Mammoth Cave National Park
6 Helms Deep Cave 112.8 km (70.09 mi)[14][15] Perry County, Tennessee None.Entrances are on private property. Restricted access, requires authorization
7 Great Savannah Cave System,(Maxwelton Sink Cave[16]-McClung Cave[17]) 82.5 km (51.26 mi)[18] near Greenbrier County, West Virginia 37°51′35″N 80°24′22″W / 37.859703°N 80.406044°W / 37.859703; -80.406044 None. Entrances are on private property.[16] Restricted access, requires authorization[16]
8 Friars Hole Cave System 81.2 km (50.46 mi)[19] near Renicks Valley, West Virginia 38°04′02″N 80°19′47″W / 38.067203°N 80.329775°W / 38.067203; -80.329775 (Friars Hole Cave) None. Multiple entrances, most on private property. Some entrances closed. Some entrances require authorization. Some entrances accessible.[20]
9 Binkley's Cave System 72.4 km (44.99 mi)[1] near Corydon, Indiana 38°10′57″N 86°09′01″W / 38.1824995°N 86.1501717°W / 38.1824995; -86.1501717 None. Entrance on private property. Some public access[21]
10 Fort Stanton Cave 71.7 km (44.55 mi)[1] near Lincoln County, New Mexico 33°30′24″N 105°29′37″W / 33.506670°N 105.493610°W / 33.506670; -105.493610 Fort Stanton–Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area May require special permits.[22]
11 Hellhole 70.1 km (43.56 mi)[1] Germany Valley, West Virginia 38°46′17″N 79°22′41″W / 38.771361°N 79.378103°W / 38.771361; -79.378103 None. Entrance is privately leased and owned. Home of two federally protected bat species. No public access at any time. Restricted scientific access.[20]
12 Kazumura Cave 65.5 km (40.70 mi)[1] Pahoa, Hawaii 19°31′08″N 155°01′52″W / 19.518890°N 155.031110°W / 19.518890; -155.031110 None. Entrance on private property.[23] Some public access for fee.[23]
13 Double Bopper Cave 65.3 km (40.58 mi)[24] Coconino County, Arizona Grand Canyon National Park Restricted access, requires authorization[25][26]
14 Blue Spring Cave 64.4 km (40.02 mi)[1] near Sparta, Tennessee 35°57′46″N 85°23′07″W / 35.962811°N 85.385311°W / 35.962811; -85.385311 none Restricted access, requires authorization[20]
15 Carlsbad Caverns 63.5 km (39.46 mi)[1] near Carlsbad, New Mexico 32°10′37″N 104°26′28″W / 32.177057°N 104.441039°W / 32.177057; -104.441039 Carlsbad Caverns National Park Public access.[27]
16 Organ Cave 61.9 km (38.46 mi)[1] Greenbrier County, West Virginia 37°43′05″N 80°26′11″W / 37.7181564°N 80.4362982°W / 37.7181564; -80.4362982 None. Entrances on private property. Some entrances closed. Some entrances require authorization. Some entrances accessible.[20]
17 Wakulla-Leon Sinks Cave System 56.6 km (35.17 mi)[28] Wakulla County, Florida 30°14′07″N 84°18′10″W / 30.2354147°N 84.3028754°W / 30.2354147; -84.3028754 None. Underwater cave system.
18 Whigpistle System 55.7 km (34.61 mi)[29][30] Edmonson County, Kentucky 37°07′11″N 86°08′10″W / 37.1196°N 86.1362°W / 37.1196; -86.1362 (Whigpistle System Whigpistle Entrance) none
19 Crevice Cave 50.2 km (31.19 mi)[31] Perry County, Missouri 37°45′10″N 89°52′30″W / 37.7527°N 89.8749°W / 37.7527; -89.8749 (Crevice cave) none
Map all coordinates in "List of longest caves in the United States" using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Gulden, Bob (August 10, 2022). "USA Longest Caves by State". Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Additional Miles Added to Mammoth Cave - National Park". National Park Service (NPS). September 11, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  3. ^ "Mammoth Cave just got a little more "Mammoth"". National Park Service (NPS). September 8, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  4. ^ "Cave tours - Mammoth Cave National Park". Mammoth Caves National Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Jewel Cave Cave Exploration". National Park Service (NPS). January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  6. ^ "Jewel Cave Reaches 200 Miles". National Park Service (NPS). December 19, 2018. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  7. ^ "Guided Tours". Jewel Cave National Monument. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  8. ^ "150 miles and counting: Wind Cave celebrates significant milestone". National Park Service (NPS). October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  9. ^ National Parks Service (April 15, 2024). "Superintendent's Compendium, Wind Cave National Park". Wind Cave National Park. Section 1 (a) (2).
  10. ^ "Basic Information - Alerts in effect". Wind Cave National Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  11. ^ "Lechuguilla Cave Info". 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  12. ^ "Lechuguilla Cave". National Park Service (NPS). July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  13. ^ "Lechuguilla Cave". Carlsbad Caverns, National Park Service.
  14. ^ Paul Burger (2025-01-25). "USA Long Cave List". Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  15. ^ "National Speleological Society 2024 Convention Program Guide-Helms Deep Symposium Abstracts" (PDF). National Speleological Society- Convention Program Guide. National Speleological Society: 91–95. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  16. ^ a b c West Virginia Cave Conservancy. "Management plan for the preserve of great Savannah cave system's lightner entrance to Maxwelton Sink Cave".
  17. ^ West Virginia Cave Conservancy. "Management plan for the preserve of great Savannah cave system's lightner entrance to historic McClung Cave".
  18. ^ Dave Socky (June 2022). "Great Savannah Cave System - 51 miles". The Carbide Dump, Journal of the Blue Ridge Grotto of the National Speleological Association. 57 (6): 40. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Projects - West Virginia Association for Cave Studies". Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  20. ^ a b c d "VAR Limited Access Cave List - National Speleological Society". Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  21. ^ "Cave Tours". Indiana Caverns Family Adventure Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  22. ^ "Special Rules". Fort Stanton - Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area. Bureau of Land Management.
  23. ^ a b La Vigne, Patrice (31 May 2022). "The curious case of Harry Shick's backyard cave". Adventure.com. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  24. ^ "Grand Canyon's Double Bopper Cave. Reaches 40 Miles Long". caves.org. Retrieved 18 October 2021..
  25. ^ National Parks Service (September 20, 2024). "Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent's Compendium" (PDF). Superintendent's Compendium, Grand Canyon National Park. p. 16.
  26. ^ "Cave/Karst Systems". Grand Canyon National Park. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  27. ^ "Things to do". Calsbad Caverns National Park. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  28. ^ Todd Kincaid; C.L. Werner (2008). "Karst Hydrogeology of the Woodville Karst Plain Florida". Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  29. ^ Glennon, J.A. (2001). "Narrative of the Exploration and Survey of the Martin Ridge Cave System Edmonson County, Kentucky". Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  30. ^ Patricia Kambesis; Joel Despain; Chris Groves (2013). "The Making of a Connection: Exploration/Survey in Whigpistle Cave System". Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  31. ^ The Missouri Speleological Survey. "Crevice Cave". Retrieved 2023-05-06.
edit
  • USA Long caves by state: [1]
Retrieved from "https://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=List_of_longest_caves_in_the_United_States&oldid=1275809311"